A prospective trail comparing hysterectomy, hysterectomy plus vaginal radium, and uterine radium plus hysterectomy in stage I endometrial carcinoma

Patterns and utility of routine surveillance in high grade endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate surveillance methods and their utility in detecting recurrence of disease in a high grade endometrial cancer population.

METHODS

We performed a multi-institutional retrospective chart review of women diagnosed with high grade endometrial cancer between the years 2000 and 2011. Surveillance data was abstracted and analyzed. Surveillance method leading to detection of recurrence was identified and compared by stage of disease and site of recurrence.

RESULTS

Two hundred and fifty-four patients met the criteria for inclusion. Vaginal cytology was performed in the majority of early stage patients, but was utilized less in advanced stage patients. CA-125 and CT imaging were used more frequently in advanced stage patients compared to early stage. Thirty-six percent of patients experienced a recurrence and the majority of initial recurrences (76%) had a distant component. Modalities that detected cancer recurrences were: symptoms (56%), physical exam (18%), surveillance CT (15%), CA-125 (10%), and vaginal cytology (1%). All local recurrences were detected by symptoms or physical exam findings. While the majority of loco-regional and distant recurrences (68%) were detected by symptoms or physical exam, 28% were detected by surveillance CT scan or CA 125. One loco-regional recurrence was identified by vaginal cytology but no recurrences with a distant component detected by this modality.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms and physical examination identify the majority of high grade endometrial cancer recurrences, while vaginal cytology is the least likely surveillance modality to identify a recurrence. The role of CT and CA-125 surveillance outside of a clinical trial needs to be further reviewed.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

This is an updated version of the original Cochrane review published in Issue 2, 2007. The role of radiotherapy (both pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and vaginal intracavity brachytherapy (VBT)) in stage I endometrial cancer following hysterectomy remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for stage I endometrial cancer.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Specialised Register to end-2005 for the original review, and extended the search to January 2012 for the update.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy (either EBRTor VBT, or both) versus no radiotherapy or VBT in women with stage I endometrial cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trials and extracted data to a specifically designed data collection form. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes were endometrial cancer-related deaths, locoregional recurrence and distant recurrence. Meta-analyses were performed using Cochrane Review Manager Software 5.1.

MAIN RESULTS

We included eight trials. Seven trials (3628 women) compared EBRT with no EBRT (or VBT), and one trial (645 women) compared VBTwith no additional treatment. We considered six of the eight trials to be of a high quality. Time-to-event data were not available for all trials and all outcomes.EBRT (with or without VBT) compared with no EBRT (or VBT alone) for stage I endometrial carcinoma significantly reduced locoregional recurrence (time-to-event data: five trials, 2965 women; Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.36, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.52; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; Risk Ratio (RR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.47). This reduced risk of locoregional recurrence did not translate into improved overall survival (time-to-event data: five trials, 2,965 women; HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.82 to1.20; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.15) or improved endometrial cancer-related survival (time-to-event data: five trials, 2965 women; HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.28; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.29) or improved distant recurrence rates (dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.35).EBRT did not improve survival outcomes in either the intermediate-risk or high-risk subgroups, although high-risk data were limited, and a benefit of EBRT for high-risk women could not be excluded. One trial (PORTEC-2) compared EBRT with VBT in the high-intermediate risk group and reported that VBT was effective in ensuring vaginal control with a non-significant difference in loco-regional relapse rate compared to EBRT (5.1% versus 2.1%; HR 2.08, 95% CI 0.71 to 6.09; P = 0.17). In the subgroup of low-risk patients (IA/B and grade 1/2), EBRT increased the risk of endometrial carcinoma-related deaths (including treatment-related deaths) (two trials, 517 women; RR 2.64, 95% CI 1.05 to 6.66) but there was a lack of data on overall survival. We considered the evidence for the low-risk subgroup to be of a low quality.EBRT was associated with significantly increased severe acute toxicity (two trials, 1328 patients, RR 4.68, 95% CI 1.35 to 16.16), increased severe late toxicity (six trials, 3501 women; RR 2.58, 95% CI 1.61 to 4.11) and significant reductions in quality of life scores and rectal and bladder function more than 10 years after randomisation (one trial, 351 women) compared with no EBRT.One trial of VBT versus no additional treatment in women with low-risk lesions reported a non-significant reduction in locoregional recurrence in the VBT group compared with the no additional treatment group (RR 0.39, (95% CI 0.14 to 1.09). There were no significant differences in survival outcomes in this trial.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

EBRT reduces the risk of locoregional recurrence but has no significant impact on cancer-related deaths or overall survival. It is associated with significant morbidity and a reduction in quality of life. There is no demonstrable survival advantage from adjuvant EBRT for high-risk stage I endometrial cancer, however, the meta-analyses of this subgroup were underpowered and also included high-intermediate risk women, therefore we cannot exclude a small benefit in the high-risk subgroup. EBRT may have an adverse effect on endometrial cancer survival when used to treat uncomplicated low-risk (IA/B grade 1/2) endometrial cancer. For the intermediate to high-intermediate risk group, VBT alone appears to be adequate in ensuring vaginal control compared to EBRT. Further research is needed to guide practice for lesions that are truly high risk. In addition, the definitions of risk should be standardised.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

This is an updated version of the original Cochrane review published in Issue 2, 2007. The role of radiotherapy (both pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and vaginal intracavity brachytherapy (VBT)) in stage I endometrial cancer following hysterectomy remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for stage I endometrial cancer.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Specialised Register to end-2005 for the original review, and extended the search to January 2012 for the update.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy (either EBRT or VBT, or both) versus no radiotherapy or VBT in women with stage I endometrial cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trials and extracted data to a specifically designed data collection form. The primary outcome was overall survival. Secondary outcomes were endometrial cancer-related deaths, locoregional recurrence and distant recurrence. Meta-analyses were performed using Cochrane Review Manager Software 5.1.

MAIN RESULTS

We included eight trials. Seven trials (3628 women) compared EBRT with no EBRT (or VBT), and one trial (645 women) compared VBT with no additional treatment. We considered six of the eight trials to be of a high quality. Time-to-event data were not available for all trials and all outcomes.EBRT (with or without VBT) compared with no EBRT (or VBT alone) for stage I endometrial carcinoma significantly reduced locoregional recurrence (time-to-event data: five trials, 2965 women; Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.36, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.52; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; Risk Ratio (RR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.47). This reduced risk of locoregional recurrence did not translate into improved overall survival (time-to-event data: five trials, 2,965 women; HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.20; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.15) or improved endometrial cancer-related survival (time-to-event data: five trials, 2965 women; HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.28; and dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.29) or improved distant recurrence rates (dichotomous data: seven trials, 3628 women; RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.80 to1.35).EBRT did not improve survival outcomes in either the intermediate-risk or high-risk subgroups, although high-risk data were limited, and a benefit of EBRT for high-risk women could not be excluded. In the subgroup of low-risk patients (IA/B and grade 1/2), EBRT increased the risk of endometrial carcinoma-related deaths (including treatment-related deaths) (two trials, 517 women; RR 2.64, 95% CI 1.05 to 6.66) but there was a lack of data on overall survival. We considered the evidence for the low-risk subgroup to be of a low quality.EBRT was associated with significantly increased severe acute toxicity (two trials, 1328 patients, RR 4.68, 95% CI 1.35 to 16.16), increased severe late toxicity (six trials, 3501 women; RR 2.58, 95% CI 1.61 to 4.11) and significant reductions in quality of life scores and rectal and bladder function more than 10 years after randomisation (one trial, 351 women) compared with no EBRT.One trial of VBT versus no additional treatment in women with low-risk lesions reported a non-significant reduction in locoregional recurrence in the VBT group compared with the no additional treatment group (RR 0.39, (95% CI 0.14 to 1.09). There were no significant differences in survival outcomes in this trial.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

EBRT reduces the risk of locoregional recurrence but has no significant impact on cancer-related deaths or overall survival. It is associated with significant morbidity and a reduction in quality of life, and bladder and rectal function. EBRT may have an adverse effect on endometrial cancer survival when used to treat uncomplicated low-risk (IA/B grade 1/2) endometrial cancer. There is no demonstrable survival advantage from adjuvant EBRT for high-risk stage I endometrial cancer, however, the meta-analyses of this subgroup were underpowered and also included high-intermediate risk women. Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimates of effects and may change the estimates. Therefore, whilst there appears to be no survival benefit in the routine use of EBRT in women with stage I endometrial cancer, we cannot exclude a benefit in high-risk women. VBT is potentially useful in intermediate-risk and high-risk subgroups but evidence from further RCTs is needed. In addition, the definitions of risk should be standardised.

