Endometrial stage I carcinoma treated with surgery and adjuvant irradiation: A retrospective analysis

Aims and background: Data from the literature show that the incidence of pelvic recurrences in poor prognosis endometrial carcinoma is significantly reduced by combined surgery and radiotherapy compared to surgery alone. Methods: In this paper we analyze the results of the combined treatment surgery and adjuvant irradiation in patients with endometrial carcinoma with regard to survival, site of progression, and toxicity. The surgical treatment consisted of total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in 40 patients. Pelvic and para-aortic node dissection was performed in 19 patients and lymph node sampling in 5. Results: Overall 5-year survival was 85%. One patient had local failure, and 5 patients with local control of disease had distant metastases. Toxicity was mild and transient. Conclusions: Our experience confirms the data of the literature. Postoperative irradiation is a safe and well-tolerated treatment that can achieve a good local control in high risk, stage I, endometrial carcinoma. The control of distant metastases remains an open question.