Endometrial precancers: from concept to practice

Endometrial epithelial cancers are among the most common gynaecological malignancies, with significant numbers of new cases and cancer deaths each year. Recent major advancements in defining the clinicopathologic, molecular and epidemiologic profiles of these cancers has established the existence of two major types of endometrial carcinomas, namely type I and type II endometrial carcinomas. Naturally, distinct precancerous lesions have also been proposed for these two types of endometrial cancer. This review summarizes the distinct histotypes of endometrial cancers, and discusses their corresponding precancers in detail, including the most relevant recent advances and clinical management.