Surveillance procedures for patients treated for endometrial cancer: a review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review was to analyze the role of follow-up in patients treated for endometrial cancer and to provide some compelling issues that may contribute to improve daily practice while waiting for evidence-based guidelines.

METHODS/MATERIALS

A literature search has been conducted in MEDLINE database using key words "endometrial neoplasms" and "follow up".

RESULTS

Endometrial cancer represents the most common gynecologic malignancy after breast cancer. The overall recurrence rate is 13% and correlates with prognostic factors of the primary tumor. The anatomic sites of endometrial cancer relapse are mostly equivalently distributed between local (pelvic) and distant (abdominal and chest). Most endometrial cancer recurrences are symptomatic, even if vaginal vault relapses represent a particular setting of a more frequently asymptomatic disease. Most of endometrial cancer recurrences occur within 3 years since diagnosis of primary tumor. Long-term surveillance programs are mainly addressed to the early detection of recurrence, the rationale of follow-up being that an earlier diagnosis of relapse correlates with lower morbidity and mortality rates. Adjunctive objectives of routine follow-up are identification of treatment complications and detection of possible second tumors associated with endometrial cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

No rationale (examination sensitivity/sensibility, cost-effectiveness, or patient's survival benefit) is available today for any particular follow-up protocol; follow-up procedures should probably be tailored according to different prognostic factors; only physical examination, including pelvic-rectal examination, showed some utility in detecting recurrence. In this uncertain setting, follow-up interval should be defined with the consideration of the patient's will.

The role of postoperative radiotherapy in carcinoma of the endometrium

The role of adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy in endometrial carcinoma after surgery remains controversial. There is a great variation between centres in deciding when to give postoperative external beam radiotherapy and/or vaginal vault brachytherapy for patients with endometrial carcinoma. The role of pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy as well as the need for postoperative radiotherapy after this type of surgical staging continue to be debated. Furthermore, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy either alone or in combination with adjuvant radiotherapy also remains to be determined. This overview discusses the role of postoperative radiotherapy in the context of surgery and other adjuvant treatments in carcinoma of the endometrium.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

The role of adjuvant radiotherapy in stage I endometrial cancer following surgery remains unclear. The management for these patients varies widely, particularly in stage I patients with different risk factors. Using the methodology of Cochrane Collaboration, we did a systematic and meta-analysis of all know randomised controlled trials which compared adjuvant radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy following surgery for patients with stage I endometrial cancer. The meta-analysis was carried out on four trials (three published and one unpublished) and a total of 1770 patients. The addition of pelvic external beam radiotherapy to surgery reduced locoregional recurrence, a relative risk (RR) of 0.28 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17-0.44, P < 0.00001], which is a 72% reduction in the risk of pelvic relapse (95% CI 56% to 83%) and an absolute risk reduction of 6% (95% CI of 4% to 8%). The reduction in the risk of locoregional recurrence did not translate into a reduction in the risks of death from all causes, endometrial cancer death or distant recurrence. A subgroup analysis showed a trend towards the reduction in the risks of death from all causes and endometrial cancer in patients with multiple high risk factors (including stage 1c and grade 3). External beam pelvic radiotherapy should be considered in patients with multiple high-risk features including stage 1c and grade 3. However, it carries an inherent risk of damage and toxicity and should be avoided in stage 1 endometrial cancer patients with no high risk factors.

Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

The role of adjuvant radiotherapy (both pelvic external beam radiotherapy and vaginal intracavity brachytherapy) in stage I endometrial cancer following total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH and BSO) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for stage I endometrial cancer.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CancerLit, Physician Data Query (PDQ) of National Cancer Institute. Handsearching was also carried out where appropriate.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared adjuvant radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy following surgery for patients with stage I endometrial cancer were included.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Quality of the studies was assessed and data collected using a predefined data collection form. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were locoregional recurrence, distant recurrence and endometrial cancer death. Data on quality of life (QOL) and morbidity were also collected. A meta-analysis on included trials was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager Software 4.2.

MAIN RESULTS

The meta-analysis was performed on four trials (1770 patients). The addition of pelvic external beam radiotherapy to surgery reduced locoregional recurrence, a relative risk (RR) of 0.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.44, p < 0.00001), which is a 72% reduction in the risk of pelvic relapse (95% CI 56% to 83%) and an absolute risk reduction of 6% (95% CI of 4 to 8%). The number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one locoregional recurrence is 16.7 patients (95% CI 12.5 to 25). The reduction in the risk of locoregional recurrence did not translate into either a reduction in the risk of distant recurrence or death from all causes or endometrial cancer death. A subgroup analysis of women with multiple high risk factors (including stage 1c and grade 3) showed a trend toward the reduction in the risk of death from all causes and endometrial cancer death in patients who underwent adjuvant external beam radiotherapy.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Patients with stage I endometrial carcinoma have different risks of local and distant recurrence depending on the presence of risk factors including stage 1c, grade 3, lymphovascular space invasion and age. Though external beam pelvic radiotherapy reduced locoregional recurrence by 72%, there is no evidence to suggest that it reduced the risk of death. In patients with multiple high risk factors, including stage 1c and grade 3, there was a trend towards a survival benefit and adjuvant external beam radiotherapy may be justified. For patients with only one risk factor, grade 3 or stage 1c, no definite conclusion can be made and data from ongoing studies ( ASTEC; Lukka) are awaited. External beam radiotherapy carries a risk of toxicity and should be avoided in stage 1 endometrial cancer patients with no high risk factors.

Adjuvant radiotherapy in women with stage I endometrial cancer: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature regarding the role of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in women with stage I endometrial cancer in terms of survival and pelvic control.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases was conducted for studies evaluating RT (1966 to October 2005).

RESULTS

Five randomized trials were identified that evaluated adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and/or intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT) including one in which women had undergone complete surgical staging. No survival differences were identified; however, none of the studies were powered enough to show a survival benefit. In three studies reporting subgroup analyses, intermediate-risk subgroups (stages IA and IB, grade 3 or stage IC) who received RT had fewer pelvic recurrences compared to women not receiving RT. Unfortunately, none of the studies reported ultimate pelvic control as an outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

RT is not recommended in low-risk patients (stages IA, IB, grades 1 and 2). It is reasonable to consider EBRT for intermediate-risk subgroup patients (stage IC, grades 1 and 2, or stages IA, IB, grade 3), regardless of surgical staging, to reduce the risk of pelvic recurrence. EBRT is recommended for high-risk patients (stage IC, grade 3). The benefits of EBRT need to be weighed against the toxicity of treatment. Patients should be informed of the benefits and risks of EBRT. Additional analysis including ultimate pelvic control in subgroups would be helpful. More clinical trials are warranted to further define the role of EBRT in subgroups of patients and to clarify the role of ICRT.

Follow-up after primary therapy for endometrial cancer: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To determine the optimum follow-up of women who are clinically disease-free following potentially curative treatment for endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases (1980 to October 2005) was conducted. Data were pooled across trials to determine overall estimates of recurrence patterns.

