Uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) is an uncommon and aggressive type II endometrial tumor that constitutes only 1%–6% of all endometrial carcinomas [1]. In 1976, its poor prognosis compared to… Click to show full abstract
Uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) is an uncommon and aggressive type II endometrial tumor that constitutes only 1%–6% of all endometrial carcinomas [1]. In 1976, its poor prognosis compared to endometrioid endometrial carcinoma was reported in a series of 21 cases by Kurman and Scully [2]. More recently, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Annual Report 2006 indicated that the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate for UCCC was significantly lower than that for endometrioid carcinoma (62.5% vs. 83.2%) [3]. It is plausible that this difference in survival is related to the propensity of UCCC to spread to the uterus. For example, in a multi-institute review of patients with UCCC and no gross evidence of extrauterine disease, it was shown that 52% (39/69) had their disease upstaged at the time of surgery [4]. Similarly, Nguyen et al. [5] revealed that 46% (59/129) of patients with clinical stage I UCCC had extrauterine spread. These reports support the argument that UCCC can spread early, including to the lymph nodes and omentum.
               
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