Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium is the fourth most frequent cancer in women. Surgery is the treatment of choice in patients with noninvasive or locally advanced disease. The surgical technique consists of an exploratory laparotomy, with total hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, peritoneal washing, and, in selected high-risk patients, omental and peritoneal biopsies and lymphadenectomy. Therefore, preoperative clinical and instrumental staging of the local spread of disease, as well as local and distant lymph node involvement, represent a critical step in tailoring the extent and the radicalness of surgery.