RESULTS

Sixteen non-comparative retrospective studies were identified. The overall risk of recurrence was 13% for all patients and 3% or less for patients at low risk. Approximately 70% of all recurrences were symptomatic, and 68% to 100% of recurrences occurred within approximately the first 3 years of follow-up. No reliable differences in survival were detected between patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic recurrences nor were differences in patient outcomes reported by type of follow-up strategy employed. Detection of asymptomatic recurrences ranged from 5% to 33% of patients with physical examination, 0% to 4% with vaginal vault cytology, 0% to 14% with chest X-ray, 4% to 13% with abdominal ultrasound, 5% to 21% with abdominal/pelvic CT scan, and 15% in selected patients with CA 125.

CONCLUSIONS

There is limited evidence to inform whether intensive follow-up schedules with multiple routine diagnostic interventions result in survival benefits any more or less than non-intensive follow-up schedules without multiple routine diagnostic interventions. Routine testing seems to be of limited benefit for patients at low risk of disease. Most recurrences tend to occur in high risk patients within 3 years, and most recurrences involve symptoms. The most appropriate follow-up strategy is likely one based upon the risk of recurrence and the natural history of the disease. Counseling on the potential symptoms of recurrence is extremely important because the majority of patients with recurrences were symptomatic. A proposed routine follow-up schedule is offered.

[Preoperative brachytherapy for clinical stage I and II endometrial carcinoma: results from a series of 780 patients with a 10-year follow-up]

AIMS OF THE STUDY

Retrospective analysis of patients treated by preoperative brachytherapy for endometrial carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1973 to 1994, 780 consecutive patients with a clinical stage I-II endometrial carcinoma were treated with brachytherapy followed by surgery and pelvic irradiation if necessary. Tumour was staged according to 1979 UICC classification. There were 462 T1a, 257 T1b, and 61 T2, 62% were well differentiated. Brachytherapy consisted in one low dose rate endocavitary application. Sixty grays were delivered on the reference isodose. Surgery consisted in a TAH/BSO (Piver II) and was performed 6 weeks later. Nodal pelvic irradiation was indicated in case of unfavourable pathological prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Median follow up was 122 months. Five year survival rates were: 84% for overall survival, 86% for survival without recurrence, 92.8% for local control, and 3.8% for late complications. Pronostic factors were age, stage, differentiation, grade and postoperative extension. Multivariate analysis showed only age, differentiation and postoperative extension to be independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

If for stage 1, initial surgery has now replaced preoperative brachytherapy in most cases because it allows to identify initial prognostic factors, preoperative brachytherapy remains the most interesting option for stage 2 endometrial carcinomas.

A phase III trial of surgery with or without adjunctive external pelvic radiation therapy in intermediate risk endometrial adenocarcinoma: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study

BACKGROUND

Despite their low risk for recurrence, many women with endometrial adenocarcinoma receive postoperative radiation therapy (RT). This study was developed to determine if adjunctive external beam irradiation lowers the risk of recurrence and death in women with endometrial cancer International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IB, IC, and II (occult disease).

METHODS

Four hundred forty-eight consenting patients with "intermediate risk" endometrial adenocarcinoma were randomized after surgery to either no additional therapy (NAT) or whole pelvic radiation therapy (RT). They were followed to determine toxicity, date and location of recurrence, and overall survival. A high intermediate risk (HIR) subgroup of patients was defined as those with (1) moderate to poorly differentiated tumor, presence of lymphovascular invasion, and outer third myometrial invasion; (2) age 50 or greater with any two risk factors listed above; or (3) age of at least 70 with any risk factor listed above. All other eligible participants were considered to be in a low intermediate risk (LIR) subgroup.

RESULTS

Three hundred ninety-two women met all eligibility requirements (202 NAT, 190 RT). Median follow-up was 69 months. In the entire study population, there were 44 recurrences and 66 deaths (32 disease or treatment-related deaths), and the estimated 2-year cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) was 12% in the NAT arm and 3% in the RT arm (relative hazard (RH): 0.42; P=0.007). The treatment difference was particularly evident among the HIR subgroup (2-year CIR in NAT versus RT: 26% versus 6%; RH=0.42). Overall, radiation had a substantial impact on pelvic and vaginal recurrences (18 in NAT and 3 in RT). The estimated 4-year survival was 86% in the NAT arm and 92% for the RT arm, not significantly different (RH: 0.86; P=0.557).

CONCLUSIONS

Adjunctive RT in early stage intermediate risk endometrial carcinoma decreases the risk of recurrence, but should be limited to patients whose risk factors fit a high intermediate risk definition.

Factors influencing survival in endometrial cancer relapsing patients: a Cooperation Task Force (CTF) study

The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of relapse and to determine the outcome of salvage treatment and the factors influencing survival of endometrial cancer relapsing patients. One thousand six hundred and six endometrial cancer (stages I to IV) patients treated at five Italian institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 209 (13%) subjects had recurred; the site of relapse was vagina in 35 cases (16.7%), pelvis in 67 (32.1%), and distant locations in 107 (51.2%). Most of the patients relapsed within 24 months: 45% (94) recurred within 1 year, 20.6% (43) between 1 and 2 years. Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) seemed to reduce the percentage of pelvic recurrence in high risk early stages (IB-IIA) subjects and a higher proportion of patients failed at a distant site when postoperative external-beam pelvic RT was given. However survival curves were not statistically different in the two groups for stage IB endometrial cancer patients. Five and 10-year survival rates of patients with recurrent disease was 26% and 22%, respectively. Relapse of endometrial cancer is often early and at distant sites. Survival rate was related to site of relapse, disease-free interval, and postoperative treatment as independent prognostic variables. The site of relapse is the most important predictor of survival of patients with recurrent disease.

[Brachytherapy of endometrial cancers]

Endometrial adenocarcinomas rank third as tumoral sites en France. The tumors are confined to the uterus in 80% of the cases. Brachytherapy has a large place in the therapeutic strategy. The gold standard treatment remains extrafascial hysterectomy with bilateral annexiectomy and bilateral internal iliac lymph node dissection. However, after surgery alone, the rate of locoregional relapses reaches 4-20%, which is reduced to 0-5% after postoperative brachytherapy of the vaginal cuff. This postoperative brachytherapy is delivered as outpatients treatment, by 3 or 4 fractions, at high dose rate. The uterovaginal preoperative brachytherapy remains well adapted to the tumors which involve the uterine cervix. Patients presenting a localized tumor but not operable for general reasons (< 10%) can be treated with success by exclusive irradiation, which associates a pelvic irradiation followed by an uterovaginal brachytherapy. A high local control of about 80-90% is obtained, a little lower than surgery, with a higher risk of late complications. Last but not least, local relapses in the vaginal cuff, or in the perimeatic area, can be treated by interstitial salvage brachytherapy, associated if possible with external beam irradiation. The local control is reached in half of the patients, but metastatic dissemination is frequent. We conclude that brachytherapy has a major role in the treatment of endometrial adenocarcinomas, in combination with surgery, or with external beam irradiation for not operable patients or in case of local relapses. It should use new technologies now available including computerized afterloaders and 3D dose calculation.

Stage I-II endometrial adenocarcinoma evolution of therapeutic paradigms: the role of surgery and adjuvant radiation

The objective was to review the English-language literature regarding the utility of adjuvant radiation therapy following surgery for endometrial adenocarcinoma. An OVID software (Ovid Technologies, Inc., New York, NY) search of Medline articles from 1975 to 2001 was conducted using the keywords "endometrial neoplasm," "surgery," and "radiation therapy." The papers were assessed with regard to (a) extent of surgical staging (b) type of adjuvant radiotherapy utilized: external vs. brachytherapy vs. combination therapy; and (c) whether the patients were treated as part of prospective trial or reported as a descriptive series reflecting an institution's practice pattern. Survival rates are excellent for patients with early stage disease treated in either paradigm of extended-surgical staging with more restricted use of the adjuvant therapy or simple hysterectomy bilateral salpingoophorectomy with more frequent use of adjuvant radiotherapy. All three prospective-randomized trials (PRCT) have shown an improvement in local control but no overall survival benefit for the entire accrued group. All three PRCTs have shown a higher risk of disease recurrence in older patients or those with grade 3 histology or deep invasion. Each suggests there may be a survival benefit for the subset of patients with such high-risk features, but at present there is no prospective data that demonstrates adjuvant radiotherapy will improve the overall survival for the highest-risk subset of older patients with high-grade deeply invasive disease.

