The role of radiotherapy in endometrial cancer: current evidence and trends

Curr Oncol Rep. 2011 Dec;13(6):472-8. doi: 10.1007/s11912-011-0191-y.

Abstract

Adjuvant treatment of patients with endometrial cancer is tailored to clinical-pathological prognostic factors. Pelvic radiation therapy for stage I endometrial cancer (EC) provides a highly significant improvement of local control, but without survival advantage. Low-risk EC patients have a very favorable prognosis, and should be observed after surgery. Use of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is limited to patients with high-intermediate or high-risk factors. For those with high-intermediate risk features, vaginal brachytherapy alone provides excellent vaginal control with less morbidity and better quality of life than pelvic external beam RT (EBRT). For patients with stage I-III EC with high-risk features, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy alone has not shown survival benefit as compared to pelvic EBRT. A first trial comparing pelvic EBRT with or without adjuvant chemotherapy has shown better progression-free survival with combined therapy. Current ongoing trials are exploring the role of combined RT and chemotherapy, compared to chemotherapy or RT alone.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brachytherapy / methods
  • Chemoradiotherapy / methods
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Prognosis
  • Quality of Life
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic