Email This

Grades of Uterine Cancer

A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in studying cells. A pathologist assesses the sample from your biopsy. He or she assigns a grade to the sample. The grade includes a description of the type of cells in the sample and how much of each type of cells is present. This helps your doctor decide how likely it is that the cancer will spread or return. Doctors use 3 grades to describe most uterine cancers. The definitions of the grade are the same whether you have endometrial cancer or uterine sarcoma. The higher the grade, the more likely it is that the cancer may spread.

  • Grade 1 (low). In this case, 5% or less of the tissue sample from a tumor contains cancer cells.

  • Grade 2 (intermediate). Between 6% and 50% of the tissue sample from a tumor contains cancer cells.

  • Grade 3 (high). More than 50% of the tissue sample from a tumor contains cancer cells.

Other factors concerning the cells’ appearance can make the grade higher as well.

Online Medical Reviewer: Giuntoli, Robert MD
Online Medical Reviewer: Hoskins, William J. MD
Online Medical Reviewer: Kanipe, Jennifer RN, BSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Moore-Higgs, Giselle ARNP, MSN, AOCN
Online Medical Reviewer: Stump-Sutliff, Kim RN, MSN, AOCNS
Last Annual Review Date: 8/7/2009