Carcinoma of the endometrium

The incidence of endometrial cancer is highest among relatively affluent Caucasians. Although it has a comparatively low mortality rate compared with other gynaecological cancers, it is capable of aggressive behaviour. Endometrial cancer is uncommon in premenopausal women. The incidence rises with age and is significantly increased when there is exposure to unopposed estrogen, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Even when HRT is given in the form of estrogen and cyclical progesterone there is probably some increased risk. The long term use of tamoxifen for breast cancer is also associated with an increased incidence of endometrial cancer. Transvaginal ultrasound and pipelle or hysteroscopy endometrial biopsies are tending to replace the traditional dilation and curettage in establishing a diagnosis. 90% of endometrial tumours are surgically resectable on presentation. This remains the first line management--minimally, a total abdominal hysterectomy and bi-lateral salpingo oophorectomy. Prognostic factors include the histological grade, the depth of invasion of the myometrium, the presence or absence of lymph-vascular space invasion and involved regional nodes, tumour volume, and the presence or absence of involvement of the cervix. The pelvis is a major anatomical site at risk of recurrence, and since cytotoxic chemotherapy and hormone therapies have limited effectiveness, radiotherapy is the adjuvant therapy of choice where adverse prognostic factors are present. A move towards more radical surgery--the addition of lymphadenectomy with a total abdominal hysterectomy and bi-lateral salpingo oophorectomy, may modify the value of adjuvant therapy and has highlighted the need to demonstrate the exact place of post operative radiotherapy in the management of endometrial cancer. The ASTEC trial in the UK, run by the Medical Research Council, has the dual aims of determining the benefit of lymphadenectomy and of post operative adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with endometrial cancer confined to the corpus. Patients who are not medically fit for surgery or who have inoperable disease are managed with radical radiotherapy but the results in both these groups are inferior to those obtained with radical surgery. Spread outside the pelvis to para-aortic nodes may still be salvaged with local irradiation, but systemic disease is incurable and treatment is largely palliative including consideration of local irradiation, hormone therapy or chemotherapy for symptomatic relief. As reliable techniques for diagnosis are refined an even larger proportion of patients will be diagnosed with early disease. This, together with the development of new cytotoxic agents and sophisticated radiotherapy techniques to reduce normal tissue morbidity, will require the establishment of further clinical trials to refine optimal management.

Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium treated with combined irradiation and surgery: study of 437 patients

PURPOSE

To identify prognostic factors and treatment toxicity in a series of operable endometrial adenocarcinomas.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Between November 1971 and October 1992, 437 patients (pts) with endometrial carcinoma, staged according to the 1988 FIGO staging system (225 Stage IB, 107 Stage IC, 4 Stage IIA, 35 Stage IIB, 30 Stage IIIA, 6 Stage IIIB, and 30 Stage IIIC), underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without (n = 140) or with (n = 297) pelvic lymph node dissection. The chronology of adjuvant RT was not randomized and depended on the usual practices of the surgical teams. Seventy-nine pts (Group I) received preoperative low-dose-rate uterovaginal brachytherapy (mean dose [MD]: 57 Gy). Three hundred fifty-eight pts (Group II) received postoperative RT. One hundred ninety-six pts received low-dose-rate vaginal brachytherapy alone (MD: 50 Gy). One hundred fifty-eight pts had external beam pelvic RT (MD: 46 Gy) followed by low-dose-rate vaginal brachytherapy (MD: 17 Gy). Four pts had external beam pelvic RT alone (MD: 47 Gy). The mean follow-up from the beginning of treatment was 128 months.

RESULTS

The 10-year disease-free survival rate was 86%. From 57 recurrences, only 12 were isolated locoregional recurrences. The independent factors decreasing the probability of disease-free survival were as follows: histologic type (clear-cell carcinoma, p = 0.038), largest histologic tumor diameter >3 cm (p = 0.015), histologic grade (p = 0.008), myometrial invasion > 1/2 (p = 0.005), and 1988 FIGO staging system (p = 9.10(-8)). In Group II, the addition of external beam pelvic RT did not seem to independently improve vaginal or pelvic control. The postoperative complication rate was 7%. The independent factors increasing the risk of postoperative complications were stage FIGO (p = 0.02) and pelvic lymph node dissection (p = 0.011). The 10-year rate for Grade 3 and 4 late radiation complications according to the LENT-SOMA scoring system was 3.1%. External beam pelvic RT independently increased the rate for Grade 3 and 4 late complication (RR: 5.6, p = 0.0096).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative external beam pelvic RT increases the risk of late radiation complications. After surgical and histopathologic staging with pelvic lymph node dissection, in subgroup of "intermediate-risk" patients (Stage IA Grade 3, IB-C and II), postoperative vaginal brachytherapy alone is probably sufficient to obtain a good therapeutic index. Results for patients with Stage III tumor are not satisfactory.

Pathological prognostic factors in a series of 137 stage I TNM/UICC endometrial carcinomas

PURPOSE

We report on the long-term results of combination surgery-radiotherapy in cT1 carcinoma of the endometrium according to prognostic factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1974 to 1993, 130 women suffering from cT1Nx-O Mo endometrial carcinoma, underwent surgical resection. The median age was 62 years. Thirteen received pre-operative irradiation, two pre-operative brachytherapy followed by post-operative external irradiation and 115 patients (88.35%) underwent post-operative irradiation therapy by brachytherapy or external beam irradiation.

RESULTS

The median follow-up is 67 months. Overall and specific survival rates for patients with cT1pT1 tumours were 71.1 and 85% at 10 years. For overall survival, lymph node invasion was the most powerful prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis (P = 0.02). If lymph node invasion is not taken into account, the WHO histological grade exerts a significant prognostic impact (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

For stage cT1 endometrial carcinoma, primary surgery allows radiotherapy to be adjusted according to the WHO histological grade, myometrial invasion and the pelvic lymph node status.

[Evaluation of a series of 137 carcinomas of the endometrium of stage I TNM/UICC]

PURPOSE

To assess retrospectively the long-term results of the combination of surgery and radiotherapy in carcinoma classified cT1.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 1974 to 1993, 137 women suffering from endometrial carcinoma cT1Nx-0 M0 were entered into the study. The median age was 62 years (range: 39-85 years) and the median follow up was 67 months (range: 0-224 months).

RESULTS

Surgery was performal in 132 women (96.35%). For cT1, the 5-year overall and specific survivals were 81.1% and 84.5%, respectively. The 10-year overall and specific survivals were 68.8% and 82.2%, respectively. Concerning cT1pT1, the 5-year overall and specific survivals, were 83.9% and 87.4%. The 10-year overall and specific survivals were 71.1% and 85%, respectively. Histological grade, pelvic lymph node involvement and myometrial infiltration influence significantly the overall and specific survivals of cT1pT1 tumors. According to multivariate analysis, pelvic lymph node involvement was a powerful prognostic factor for both the overall and specific survivals. If we rule out pelvic lymph node involvement, WHO histological grade was a significant prognostic factor.

CONCLUSION

Combination of surgery and radiotherapy is still a common procedure for cT1 tumors. When surgery is done before radiotherapy, tailored irradiation may further take place, according to WHO histological grade and pelvic lymph node status.

