Endometrial cancer rates have tripled.

• Position: Medicine & Health

Parents of twins often tell them apart through subtle differences--such as facial expression, moles, voice tone, and gait. Similarly, physicians treating women with endometrial cancer must be able to distinguish among different versions of this disease form that, on the surface, appear the same. With endometrial cancer, the most common gynecological cancer in the Western world and the fourth most prevalent in the U.S., it literally can be a matter of life and death. Mortality rates from this cancer nearly have tripled in the last 25 years and are thought to be attributed to the rising incidence of obesity.

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, have identified genetic mutations in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEC), the most common form of this cancer of the uterine lining. The mutations reveal a more lethal version of an EEC subtype previously thought to respond well to treatment. It is possible that, by identifying these patients early on, oncologists can try more aggressive treatment approaches to increase the likelihood for a positive outcome.

"EEC is categorized into subtypes that help determine risk of recurrence and guide treatment," says Wei Zhang, professor of pathology. "Most patients have Type I, which can be diagnosed early and generally has a good outcome with treatment."

Type I accounts for 70% to...