Utility of radiation therapy for early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma

Expression of netrin-1 in uterine serous carcinoma and its association with prognosis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

At present, there are few biomarkers used to predict the prognosis of uterine serous carcinoma (USC). Netrin-1 may be a promising biomarker candidate. We investigated netrin-1 expression in USC tissues and healthy endometrial tissues to determine its relevance to disease prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Netrin-1 expression was examined in the tissues of 48 patients with USC and 30 patients with healthy benign endometrial tissues via immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

None of the healthy tissues were stained with netrin-1. In tumor tissues, the overall positivity rate of netrin-1 was 75%, detected as high expression in 17 patients (35%) and low in 19 (40%). Patients who had tumors with no netrin-1 expression (n = 12) had a median overall survival (OS) of 60.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 47-98), whereas patients who had tumors with low to strong netrin-1 expression (n = 33) had a lower median OS of 50 months, but the difference was not statistically significant (95% CI, 58-108; P = 0.531). Disease-free survival (DFS) was not statistically significant between the groups (95% CI, 67.7-115.9; P = 0.566). Patients with a tumor diameter ≥2 cm had higher netrin-1 expression than those with a tumor diameter of 2 cm (P = 0.027). We did not find any difference in overall and DFS when age, tumor stage, histology, tumor diameter, p53 status, lymphovascular space invasion, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis were compared according to netrin-1 expression (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Netrin-1 was expressed in USC but not in healthy tissues. Its expression was not associated with OS or DFS.

The comparison of pure uterine serous carcinoma and mixed tumor with serous component: a single-institution review of 91 cases

BACKGROUND

Pure uterine serous carcinoma (p-USC) and mixed tumors with serous component (m-USC) are aggressive subtypes of endometrial cancer associated with high mortality rates. This retrospective study aimed to compare clinicopathologic features and outcomes of p-USC and m-USC in a single center.

METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with USC at Peking University People's Hospital between 2008 and 2022. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare clinicopathological characteristics between p-USC and m-USC. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the impact of clinical and pathological variables on OS and PFS.

RESULTS

Among the 91 patients who underwent surgery, 65.9% (n = 60) were p-USC, and 34.1% (n = 31) were m-USC. Patients with p-USC had earlier menopause (P = 0.0217), a lower rate of progesterone receptor(PR) expression (P < 0.001), and were more likely to have positive peritoneal cytology (P = 0.0464). After a median follow-up time of 40 months, 28 (46.7%) p-USC and 9 (29%) m-USC patients had progression disease, 18 (30%) and 8 (25.8%) patients died of their disease. 5-year PFSR were 51.2% and 75.3%, respectively, and 5-year OS rates were 66% and 67.4%. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that p-USC was more likely to relapse than m-USC (P = 0.034), but there was no significant difference in OS. Cox regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and surgical approach were risk factors for OS, and myoinvasion depth ≥ 1/2 was an independent risk factor for PFS.

CONCLUSIONS

p-USC was more likely to relapse than m-USC, but there was no significant difference in OS between the two subtypes.

The survival impact of adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with non-endometrioid endometrial carcinomas: a PSM-IPTW analysis based on SEER database

PURPOSE

To investigate outcomes of adjuvant treatments for non-endometrioid endometrial carcinomas (NEEC), as previous studies are limited by its rarity and heterogeneity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with endometrial serous carcinoma (SC), clear cell carcinoma (CCC) and carcinosarcoma were identified between 2004 and 2018 from SEER database. Propensity score matching (PSM) along with inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) technique were employed to balance confounding factors. Multivariate, exploratory subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of adjuvant treatment on overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS).

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 5577 serous, 977 clear cell, and 959 carcinosarcomas. Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CRT), chemotherapy alone, and radiotherapy alone were respectively administered in 42.21%, 47.27% and 10.58% of the whole cohort. Prior to adjusting, chemotherapy plus brachytherapy yielded the most beneficial effect among various strategies. After PSM-IPTW adjustment, CRT still demonstrated beneficial effect on OS and CSS. Subgroup analysis indicated CRT improved survival among various TNM stages, particularly with uterine carcinosarcoma. In the sensitivity analyses for serous histology, brachytherapy with or without chemotherapy appeared to benefit stage I-II patients. In stage III-IV SC patients, chemotherapy plus brachytherapy was still associated with improved survival outcomes. When nodal metastases were identified, additional external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to CT was more utilized with survival improvement.

CONCLUSION

In NEEC patients, combined CRT yielded beneficial effects than any single mode. Both chemotherapy and brachytherapy promoted survival in early stage SC patients. Late stage SC patients may benefit from chemotherapy plus either EBRT or brachytherapy.

Heterogeneity of outcomes of endometrial cancer patients included in prospective clinical trials

OBJECTIVE

To assess heterogeneity in five-year overall survival of patients with endometrial cancer using a large retrospective database with cohorts defined by recent prospective clinical trials.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with endometrial cancer who underwent hysterectomy from 2004 to 2016. The reported inclusion criteria for GOG-249, PORTEC-3, and GOG-258 were used to define the respective cohorts. Five-year overall survival for each cohort was stratified by tumor characteristics and adjuvant therapy regimens.

RESULTS

A total of 89,133 patients were identified who would have fulfilled the entry criteria to GOG-249, PORTEC-3, or GOG-258. When stratified by tumor characteristics, irrespective of adjuvant therapy, five-year overall survival ranged from 59.9%-81.7% for patients meeting GOG-249 inclusion criteria, 40.2%-81.8% for patients meeting PORTEC-3 inclusion criteria, and 17.5%-75.0% for those meeting GOG-258 inclusion criteria. Analysis of subgroups by adjuvant therapy regimen revealed significant improvement in five-year overall survival for chemoradiotherapy compared to chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone for endometroid stage III and stage IVA disease and for some stages of serous and clear cell histology.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent prospective trials of adjuvant therapy for endometrial cancer have included heterogeneous cohorts of patients based on five-year overall survival rates when the populations are stratified by tumor characteristics. The variation in expected five-year overall survival for subsets of patients may result in underpowered studies or misleading results.

Stage I Clear Cell and Serous Uterine Carcinoma: What Is the Right Adjuvant Therapy?

This single-center study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the survival outcomes of patients with FIGO stage I clear cell and serous uterine carcinoma according to the type of adjuvant treatment received. The data were collected between 2003 and 2020 and only patients with stage I clear cell or serous uterine carcinoma treated with primary surgery were included. These were classified into three groups: No treatment or brachytherapy only (G1), radiotherapy +/- brachytherapy (G2), chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy +/- brachytherapy (G3). In total, we included 52 patients: 18 patients in G1, 16 in G2, and 18 in G3. Patients in the G3 group presented with poorer prognostic factors: 83.3% had serous histology, 27.8% LVSI, and 27.8% were FIGO stage IB. Patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy showed an improved 5-year overall survival (OS) (p = 0.02) and a trend towards an enhanced 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.056). In contrast, OS (p = 0.97) and PFS (p = 0.84) in the chemotherapy group with poorer prognostic factors, were similar with increased toxicity (83.3%). Radiotherapy is associated with improved 5-year OS and tends to improve 5-year PFS in women with stage I clear cell and serous uterine carcinoma. Additional chemotherapy should be cautiously considered in serous carcinoma cases presenting poor histological prognostic factors.

Executive summary of the American Radium Society appropriate use criteria for management of uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas

BACKGROUND

Uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas have a high propensity for locoregional and distant spread, tend to be more advanced at presentation, and carry a higher risk of recurrence and death than endometrioid cancers. Limited prospective data exist to guide evidence-based management of these rare malignancies.

OBJECTIVE

The American Radium Society sought to summarize evidence-based guidelines developed by a multidisciplinary expert panel that help to guide the management of uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas.

METHODS

The American Radium Society Appropriate Use Criteria presented in this manuscript were developed by a multidisciplinary expert panel using an extensive analysis of current published literature from peer-reviewed journals. A well-established methodology (modified Delphi) was used to rate the appropriate use of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the management of uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas.

RESULTS

The primary treatment for non-metastatic uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas is complete surgical staging, with total hysterectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and lymph node staging. Even in early-stage disease, patients with uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas have a worse prognosis than those with type I endometrial cancers, warranting consideration for adjuvant therapy regardless of the stage. Given the aggressive nature of these malignancies, and until further research determines the most appropriate adjuvant therapy, it may be reasonable to counsel patients about combined-modality treatment with systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Patients diagnosed with uterine clear cell and serous carcinomas should undergo complete surgical staging. Multimodal adjuvant therapies should be considered in the treatment of both early-stage and advanced-stage disease. Further prospective studies or multi-institutional retrospective studies are warranted to determine optimal sequencing of therapy and appropriate management of patients based on their unique risk factors. Long-term surveillance is indicated due to the high risk of locoregional and distant recurrence.

Adjuvant therapy in women with early stage uterine serous carcinoma: A multi-institutional study

OBJECTIVE

Uterine serous carcinoma is a rare but aggressive subtype of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Our objective was to compare adjuvant treatment strategies for patients with early stage uterine serous carcinoma.

METHODS

This multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study evaluated patients with early stage uterine serous carcinoma. Patients with FIGO Stage IA-II disease after surgery, whose tumors had serous or any mixed serous/non-serous histology were included. Patients with carcinosarcoma were excluded. Clinical data were abstracted from local medical records. Summary statistics, Fisher's exact, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed for recurrence-free and overall survival.

RESULTS

There were 737 patients included. Most patients had Stage IA disease (75%), 49% of which had no myometrial invasion. Only 164 (24%) tumors had lymphatic/vascular space invasion. Adjuvant treatment varied: 22% received no adjuvant therapy, 17% had chemotherapy alone, 19% had cuff brachytherapy, 35% had cuff brachytherapy with chemotherapy, and 6% underwent pelvic radiation. Adjuvant treatment was significantly associated with a decreased risk of recurrence (p = 0.04). Compared with no adjuvant therapy, patients who received brachytherapy or brachytherapy/chemotherapy had improved recurrence-free survival (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.40-0.86; HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49-0.88, respectively) and overall survival (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.79; HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35-0.69, respectively). Improved survival with brachytherapy and brachytherapy/chemotherapy persisted on multivariable analyses. Chemotherapy alone was also associated with improved overall survival compared with no adjuvant treatment (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37-0.81).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant therapy was associated with a decreased risk of recurrence relative to observation alone. Adjuvant cuff brachytherapy with and without chemotherapy was associated with improved survival outcomes in patients with early stage uterine serous carcinoma.

Matched-pair Analysis for Survival Endpoints Between Women With Early-stage Uterine Carcinosarcoma and Uterine Serous Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare survival endpoints between women with uterine carcinosarcoma and those with uterine serous carcinoma utilizing matching analysis.

METHODS

Patients with stages I to II who underwent hysterectomy at our institution were included in this analysis. Patients with carcinosarcoma were then matched to patients with serous carcinoma based on stage, and adjuvant management received (observation, radiation treatment alone, chemotherapy alone, or combined modality with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Recurrence-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival were calculated for the 2 groups.

RESULTS

A total of 134 women were included (67 women with carcinosarcoma and 67 with serous carcinoma, matched 1:1). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding 5-year recurrence-free survival (59% vs. 62%), disease-specific survival (66% vs. 67%), or overall survival (53% vs. 57%), respectively. The only independent predictor of shorter recurrence-free survival for the entire cohort was the lack of adjuvant combined modality therapy, while lower uterine segment involvement was the only independent predictor for shorter disease-specific survival. Lack of lymph node dissection and lack of adjuvant combined modality therapy were independent predictors of shorter overall survival.

DISCUSSION

When matched based on stage and adjuvant treatment, our study suggests that there is no statistically significant difference in survival endpoints between women with early-stage carcinosarcoma and serous carcinoma. Adjuvant combined modality treatment is an independent predictor of longer recurrence-free survival and overall survival.

