The short answer
Most uterine cancers start in the lining of the uterus, and endometrioid carcinoma is the most common type. Other subtypes include serous and clear cell carcinoma. Uterine sarcomas are separate cancers.
Most uterine cancers are endometrial carcinomas, starting in the uterine lining.
Endometrioid carcinoma is the most common subtype of endometrial carcinoma.
ACS describes serous carcinoma as one of the more aggressive types. Ask your team about your subtype.
Carcinosarcoma makes up about 3 percent of uterine cancers and has features of two cancer types.
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The whole article, with every detail and caution.
The simple version
This page explains the main types of uterine cancer. It also explains why your exact type matters for treatment.
Endometrial carcinoma starts in the lining of the uterus. The most common type is endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Uterine sarcomas start in the muscle layer or connective tissue instead.
Endometrial carcinoma subtypes
ACS lists these types of endometrial cancer:
- Endometrioid carcinoma. The most common type.
- Serous carcinoma. ACS describes it as one of the more aggressive types, with a poorer outlook than type 1.
- Clear cell carcinoma. Another type your pathologist may report.
- Carcinosarcoma. About 3% of uterine cancers.
- Mixed and undifferentiated carcinoma. Other patterns your pathologist may report.
In short: endometrioid carcinoma is the most common type, and serous carcinoma is among the more aggressive.
Uterine sarcoma: a separate cancer
Sarcoma of the uterus is not the same disease. ACS says it starts in the muscle layer (the myometrium). It can also start in supporting connective tissue. NCI gives it its own treatment page. Surgery is the most common treatment. Some people then have chemotherapy or radiation.
Why type and subtype matter
ACS says grade 3 cancers tend to grow and spread fast. They have a worse outlook than lower-grade cancers. Your pathology report (the lab's study of your tumor) shows your type and grade. Knowing your exact type helps your team match treatment to your cancer. Ask them what yours means.
What to watch for
ACS says abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of endometrial cancer. This includes bleeding between periods, spotting, discharge, and any bleeding after menopause. Pelvic discomfort can appear later. Other conditions can cause these signs too. They still need checking.
Any bleeding after menopause should be reported to your doctor.
When to get help sooner
- Call 911 or go to an emergency department if you have heavy vaginal bleeding that soaks through pads quickly. Also call if bleeding leaves you faint, dizzy, or short of breath. Do not drive yourself.
- Call your care team the same day if you have any vaginal bleeding after menopause, or severe pelvic pain.
- Call your care team within a day or two if you have bleeding or discharge between periods, or pelvic discomfort that does not go away.
Sources
Common questions
What is the difference between endometrial cancer and uterine cancer?
Endometrial cancer, which starts in the lining of the uterus, is the most common kind of uterine cancer. But uterine sarcoma, which starts in the muscle layer of the uterus, is a separate cancer.
What is endometrioid carcinoma?
ACS names endometrioid adenocarcinoma as the most common type of endometrial cancer.
Are serous and clear cell carcinoma serious?
ACS says type 2 endometrial cancers, mostly serous carcinomas, have a poorer outlook than type 1. Your team can explain what your subtype means for treatment.
What is uterine sarcoma?
Uterine sarcoma starts in the muscle layer or supporting connective tissue of the uterus, rather than the lining. NCI covers its treatment on a separate page from endometrial cancer.
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Last updated: 2026-10-02Next planned review: 2027-08-03
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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