Brachytherapy for early endometrial carcinoma: a comparative study with long-term follow-up

The current study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of preoperative uterine or postoperative vaginal brachytherapy compared to no adjuvant therapy on the disease-free interval, sites of recurrence, and survival in favorable stage IB endometrial carcinoma. One hundred and forty-six patients with FIGO grade 1 and 2 endometrial carcinoma and 1-33% myometrial invasion treated between 1974 and 1992 were retrospectively studied. The use of brachytherapy varied among the treating physicians during the study period. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate disease-free survival and differences between treatment groups were evaluated with the Mantel-Cox statistic. Recurrent disease occurred in 7 patients (5.3%). Vaginal recurrences accounted for 6 of the 7 sites of recurrences. Recurrences occurred in 1.3% of grade 1 vs. 8.7% of grade 2 tumors (P = 0.04). Among 69 grade 2 tumors, recurrences occurred in 7.5% of those treated with brachytherapy vs. 10.3% of those not treated (P = 0.68). Brachytherapy did not affect the disease-free or overall survival. No serious complications directly related to therapy occurred. Vaginal recurrences occur even in early endometrial carcinoma. This study demonstrates no apparent benefit to brachytherapy. A larger study would be required to see a recurrence or survival difference.

Indications for adjuvant radiotherapy in endometrial carcinoma

This article examines the impact of prognostic factors, adjuvant therapy, and randomized trials on the overall survival of patients with endometrial cancer. The potential role of radiation therapy as an adjuvant therapy, as well as the role of lymph node dissection, in the treatment of endometrial carcinomas is reviewed.

Preoperative radiotherapy and surgery for endometrial carcinoma: prognostic significance of the sterilization of the specimen

INTRODUCTION

We report a retrospective study on the analysis of the operative specimen after preoperative radiotherapy for FIGO (1971) stage I or II endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From 1976 to 1996, 221 patients were treated with external radiotherapy (XRT) and/or low-dose-rate brachytherapy (BT) followed by surgery (S). Patients with cervical involvement (89 patients) or with high-grade tumors (49 patients) received XRT and BT. Patients stage FIGO Ia (89 patients) or with low-grade tumors (57 patients) received BT alone. Surgery was performed 5 to 6 weeks after irradiation.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up is 78 months (12-216). The 5-year survival was 90% for FIGO Ia, 80% for FIGO Ib, and 84% for FIGO II (p = 0.51). According to the differentiation, 5-year survival was 87% for grade 1, 84% for grade 2, 84% for grade 3 (p = 0.10). Grade 3 complications were registered in 2% (no grade 4). The tumors were sterilized in 37 patients (17%), sterilized but with dystrophic glands in 34 patients (16%), only modified and altered in 21 patients (9.5%), with viable cells in 56 patients (26%). After preoperative radiotherapy, 37/148 specimens were sterilized (25%), 14/74 after brachytherapy and surgery (19%), 23/74 after external radiotherapy-brachytherapy and surgery (31%). According to the response of the specimen, 5-year survival was 87% when the tumor was sterilized, 96% when altered glands were present, 85% when modified, and 76% if residual tumor with viable cells was identified (p = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative radiotherapy followed by surgery is a safe and effective treatment of FIGO stage I or II endometrial carcinomas. BT with two uterine tubes seems to be of interest in the contribution of the treatment of the uterus to sterilize the specimen. The analysis of this new prognostic factor remains important to select a population with worst prognosis.

An analysis of approaches to the management of endometrial cancer in North America: a CTF study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to define the clinical-therapeutical approach to endometrial cancer now being followed in some of the most important centers of reference for gynecological cancer in North America by means of a questionnaire.

STUDY DESIGN

The questionnaire focused on four principal areas: (1) surgical staging and therapy; (2) adjuvant treatment; (3) treatment modifications; and (4) management of advanced stages (FIGO III-IV).

RESULTS

There were 48 evaluable responses (77%) received by the end of December 1994 which were considered for this analysis. Lymphadenectomy is utilized routinely in 26/48 centers (54.2%) and in selective clinical-pathological conditions in another 21/48 centers (43.5%). In the majority of centers (31/48; 64.6%) radical surgery is utilized for selected indications such as cervical involvement. Only 3/48 (6.2%) centers consider the vaginal approach totally inappropriate. The great majority (40/48; 83.3%) of the centers considered postsurgical adjuvant therapy to be necessary in FIGO Stage Ic. Brachytherapy is routinely performed in 3 centers (6.2%) in postsurgical management of Stage I endometrial cancer, while the majority of the centers (31/48; 64.6%) perform brachytherapy of the vaginal vault in certain clinical-pathological conditions. A wide variety of treatments are used for advanced stages (FIGO III-IV).

CONCLUSIONS

It emerges that some controversial aspects exist on endometrial cancer treatment, and these conflicting data need a large-scale multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Excellent long-term survival and absence of vaginal recurrences in 332 patients with low-risk stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma treated with hysterectomy and vaginal brachytherapy without formal staging lymph node sampling: report of a prospective trial

PURPOSE

The value of adjuvant radiation therapy and staging pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with low-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer is controversial. The aim of this study was to report the long-term survival, rate of recurrences, and complications in patients with Stage I endometrial cancer, Grade 1-2, with <50% myometrial invasion treated with hysterectomy (without formal staging pelvic and periaortic lymph node sampling or lymphadenectomy) and postoperative vaginal brachytherapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A total of 303 patients with pathologic Stage I endometrial cancer, Grade 1-2, with <50% myometrial invasion and nonmalignant peritoneal cytology, were treated with total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and postoperative vaginal brachytherapy (30 Gy to point 0.5 cm depth) in a prospective study extending from 1958 to 1994. In addition, 29 additional Stage I, Grade 1-2 patients with <50% myometrial invasion and malignant peritoneal cytology were treated with 1 year of progesterone therapy. Patients were followed for 1.2-32 years (median 8.1 y).

RESULTS

Six patients had recurrences and died secondary to disease. There were no vaginal recurrences. The 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year disease-free survivals of the 303 patients with nonmalignant peritoneal cytology were 98.9%, 97.8%, 96.7%, and 96.7%, respectively. Patients with malignant peritoneal cytology had a 5- and 10-year disease-free survival of 100%. Significant radiation complications occurred in 2.1% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

In patients with low-risk, Stage I endometrial cancer, hysterectomy and adjuvant postoperative vaginal brachytherapy provide excellent long-term survival, eliminate vaginal recurrences, and are not associated with significant complications. The addition of 1 year of progesterone therapy to patients with malignant cytology provides 100% long-term survival. Based on these results, patients with low-risk, Stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma do not need formal staging pelvic and periaortic lymphadenectomy.

Risk factors predictive of para-aortic lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinomas

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors predictive of para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis in endometrial carcinomas.

METHODS

Sixty patients with endometrial carcinomas Stage I to III (FIGO, 1988) who each underwent a complete pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy with a semiradical or radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, between April 1988 and March 1996, were included in this study. The relationship between PAN metastasis and clinico-pathological factors such as histological type, grade, depth of myometrial invasion (MI), vascular space involvement (VSI), cervical invasion (CI), peritoneal cytology, tumor size, pelvic lymph node (PLN) metastasis, and glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-pi) expression was examined using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Seven variables--G3 grade, more than one-half MI, positive VSI, positive CI, tumor size of more than 2 cm in diameter, positive PLN metastasis, and positive GST-pi--were significantly correlated with PAN metastasis using univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that of the above 7 variables, 3 were significantly and independently correlated with PAN metastasis: more than one-half MI, positive PLN, and positive GST-pi. The relative risk of a patient with these 3 factors having PAN metastasis was 18.0 times greater than the risk for a patient without them.

CONCLUSION

These variables--More than one-half MI, positive PLN, and positive GST-pi--were significantly related to PAN metastasis.

Vaginal hysterectomy versus abdominal hysterectomy for the treatment of stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the current study were to (1) determine the effectiveness of vaginal hysterectomy for the treatment of stage I endometrial cancer and (2) analyze which clinical pathologic parameters were independent predictors of clinical outcome.