Refining Adjuvant Therapy for Endometrial Cancer: New Standards and Perspectives

Endometrial carcinoma is the most frequent cancer of the reproductive female organs. Most endometrial cancers are diagnosed at early stage (75%). Treatment options depend on pathogenetic, histopathologic and clinical characteristic at the diagnosis. To improve patient management in the near future, recent research has focused on new molecular features; evidence has shown that these give a better definition of patient prognosis and can help in tailoring adjuvant treatments by identifying specific subgroups of patients whose tumors may benefit from specific therapeutic approaches. In this review, we will focus on current knowledge of adjuvant treatment of endometrial carcinoma, using a prognostic-risk group stratification based on pathogenetic, clinical and molecular features, and will take a look at the ongoing trials that will further change the therapeutic approach in coming years.

Uterine serous carcinoma: key advances and novel treatment approaches

The incidence and mortality rates from endometrial cancer continue to increase worldwide, while rates in most other cancers have either plateaued or declined considerably. Uterine serous carcinoma represents a fraction of all endometrial malignancies each year, yet this histology is responsible for nearly 40% of all endometrial cancer-related deaths. These deaths disproportionately affect black women, who have higher rates of advanced disease at diagnosis. Molecular genetic analyses reveal major alterations including TP53 mutation, PIK3CA mutation/amplification, ERBB2 amplification, CCNE1 amplification, FBXW7 mutation/deletion, PPP2R1A mutation, and somatic mutations involving homologous recombination genes. Clinical risk factors for uterine serous carcinoma include advancing age, a history of breast cancer, tamoxifen usage, and the hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome. Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment. Recent advances in our understanding of uterine serous carcinoma molecular drivers have led to development of targeted therapeutics that promise improved outcomes for patients. Overexpression or amplification of HER2 in uterine serous carcinoma carries a poor prognosis; yet this actionable target has led to the incorporation of several anti-HER2 therapies, including trastuzumab which, when added to conventional chemotherapy, is associated with improved survival for women with advanced and recurrent HER2-positive disease. The combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib is also a promising targeted treatment strategy for women with uterine serous carcinoma, with a recent phase II study suggesting a 50% response rate in women with recurrent disease. Several trials examining additional targeted agents are ongoing. Despite years of stalled progress, meaningful, tailored treatment options are emerging for patients with this uncommon and biologically aggressive endometrial cancer subtype.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multidisciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of endometrial carcinoma (27 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2014, identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, judgment was based on the professional experience and consensus of the development group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 191 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives. The guidelines comprehensively cover endometrial carcinoma staging, definition of prognostic risk groups integrating molecular markers, pre- and intra-operative work-up, fertility preservation, management for early, advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease and palliative treatment. Principles of radiotherapy and pathological evaluation are also defined.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of uterine serous carcinoma: A SEER program analysis of 1016 cases

AIM

To identify the clinicopathological features and survival outcomes of uterine serous carcinoma (USC) and the prognostic factors influencing survival.

METHODS

The retrospective, population-based cohort study enrolled patients with USC diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 for the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to identify survival outcomes, multivariable Cox regression models were used to determine the risk factors influencing the disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

A total of 1016 patients with USC from the SEER database were enrolled. The median age at diagnosis was 65 years. The 5-year OS was 48.5%, and the 5-year DSS rates were 58.0%, respectively. In the univariate analyses, AJCC stage, SEER summary stage, number of lymph nodes resected, and adjuvant therapy were significant predictors for OS and DSS, while grade, was significant only for OS. Multivariate Cox regression models demonstrated that poor grade, stage III/IV, distant disease, the number of lymph nodes resected being <4 and no adjuvant treatment were independent risk factors for poor OS, while stage III/IV, regional or distant disease, the number of lymph nodes <4 and no adjuvant treatment were independent risk factors for poor DSS. Multivariate Cox regression models also identified that chemotherapy and combination therapies were the independent risk factors for improved OS and DSS of early-stage USC.

CONCLUSION

USC had a relatively poor prognosis compared with endometriod carcinoma. Moreover, advanced stage and fewer lymph nodes resected were independent negative prognostic factors for survival, while adjuvant therapy was significant for improved survival.

Adjuvant vaginal interventional radiotherapy in early-stage non-endometrioid carcinoma of corpus uteri: a systematic review

Purpose

This systematic review focused on rare histological types of corpus uteri malignancy, including uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), and uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), and it is proposed to assist with clinical decision-making. Adjuvant treatment decisions must be made based on available evidences. We mainly investigated the role of vaginal interventional radiotherapy (VIRt) in UCS, UCCC, and UPSC managements.

