Uterine Serous Carcinoma: Clinicopathological features, Precursor lesions and Molecular Alterations

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC), while only comprising 10-120% of all endometrial cases, accounts for nearly half the deaths caused by this disease. Its aggressive nature is highlighted by the high risk of recurrence seen even in patients with disease limited to the uterus. The biology of these tumors is underpinned by genetic and molecular features, which are clearly distinct from the endometrioid subtype. This dichotomy in clinical, pathological and molecular features validates a dualistic classification of endometrial carcinoma, which include Type I and Type II cancers. Type I lesions include endometrioid carcinoma and its subtypes, while serous carcinoma is a prototype of Type II. The clinical characteristics and biologic behavior of serous carcinomas generate constant interest and research to identify novel and potential therapeutic targets.