STUDY DESIGN

In a retrospective analysis, 5- and 10-year results of vaginal hysterectomy were compared with those of abdominal hysterectomy in 327 cases of stage I adenocarcinoma. No preoperative irradiation was given. Overall, 180 patients underwent vaginal hysterectomy, whereas 147 patients had abdominal hysterectomy (106 cases with lymphadenectomy). The log-rank test was used for evaluation of survival differences.

RESULTS

The 5- and 10-year survival rates (Kaplan-Meier method) were, respectively, 90% and 87% in the vaginal hysterectomy group and 91% and 90% in the abdominal hysterectomy group (difference not significant). The grade of differentiation, depth of myometrial invasion, and age were significantly correlated with survival, whereas histologic type, mode of surgery, lymphadenectomy, and adjuvant radiotherapy were not. In a multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazards), grade of differentiation and age were independent predictors of clinical outcome, whereas depth of myometrial invasion lost significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaginal hysterectomy showed a high rate of cure in stage I endometrial cancer. Therefore it can be used as an alternative to the abdominal operation in obese and poor surgical risk patients and, possibly, in selected low-risk cases.

Stage 1 endometrial cancer: treatment modalities and factors influencing recurrence

One hundred and nineteen patients treated for FIGO Stage 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma were reviewed retrospectively to determine if adjuvant radiotherapy reduced disease recurrence. The patients had all been treated in the Hunter Region of New South Wales over a 10-year period from 1978 to 1988. Median follow up was 82 months with a range of 24 to 163 months. Treatment consisted of surgery alone (75.6%), surgery and brachytherapy (17.6%), surgery and megavoltage therapy (4.2%), and surgery with both brachytherapy and megavoltage therapy (2.5%). The overall recurrence rate was 10.1%. Recurrence at the vaginal vault alone occurred in 3.4%. The median time to recurrence was 25.0 months. A statistically significant correlation was found between overall recurrence risk and poorly differentiated lesions (p < 0.0001). Just failing to reach statistical significance were age over 70 years (p < 0.06) and patient weight less than 70 kg (p = 0.06). Depth of myometrial invasion (p = 0.17), use of adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.17) and uterine cavity size (p = 0.48) were not significantly correlated with risk of recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 93.8%.

Aspects of surgery in ovarian and endometrial carcinoma

In ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer the surgeon plays an important role in both the staging procedure and in the removal of as much of the tumour as possible. Although uniform treatment policies have not been developed, a better understanding of the pattern of spread in both tumours allows for accurate staging and can be of help in selecting patients for more extended treatment and saving others from unnecessary overtreatment.

Extracorporeal spread and its prognostic impact in stages I and II (FIGO) endometrial carcinoma

Prognostic risk factors were statistically analyzed from the histopathologic data obtained from 90 Japanese women with stages I and II endometrial carcinoma treated surgically, including systemic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, between June 1979 and June 1989. In stage Ia endometrial carcinoma, pelvic and paraaortic nodes metastasis were seen in 13.8(4/29)% and 0.0(0/19)% of patients, respectively. In stage Ib, the incidence of pelvic and paraaortic node metastasis was 25.6(11/43)% and 9.7(3/31)%, respectively. In stage II, the incidence was 38.9(7/18)% and 13.3(2/15)%, respectively. Prognosis of patients even with deep myometrial invasion (greater than or equal to 2/3) or G3 tumor was fairly good (5-year survival rate: 87.5% and 85.7%, respectively) if the disease was histologically confined to the uterine corpus. Once the tumor spread outside the corpus uteri, the survival rate of patients was strongly affected by the grade of the tumor, moderate to marked lymph-vascular space invasion of tumor cells, or tumor invading middle or outer third of myometrium (P less than 0.05 for each factor). In summary, endometrial cancer frequently metastasize to pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes even in the early stages, and lymph node metastasis and other extracorporeal spread of disease have a serious impact on patient survival. Prognosis of patients with extracorporeal spread of disease seems to be determined by the high grade of tumor and lymph-vascular space invasion. These results suggest that surgical exploration including paraaortic lymph node dissection to accurately evaluate the extent of the disease is essential to estimate the patient's prognostic risk and to individualize the treatment schedule.

Adjuvant external beam therapy for pathologic stage I and occult stage II endometrial carcinoma

Eighty-six patients with pathologic Stage I or occult Stage II carcinoma of the endometrium and myometrial invasion and/or Grade 2 or Grade 3 histologic condition received whole-pelvis external radiation therapy (RT) after extrafascial total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Twenty-one patients received 4250 cGy in 25 daily fractions for 5 weeks (Group 1), 28 received 4500 cGy in 25 daily fractions for 5 weeks (Group 2), and 37 received 5100 cGy in 30 daily fractions for 6 weeks (Group 3). Seventeen patients had intravaginal brachytherapy after whole-pelvis RT. Local recurrence developed in two patients (2.3%) (one in Group 1 and one in Group 2). Statistical analysis showed that the depth of myometrial invasion significantly influenced survival (P = 0.016). Tumor grade, pathologic stage, whole-pelvis radiation dose, and the use of brachytherapy did not influence survival. Complications occurred in 9.5% of patients in Group 1, 24.7% in Group 2, and 40.5% in Group 3. Three patients who received brachytherapy had rectal injuries. The authors conclude that 4250 cGy in 25 fractions for 5 weeks of whole-pelvis RT appears to induce fewer complications than higher doses, and may be sufficient to prevent local recurrence in most patients who require adjuvant RT. A clinical trial is needed to determine the optimum dose-time-fractionation regimen.

Radical hysterectomy for stage I and II endometrial carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of 179 cases

Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo oophorectomy is the traditional treatment for endometrial carcinoma. In an effort to improve local control rates, we have surgically treated our Stage I and II patients with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RH-PL). Between 1976 and 1987 we have treated 179 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma (125 Stage I and 54 Stage II) with the following modalities. Uterovaginal brachytherapy (60 Gy) was performed first and then 6 weeks later an RH-PL was performed. Twenty-nine patients received external pelvic irradiation (45 Gy) because of tumor invasion beyond the internal two-thirds of the myometrium and/or lymph node involvement. The local control rate was 87% (92% for Stage I, 76% for Stage II). Distant metastases occurred in 24 patients (13%). Five-year actuarial survival rates were 80% for Stage I and 61% for Stage II patients. Prognostic factors were nodal status, histological grading, depth of tumor myometrial invasion, histologic status of the hysterectomy specimen, and peritoneal cytology. Late severe complications occurred for 13 patients (7%). These results are comparable to those published for patients treated with less extensive surgery. We conclude that such an extensive surgery (especially pelvic lymphadenectomy) appears to be useless for all patients with bad prognostic factors requiring pelvic external irradiation. We only still perform external iliac node samples for patients with Stage I grade 1 tumors without deep tumor invasion into the myometrium.

A prospective trial of postoperative vaginal radium/cesium for grade 1-2 less than 50% myometrial invasion and pelvic radiation therapy for grade 3 or deep myometrial invasion in surgical stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma

A prospective trial was performed to evaluate the recurrence rate and 5-year disease-free survival rate in patients with surgical Stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma. Patients with Stage I, Grade 1 or 2 disease, less than 50% myometrial invasion, and no evidence of disease outside the corpus of the uterus were treated by hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and postoperative vaginal radium/cesium (Group 1). Patients with surgical Stage I, Grade 3 disease or deep myometrial invasion, and histologically negative paraaortic lymph nodes were treated with postoperative pelvic radiation therapy (5000-5040 cGY) (Group 2). Patients with malignant peritoneal cytologic findings also received progesterone therapy. Of the 92 Group 1 patients, there have been no recurrences and the 5-year estimated disease-free survival rate was 99%. Of the 41 Group 2 patients, there have been four (9.7%) recurrences but only one (2.4%) within the treated field (pelvis), and the 5-year estimated disease-free survival rate was 88%. Of the 133 patients, the 5-year estimated disease-free survival rate was 96%, and only one patient (0.7%) had a local pelvic recurrence. Of the 16 patients with malignant peritoneal cytologic findings who were treated with progesterone therapy, none has had a recurrence.