Material and methods

A systematic research using PubMed and Cochrane library was conducted to identify full articles evaluating the efficacy of VIRt in early-stage UPSC, UCCC, and UCS. A search in ClinicalTrials.gov was performed in order to detect ongoing or recently completed trials as well as in PROSPERO for ongoing or recently completed systematic reviews. Survival outcomes and toxicity rates were obtained.

Results

All studies were retrospective. For UCS, the number of evaluated patients was 432. The 2- to 5-year average local control (LC) was 91% (range, 74.2-96%), disease-free survival (DFS) 88% (range, 82-94%), overall survival (OS) 79% (range, 53.8-84.3%), the average 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 70% (range, 70-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%. For UCCC, the number of investigated patients was 335 (UCCC – 124, mixed – 211), with an average 5-year LC of 100%, DFS of 83% (range, 82-90%), OS of 93% (range, 83-100%), and G3-G4 toxicity of 0%. For UPSC, the number of examined patients was 1,092 (UPSC – 866, mixed – 226). The average 5-year LC was 97% (range, 87.1-100%), DFS 84% (range, 74.7-95.6%), OS 93% (range, 71.9-100%), CSS 89% (range, 78.9-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%.

Conclusions

These data suggest that in adequately selected early-stage UPSC and UCCC patients, VIRt alone may be suitable in women who underwent surgical staging and received adjuvant chemotherapy. In early-stage UCS, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach has to be planned, considering high-rate of pelvic and distant relapses.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP Guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multidisciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of endometrial carcinoma (27 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2014, identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, judgment was based on the professional experience and consensus of the development group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 191 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives. The guidelines comprehensively cover endometrial carcinoma staging, definition of prognostic risk groups integrating molecular markers, pre- and intra-operative work-up, fertility preservation, management for early, advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease and palliative treatment. Principles of radiotherapy and pathological evaluation are also defined.

The Impact of Adjuvant Management Strategies on Outcomes in Women With Early Stage Uterine Serous Carcinoma

Objective To determine the impact of different adjuvant strategies on outcomes in women with early-stage uterine serous carcinoma (USC). Methods Our retrospective database for women with endometrial carcinoma was queried for women with 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages I-II USC who underwent surgical staging between January 1991 and April 2019 followed by adjuvant management (observation, radiation therapy (RT), chemotherapy (CT), or combined modality treatment (CRT)). Chi-square tests were performed to compare differences in outcome by type of adjuvant management. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Univariate and multivariate analyses (MVA) were performed to identify statistically significant predictors of survival endpoints. Results We identified 171 women who met our inclusion criteria. The median follow-up time was 70.5 months. Seventy-five percent of the study cohort was FIGO stage IA, 13% were stage IB, and 12% were stage II. All women underwent pelvic lymph node dissection with a median number of dissected lymph nodes of 14. Omentectomy was performed in 64% of patients. Adjuvant RT was utilized in 56% of women (65 patients received vaginal brachytherapy alone, 10 patients received pelvic RT, and 21 patients received a combination of both). The most commonly used chemotherapy regimen was carboplatin and paclitaxel with a median number of cycles of six. A total of 44% of the cohort received CRT, 12% received RT alone, 19% received chemo alone, and 25% were observed. Five-year RFS was 73% for those who received CRT, 84% for those who received RT alone, 68% for those who received CT alone, and 55% for those who were observed (p=0.13). Five-year DSS was 81%, 94%, 71%, and 60%, respectively (p=0.02). Five-year OS was 76%, 70%, 60%, and 56%, respectively (p=0.11). On MVA of OS and DSS, a higher percentage of myometrial invasion, the presence of lower uterine segment involvement, positive peritoneal cytology, and receipt of chemotherapy alone/observation were independent predictors of worse outcomes. The sole independent predictor of worse RFS on MVA was the presence of positive peritoneal cytology. Conclusion In this cohort of women with early-stage USC who underwent surgical staging, adjuvant radiation treatment with or without chemotherapy was associated with improved survival endpoints and trended toward improved recurrence rates.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multi-disciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.

