The choice of treatment depends on the size of the tumor, the stage of the disease, whether female hormones affect tumor growth, and the tumor grade. (The grade tells how closely the cancer cells resemble normal cells and suggests how fast the cancer is likely to grow. Low-grade cancers are likely to grow and spread more slowly than high-grade cancers.) The doctor also considers other factors, including the woman's age and general health.

These are some questions a woman may want to ask the doctor: What kind of uterine cancer do I have? Has the cancer spread? What is the stage of the disease? Do I need any more tests to check for spread of the disease? What is the grade of the tumor? What are my treatment choices? Which do you recommend for me? Why? What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment? What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment? What is the treatment likely to cost? How will treatment affect my normal activities? How often should I have checkups? Would a clinical trial (research study) be appropriate for me?

Women do not need to ask all their questions or understand all the answers at once. They will have other chances to ask the doctor to explain things that are not clear and to ask for more information.

Glossary Terms

A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.

A description of a tumor based on how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread. Grading systems are different for each type of cancer.