Endometrial adenocarcinoma, adjuvant radiotherapy tailored to prognostic factors

Abstract

The optimal adjuvant radiotherapy for surgically treated endometrial cancer has not yet been defined. We report on 389 patients treated between 1970 and 1985 with adjuvant radiotherapy. The treatment was tailored to the known prognostic factors: myometrial invasion and grade of differentiation of the tumor. Ten-year overall survival was 67%, 10-year relapse-free survival 77%; 23% relapse, of which 21% distant and 6% locoregional relapse. In a multivariate analysis, stage (pT), grade, and myometrial invasion were prognostic factors. The number of locoregional failures was very small (n = 23). This small number, the fact that radiation treatment was tailored to prognostic factors, and the absence of a nontreated control group precluded an analysis of the effect of the adjuvant irradiation. Large randomized studies with a control (no treatment) arm should be performed to determine the value of adjuvant radiotherapy.