Uterine serous carcinoma: Molecular features, clinical management, and new and future therapies

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is an aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer. Multimodality treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy is commonly used, given its propensity for extrauterine spread, distant recurrences, and poor prognosis. However, the use of molecularly-based therapy is expanding. Here, we review key molecular features of USC, discuss current management, and assess the landscape of novel therapies and combinations.

Combined Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Improves Disease-Free Survival for Uterine Serous Cancer

Purpose

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is a rare but aggressive endometrial cancer histology. We reviewed outcomes for patients with USC to identify the best adjuvant treatment strategy.

Methods and Materials

We retrospectively identified 162 patients with The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I-IVA USC treated at our institution. Baseline characteristics, treatment details, clinical outcomes, and toxicity data were recorded.

Results

Median follow-up was 3.4 years (0.3-26 years). A variety of adjuvant therapy strategies were employed: 14% no adjuvant therapy, 28% radiation alone, 15% chemotherapy alone, and 43% combined chemotherapy and radiation. Distant metastasis was the most common type of recurrence (37% at 5 years). For patients with stage I-IVA disease, there were no significant differences in outcomes by treatment type. For patients with stage I-II disease (70% of the cohort), disease-free survival was significantly higher after chemotherapy (alone or with radiation therapy, P = .005) and after combined chemotherapy and radiation compared with all other treatments (P = .025). Toxicity outcomes were favorable, with minimal grade 3 and no grade 4 or 5 events.

Conclusions

Patients with USC experience high rates of recurrence and mortality. Distant metastasis is the most common pattern of failure for all stages. For patients with early-stage disease, combined chemotherapy and radiation improves 5-year disease-free survival compared with either single adjuvant treatment alone or no adjuvant treatment. The relatively large group of patients with USC included in this study may account for our ability to detect this improvement whereas clinical trials have failed to do so, possibly owing to the relatively small percentages of patients with USC enrolled.

[Non endometroid endometrial cancer guidelines evaluation: A multicentric retrospective study]

Introduction

Les carcinomes de l’endomètre de type 2 sont des cancers peu fréquents et de mauvais pronostique. Il existe très peu d’étude analysant leur prise en charge. L’objectif de l’étude était d’étudier la prise en charge des carcinomes de type 2 dans nos centres en évaluant l’application des recommandations.

Matériel et méthode

Il s’agit d’une étude multicentrique rétrospective enregistrant les cancers de l’endomètre de type 2 pris en charge de janvier 2009 à décembre 2019. Les analyses ont été adaptées aux dernières recommandations françaises appliquées par rapport à l’année de prise en charge.

Résultats

Soixante-quatorze carcinomes de type 2 ont été analysés dans dix centres: 34 carcinosarcomes (45,9 %), 29 carcinomes séreux (39,2 %), neuf carcinomes à cellules claires (12,2 %) et deux carcinomes indifférenciés (2,7 %). Lors de la prise en charge initiale, les recommandations étaient appliquées dans 45,9 % des cas. Le principal motif de non-application des recommandations était la non-réalisation d’une stadification ganglionnaire chirurgicale pour 20 patientes (57,1 %). Lors de la prise en charge adjuvante, les recommandations étaient appliquées dans 37,8 % des cas. Le principal motif de non-application des recommandations était la non-réalisation d’une restadification ganglionnaire chirurgicale ou radiologique pour 25 patientes (67,6 %).

Discussion

L’applicabilité des recommandations pour la prise en charge des carcinomes de type 2 reste difficile en raison de l’âge élevé et des comorbidités des patientes notamment pour la réalisation d’une stadification chirurgicale ganglionnaire pelvienne et lombo-aortique. L’utilisation de nouvelles techniques de stadification permettrait de mieux sélectionner les indications de curages ganglionnaires.

Comprehensive lymphadenectomy and survival prediction in uterine serous cancer patients after surgery: A population-based analysis

OBJECTIVE

Evidence on uterine serous cancer (USC) prognosis has been limited and inconclusive. We aim to explore the survival benefits of comprehensive lymphadenectomy in USC patients after surgery and develop a prognostic nomogram to predict survival.