Preoperative or postoperative brachytherapy for patients with endometrial carcinoma stage I and II

In endometrial carcinoma, vaginal vault brachytherapy is performed to improve the local control rate and to decrease vaginal recurrences. To assess the best chronology of this brachytherapy compared to surgery, we have retrospectively analyzed results of treatment of patients treated either with preoperative brachytherapy (60 Gy) and then radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo oophorectomy (RH-BSO) (Group 1), or with RH-BSO and then postoperative brachytherapy (60 Gy) (Group 2). There were one hundred twenty-one patients in Group 1 and 63 in Group 2. The mean age was 61.8 years in Group 1 and 64.3 in Group 2. In Group 1, 73% of the patients were Stage I, and 77.6% were in Group 2. The two groups were comparable for histological grading and depth of tumoral invasion into the myometrium. Brachytherapy was delivered with one uterine and two vaginal sources in Group 1 and with three vaginal sources in Group 2. Doses to the reference volume and to reference points were calculated according to ICRU recommendations. Brachytherapy data were similar in the two groups except reference volume, which was smaller in Group 2. Local control rate was 87% in Group 1 and 91% in Group 2. Distant metastasis occurred in 12% of patients in Group 1 and 9% in Group 2. The 5-year actuarial survival rate was 84% in Group 1 and 89% in Group 2. Regarding stage, histological grading, and depth of tumoral invasion, no differences were observed between the two therapeutic groups. The only prognostic factor in the entire population was Stage. The 5-year actuarial survival rate was 91% for Stage I patients and 69% for Stage II (p value less than 0.03). The late severe complication rate was 14% in Group 1 and 7.9% in Group 2, a difference which was not statistically significant. We concluded that since no differences were observed between the two techniques, vaginal brachytherapy should be performed postoperatively when surgery is the first treatment (Stage I or II, grade 1 or 2, and no deep tumoral invasion into the myometrium).

Patterns of failure in patients with stage I, grade 3 carcinoma of the endometrium

Patients with high grade, early stage endometrial carcinoma are reported to have worse survival and local control rates than those with low grade carcinomas. To define failure patterns further in patients with FIGO Stage I, grade 3 endometrial carcinomas, the patients from three institutions who received adjuvant or definitive radiation (RT) were analyzed. Of 119 patients meeting the criteria of Stage I, grade 3 endometrial carcinoma, 57 patients received preoperative radiation, 49 patients received postoperative radiation, and 10 patients received definitive radiation with 5-year actuarial survival rates of 64%, 73%, and 65%, respectively. Three additional patients received both preoperative and postoperative treatment. The overall local control rate was 88% with a median follow-up of 70 months. Of 36 patients who failed, 14 had a component of local failure, and 31 had a component of distant failure. Eighteen of 31 distant failures involved metastatic spread to the abdominal cavity. Recurrence patterns by method of treatment are documented. Patients with high grade tumors do have a propensity for distant metastasis. Clinical investigation into the value of systemic therapy is necessary.

Benefit of external irradiation in pathologic stage I endometrial carcinoma: a prospective clinical trial of 605 patients who received postoperative vaginal irradiation and additional pelvic irradiation in the presence of unfavorable prognostic factors

Six hundred and five cases of endometrial carcinoma, pathologic stage I, without definable extrauterine disease were initially treated with total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, followed by high-dose-rate iridium-192 irradiation of the vagina. External irradiation of the pelvis was performed only for patients with poor prognostic factors. Five-year survival was calculated by the product-limit method of Kaplan and Meier. Three hundred and forty-eight patients with tumor invasion of the inner third, of any tumor grade, received postoperative vaginal irradiation only. Twenty-eight patients with grade 1 tumor invasion of the middle third received vaginal irradiation only. One hundred and six patients with grade 2 or 3 tumor and infiltration of the middle third received vaginal and external irradiation of the pelvis. One hundred and twenty-three patients with deep muscle invasion of the external third of the myometrium received vaginal and pelvic irradiation. Differences in survival figures were not significant. Survival of the treatment group with good prognosis who received vaginal irradiation alone (91%) was similar to that of the group with poor prognosis who received additional pelvic irradiation (87.7%). Despite the unfavorable situation of patients with poor prognostic factors, treatment results after additional external irradiation were relatively equal to the results for patients with good prognostic factors who had not received external irradiation. Therefore, the benefit of external irradiation in patients with stage I endometrial carcinoma with unfavorable prognostic factors seems evident.

Analysis of preoperative intracavitary cesium application versus postoperative external beam radiation in stage I endometrial carcinoma

Two groups of patients with surgical Stage I endometrial carcinoma treated at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City are analyzed. Group 1 comprises 112 patients treated from 1974 through 1976, during which time preoperative intracavitary cesium was routinely used in all patients. Group 2 comprises 117 patients treated 1981 through 1983 under the treatment policy of hysterectomy without preoperative cesium. High risk patients from each group (grade 3 and/or deep myometrial invasion) generally received similar postoperative external beam pelvic radiotherapy (4500-5000 cGy). While 5-year actuarial disease-free survival rates were similar in each group (94% Group 1 vs 91% Group 2), multivariate analysis by the Cox Regression Method revealed that inclusion within treatment Group 2 carried independent adverse prognostic significance (p = 0.018). Other independent predictors of adverse 5-year disease-free survival included deep myometrial invasion and increasing histologic grade. Group 1 patients with grade 3 lesions had a superior 5-year actuarial disease-free survival (76% vs 53%) compared to those from Group 2. Group 1 patients with deep myometrial invasion also had a superior 5-year disease-free survival (84% vs 69%). The remaining low risk patients (grade 1 or 2, less than 1/3 myometrial invasion) had an excellent 5-year disease-free survival with or without preoperative cesium. Immediate preoperative intracavitary cesium was well tolerated, did not obscure pathologic findings and in our experience, reduced the probability of recurrence in high risk Stage I endometrial carcinoma patients.

Hysterectomy with extended surgical staging and radiotherapy versus hysterectomy alone and radiotherapy in stage I endometrial cancer: a comparison of complication rates

Extended surgical staging (ESS) has been added to total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAHBSO) in patients with clinical Stage I endometrial cancer in order to better define patterns of metastatic spread and the response to treatment. Adjuvant radiotherapy has a demonstrated efficacy in decreasing central recurrence in Stage I disease. The combined use of radical surgery and pelvic radiotherapy for cervical cancer patients results in an increased incidence of complications. This study compares major complication rates in Stage I endometrial cancer patients who underwent either TAHBSO with ESS or TAHBSO alone followed by adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (RT). Records of 52 patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer were reviewed. Thirty-two patients underwent TAHBSO plus ESS and 20 patients had TAHBSO alone. All patients received postoperative, whole pelvis external radiotherapy. Four patients suffered complications potentially related to treatment which required rehospitalization, and all 4 were in the group which had undergone ESS. A comparison of complication rates between the ESS + RT group (4/37 or 10.8%) and TAHBSO + RT group (0/20) suggested a trend toward significance (P less than 0.10). Treatment protocols using extended surgical staging prior to adjuvant radiotherapy in Stage I endometrial cancer should examine complications potentially related to this combination, to further define treatment risks and benefits.