METHODS

USC patients who had undergone hysterectomy between 2010 and 2015 were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. The relationship between the extent of lymphadenectomy and survival, including overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), was estimated with Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to determine the independent prognostic factors. A nomogram was then developed, calibrated and internally validated.

RESULTS

A total of 2853 patients were identified. K-M survival analysis revealed that patients with ≥12 pelvic lymph nodes (PLNs) removed had significantly better OS and CSS than those without (both P < 0.001). However, patients with ≥6 para-aortic lymph nodes removed was not associated with similar survival benefits than patients without (P > 0.1). Multivariate analyses for OS and CSS revealed that age, T-stage, N-stage, tumor size, adjuvant therapy and ≥12 PLNs removed were independent prognostic factors (all P < 0.05) and were subsequently incorporated into the nomogram. The Harrell's C-index of the nomogram was significantly higher than that of the FIGO staging system (OS: 0.739 vs 0.671, P < 0.001; CSS: 0.752 vs 0.695, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the nomogram was well calibrated with satisfactory consistency.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive pelvic lymphadenectomy should be recommended to USC patients for its survival benefits. And a nomogram has been developed to predict the survivals of USC patients after surgery.

A novel model to predict cancer-specific survival in patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC)

OBJECTIVE

Stage I-II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has aggressive biological behavior and leads to poor prognosis. However, clinicopathologic risk factors to predict cancer-specific survival of patients with stage I-II UPSC were still unclear. This study was undertaken to develop a prediction model of survival in patients with early-stage UPSC.

METHODS

Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, 964 patients were identified with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I-II UPSC who underwent at least hysterectomy between 2004 and 2015. By considering competing risk events for survival outcomes, we used proportional subdistribution hazards regression to compare cancer-specific death (CSD) for all patients. Based on the results of univariate and multivariate analysis, the variables were selected to construct a predictive model; and the prediction results of the model were visualized using a nomogram to predict the cancer-specific survival and the response to adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy of stage I-II UPSC patients.

RESULTS

The median age of the cohort was 67 years. One hundred and sixty five patients (17.1%) died of UPSC (CSD), while 8.6% of the patients died from other causes (non-CSD). On multivariate analysis, age ≥ 67 (HR = 1.45, P = .021), tumor size ≥ 2 cm (HR = 1.81, P = .014) and >10 regional nodes removed (HR = 0.52, P = .002) were significantly associated with cumulative incidence of CSD. In the age ≥67 cohort, FIGO stage IB-II was a risk factor for CSD (HR = 1.83, P = .036), and >10 lymph nodes removed was a protective factor (HR = 0.50, P = .01). Both adjuvant chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy alone decreased CSD of patients with stage I-II UPSC older than 67 years (HR = 0.47, P = .022; HR = 0.52, P = .024, respectively). The prediction model had great risk stratification ability as the high-risk group had higher cumulative incidence of CSD than the low-risk group (P < .001). In the high-risk group, patients with post-operative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy had improved CSD compared with patients who did not receive radiotherapy nor chemotherapy (P = .037). However, there was no such benefit in the low-risk group.

CONCLUSION

Our prediction model of CSD based on proportional subdistribution hazards regression showed a good performance in predicting the cancer-specific survival of early-stage UPSC patients and contributed to guide clinical treatment decision, helping oncologists and patients with early-stage UPSC to decide whether to choose adjuvant therapy or not.

Clinicopathological and survival analysis of uterine papillary serous carcinoma: a single institutional review of 106 cases

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to analyze clinicopathological features and to investigate the prognostic determinants in patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC).

Materials and methods

A cohort of 106 UPSC patients diagnosed and treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2000 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used for survival analysis. Differences between categorical data were calculated by using the chi-squared test.

Results

The median follow-up was 29.0 months (range =2-170 months), with an overall recurrence rate of 35.8%. The coincidence rate between preoperative endometrial sampling and postoperative definitive pathology of hysteroscopy group was significantly higher than that of the dilation and curettage group (88.5% vs 65.0%, P=0.019). Adjuvant therapy-treated patients with stage I UPSC experienced significantly fewer recurrences than those receiving observation (P=0.003). Patients with advanced-stage UPSC who received combination therapy demonstrated a lower risk of local recurrence compared with those who received chemotherapy alone with a borderline significance (P=0.051). Elevated serum cancer antigen 125 level was associated with advanced-stage disease and recurrence (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, tumor stage and optimal cytoreduction were independent predictors of survival. In substage analysis, complete surgical staging was associated with better overall survival (OS; yes vs no, HR: 0.05 [95% CI: 0.01-0.51], P=0.037) in patients with stage I UPSC. As for advanced stage, paclitaxel-platinum chemotherapy regimen and optimal cytoreduction were independent favorable prognostic factors for progression-free survival (paclitaxel-carboplatin [TC] vs other; HR =0.38, P=0.010; yes vs no, HR =0.45, P=0.032) and OS (TC vs other, HR =0.38, P=0.022; yes vs no, HR =0.54, P=0.013).

Conclusion

In patients with stage I UPSC, complete staging was associated with better OS, and therefore, it should be performed in all patients. Tumor stage and optimal cytoreduction are the most significant prognostic factors. Recurrence can be improved in stage I patients treated with adjuvant therapy and in patients with advanced-stage disease treated with combined therapy. TC regimen may be the preferred regimen for chemotherapy.

Outcomes of Adjuvant Therapy for Stage IA Serous Endometrial Cancer

PURPOSE

Serous adenocarcinoma is a rare, aggressive histologic subtype of endometrial cancer with a high rate of recurrence and a poor prognosis. The optimal adjuvant treatment for early-stage patients is unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the outcomes of stage IA serous endometrial cancers only treated at a single institution and determine whether our current approach of chemotherapy plus vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) is sufficient.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of our institution's pathology database, including all cases of stage IA serous endometrial carcinoma from 2000-2014 was completed. Kaplan-Meier estimates were calculated for Overall and Recurrence-Free Survival (OS and RFS); hazard ratios were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling for independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

There were 63 patients with stage IA serous endometrial cancer of whom 79.4% were surgically staged. Percent RFS was 76.5% at five years while OS was 84.7% for the whole cohort. One of the 23 patients receiving VBT and chemotherapy recurred at the vagina versus four of 32 patients who were observed. Two patients in the observation group recurred in the pelvis while there were no first pelvic recurrences in the VBT and chemotherapy group (non- significant). Overall survival was 95% in the brachytherapy and chemotherapy group versus 79.6% in the observation group (non-significant). Post-operative management included observation (n=33), combination VBT and chemotherapy (n=21), or chemotherapy with or without external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) (n=9).

DISCUSSION

We report one of the largest cohorts of serous endometrial cancer stage IA patients. Our results emphasize the inferior RFS and OS of stage IA serous versus endometrioid endometrial cancer patients. While some centers continue to use EBRT for these patients, our results demonstrate low pelvic recurrence rates with radiotherapy limited to VBT, as well as the high systemic risk regardless of treatment. We advocate for combination chemotherapy and brachytherapy given the poor outcomes in these patients.

[Primary management of endometrial carcinoma. Joint recommendations of the French society of gynecologic oncology (SFOG) and of the French college of obstetricians and gynecologists (CNGOF)]

OBJECTIVES

The management of endometrial carcinoma is constantly evolving. The SFOG and the CNGOF decided to jointly update the previous French recommendations (Institut national du cancer 2011) and to adapt to the French practice the 2015 recommendations elaborated at the time of joint European consensus conference with the participation of the three concerned European societies (ESGO, ESTRO, ESMO).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A strict methodology was used. A steering committee was put together. A systematic review of the literature since 2011 has been carried out. A first draft of the recommendations has been elaborated, with emphasis on high level of evidence. An external review by users representing all the concerned discipines and all kinds of practice was completed. Three hundred and four comments were sent by 54 reviewers.

RESULTS

The management of endometrial carcinoma requires a precise preoperative workup. A provisional estimate of the final stage is provided. This estimation impact the level of surgical staging. Surgery should use a minimal invasive approach. The final pathology is the key of the decision concerning adjuvant therapy, which involves surveillance, radiation therapy, brachytherapy, or chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

The management algorithms allow a fast, state of the art based, answer to the clinical questions raised by the management of endometrial cancer. They must be used only in the setting of a multidisciplinary team at all stages of the management.