Postoperative vaginal irradiation with high dose rate afterloading technique in endometrial carcinoma stage I

A high dose rate (60Co) afterloading technique was used for postoperative prophylactic vaginal irradiation in a series of 404 women with endometrial carcinoma Stage I. The total recurrence rate was 3.7% with 0.7% vaginal deposits. The crude 5-year survival rate for the complete series was 91.8% compared to 13.3% for those with recurrences. Depth of myometrial infiltration (greater than 1/3 of the uterine wall) and nuclear grade were the most important prognostic factors. Clinically significant late radiation reactions (bladder and/or rectum) were recorded in 6.9%. Dose per fraction and the size of the target volume were highly significantly related to the occurrence of both early and late radiation reactions. Vaginal shortening is closely related to the dose per fraction, length of the reference isodose, and the applicator diameter. The shape of the vaginal applicator versus the isodoses and the importance of the source train geometry and relative activity for dose gradient inhomogeneities within the target volume are discussed. Cumulative radiation effect (CRE) and linear-quadratic (LQ) calculations have been performed and related to tissue reactions within the target volume and in the risk organs. An alpha-beta quotient of 8.8 for vaginal shrinkage effect and 2.0 for late rectal complications are suggested on the basis of calculations using a maximum likelihood method for quantal radiation data.

Endometrial carcinoma: current concepts and future perspectives

Endometrial carcinoma is increasing worldwide and, in most of western Europe and the U.S., it is now the most common malignancy in the female pelvis. The most common parameters in deciding therapy are staging, according to the International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) and histopathological grading, and evaluation of myometrial invasion. The treatment results in terms of a 5-year survival rate, are about 90% for well and moderately differentiated stage I to II endometrial carcinomas, whereas that for poorly differentiated ones is about 70%. The latter figures point towards the need for further prognostic parameters to identify subgroups with a fatal form of the disease. One such parameter might be the concentration of steroid receptors and promising results have been published recently but still better prognostic parameters have been proposed recently. It is known that the DNA content in individual tumor cells is a prognostic parameter. Due to the development of flow cytometry such determinations are rapid and more precise, and the prognostic significance has been proved to be superior to the more commonly used parameters.

Endometrial carcinoma: high dose-rate brachytherapy in combination with external irradiation; a multivariate analysis of relapses

From June 1974 to June 1984, 347 women with endometrial carcinoma were referred to the radiotherapy department of the Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Of this total number, 327 patients were considered eligible for analysis; 36 being referred for recurrences of previous surgically treated endometrial carcinoma, and 291 being referred for radiotherapy as part of the initial treatment. The 28% 5-year relapse-free survival (RFS) of the group of 36 patients demonstrated that endometrial carcinoma may behave as a radiosensitive tumour. The remaining 291 had all undergone surgery, except 10. Radiotherapy consisted of high dose-rate brachytherapy applied to the vaginal vault for pathological stage I tumours, well differentiated, and with superficial myometrial invasion. All other patients received external beam irradiation to a pelvic dose of 40 Gy in 4 weeks, followed by brachytherapy (4 fractions of 5 Gy each). The 5-year RFS for pathologically staged patients was: stage I (232 patients) 88%, stage II (27 patients) 68%, stage III and IV (22 patients) 50%. Treatment-related complications were minimal. In-field recurrences were rare: 5% locoregional, 2.2% both loco-regional and distant, versus 9.3% distant failures. Multivariate RFS analysis demonstrated age, stage and tumour differentiation as independent prognostic factors, tumour differentiation being the most important factor.

Management of early endometrial carcinoma

Management of early endometrial carcinoma is controversial in regard to timing and indication of adjunctive radiation therapy. Two hundred eighty patients with stage I carcinoma of the endometrium are analyzed: 135 patients were treated with surgery only and 61 patients underwent preoperative and 83 patients postoperative radiation therapy. The overall survival was 94%. Recurrence rates in all three treatment arms were equal. Tumor grade was found to change from the diagnostic D&C specimen to the definite surgical specimen in 31% of all cases and in 50% of all grade 3 lesions. As only 39% of all patients required postoperative radiation therapy with equal survival, a primary surgical approach spares the majority of patient unnecessary treatment and preserves prognostically important histology.

Operative treatment in stage I endometrial carcinoma with deep myometrial invasion and/or grade 3 tumor surgically limited to the corpus uteri. No recurrence with only primary surgery

A prospective study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of primary surgical treatment without postoperative irradiation for patients with Stage I endometrial carcinoma possessing poor prognostic factors of deep myometrial invasion and/or histologic Grade 3 tumor, in whom no evidence of cancer spread was detected outside the corpus uteri at the time of staging laparotomy. All 18 patients who had only surgical treatment and cancer limited to the corpus uteri showed no evidence of disease in follow-up of 5 to 13 years. Only 26.7% (four of 15) patients with cancer spread beyond the corpus were disease-free. From these preliminary results, it is concluded that in patients with Stage I endometrial cancer who had no extracorporal spread upon adequate surgical staging, even with poor prognostic factors of deep myometrial invasion and/or Grade 3 tumor, postoperative radiation might not be necessary.

426 cases of stage I endometrial carcinoma: a clinicopathological analysis

Between February 1, 1965, and December 31, 1985, 426 patients affected with Stage I adenocarcinoma of the endometrium were submitted to surgery in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology of the Regina Elena Cancer Institute. The value of the present survey is represented by the homogeneous diagnostic data on the basis of which the treatment was planned. Criteria of histological grading and myometrial invasion were always followed, making it possible to carry out a protocol combining surgery with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or hormone therapy. In fact, an accurate evaluation of the grading, the infiltration of the myometrium, and the localization and size of the lesion are necessary to establish the risk of lymph node invasion. This last parameter is the most important as far as the therapeutic protocol, recurrences, and/or metastases and survival are concerned. The high 5-year survival rate, despite the high average age of the patients (74.7% between the ages of 51 and 70), associated pathologies, and the relatively low incidence of complications from treatment, demonstrate the validity of the protocol adopted.

Postoperative vaginal irradiation by a high dose-rate afterloading technique in endometrial carcinoma stage I

A high dose-rate (cobalt-60) afterloading technique was used for postoperative vaginal irradiation in a series of 404 women with endometrial carcinoma stage I. The total recurrence rate was 3.7% with 0.7% vaginal lesions. The crude 5-year survival rate for the complete series was 91.8% compared to 13.3% for those with recurrences. Depth of myometrial infiltration (greater than 1/3 of the uterine wall) and nuclear grade were the most important prognostic factors. Clinically significant late radiation reactions (bladder and/or rectum) were recorded in 6.9%. The absorbed dose per fraction and the size of the treatment volume were significantly related to the occurrence of both early and late radiation reactions. Vaginal shortening was closely related to the dose per fraction, length of the reference isodose and the applicator diameter. The shape of the vaginal applicator versus the isodose contours and the importance of the source train geometry and relative activity for absorbed dose inhomogeneities within the treatment volume are discussed. Cumulative radiation effect (CRE) and linear-quadratic (LQ) calculations have been performed and related to tissue reactions within the target volume and in the risk organs. An alpha-beta quotient of 8.8 Gy for vaginal shrinkage effect and 2.0 Gy for late rectal complications are suggested on the basis of calculations using a maximum likelihood method for quantal radiation data.

Systematic irradiation of the vaginal vault in stage I endometrial carcinoma

One hundred and twenty patients with clinical pathological stage I carcinoma of the endometrium were treated by total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and either pre- or postoperative intracavitary cesium insertion. External pelvic irradiation (45-50 Gy in 5 weeks) was given postoperatively in 36 cases, mainly for deep myometrial invasion. All the women have been followed for a minimum of 5 years. The overall 5-year survival rate is 86%. According to histological grading, the 5-year survival was 88, 83 and 57% for grades 1 (90 patients), 2 (23 patients) and 3 (7 patients) respectively. A total of 17 local and distant failures were observed: 10 patients had distant metastases, six patients had a pelvic failure and one had both. There was only one isolated vaginal recurrence. Depth of myometrial invasion was not a statistically significant indicator of outcome. Survival rates were comparable in pre- and postoperatively treated patients.