scholarly journals Cancer Endometrium: An Update

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piyush Kumar ◽  
Jai Kishan Goel

ABSTRACT Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in developed countries and second most common in developing countries. Its incidence is increasing in postmenopausal women. Factors related to chronic estrogen exposure are associated with a higher incidence. Abnormal uterine bleeding is the cardinal symptom. All women with suspected endometrial cancer require transvaginal ultrasonography and most will undergo endometrial biopsy; more sophisticated radiological examinations are required for preoperative staging. The general approach for treatment of endometrial cancer is hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, abdominopelvic washings, lymph node evaluation and maximal surgical cytoreduction for those with advanced disease. Postoperative adjuvant therapy [vaginal brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy (RT), chemotherapy] may be recommended depending on the estimated risk of recurrence. Individual patient characteristics and surgical as well as pathologic staging are the main factors that are used for postsurgical risk stratification, which in turn, directs the selection of adjuvant treatment. How to cite this article Goel JK, Kumar P. Cancer Endometrium: An Update. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2012;4(2):75-84.

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linas Andreika ◽  
Margarita Montrimaitė ◽  
Juliana Andreičik

Summary. Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in developed countries. Biopsy of the sentinel lymph node can be considered as an alternative to full lymphadenectomy. In order to identify sentinel lymph nodes, a tracer substance is injected into the uterus to visualize the lymphatic tract. Commonly used tracer substances are Technetium-99m (99mTc) colloid, blue dyes, and indocyanine green (ICG). In this review the significance of sentinel lymph node biopsy in endometrial cancer management and the technique of the procedure is discussed.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Jang

Radiation therapy plays a significant role in the treatment of nearly all gynecologic cancers, including endometrial cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer. Radiotherapy can be given as the primary modality for curative treatment of gynecologic cancers, most often for cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers, but can also be used adjuvantly in the postoperative setting. Radiation can be delivered in the form of external beam radiation therapy or as gynecologic implants for brachytherapy, which is radiation that is delivered internally. This review highlights the data supporting radiation therapy for gynecologic cancers and explains the different methods of radiation delivery. This review contains 5 figures, and 4 tables, and 40 references.  Key Words: adjuvant treatment, brachytherapy, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, IMRT, ovarian cancer, radiation therapy, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 789-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam AlHilli ◽  
Sudha Amarnath ◽  
Paul Elson ◽  
Lisa Rybicki ◽  
Sean Dowdy

ObjectiveTo evaluate trends in use of radiation therapy and its impact on overall survival in low- and high-grade stage I endometrioid endometrial carcinoma.MethodsPatients with stage I endometrial cancer who underwent hysterectomy from 2004 to 2013 were identified through the National Cancer Database and classified as: stage IA G1/2, stage IA G3, stage IB G1/2, and stage IB G3. Trends in use of vaginal brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy were assessed. Overall survival was measured from surgery and estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The effect of radiation therapy on overall survival was assessed within each stage/grade group using Cox proportional hazards analysis in propensity-matched treatment groups.ResultsA total of 132 393 patients met inclusion criteria, and 81% of patients had stage IA and 19% had stage IB endometrial cancer. Adjuvant therapy was administered in 18% of patients: 52% received vaginal brachytherapy, 30% external beam radiation therapy, and 18% chemotherapy ±radiation therapy. External beam radiation therapy use decreased from 9% in 2004 to 4% in 2012, while vaginal brachytherapy use increased from 8% to 14%. Stage IA G1/2 patients did not benefit from either external beam radiation therapy or vaginal brachytherapy, while administration of vaginal brachytherapy improved overall survival in stage IB G1/2 compared with no treatment (p<0.0001). In stage IB G1/2 and stage IA G3, vaginal brachytherapy was superior to external beam radiation therapy (p=0.0004 and p=0.004, respectively). Stage IB G3 patients had improved overall survival with either vaginal brachytherapy or external beam radiation therapy versus no treatment but no difference in overall survival was seen between vaginal brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy (p=0.94).ConclusionsThe delivery of adjuvant radiation therapy in patients with stage IA G1/2 endometrial carcinoma is not associated with improvement in overall survival. Patients with stage IB G1/2 and G3 as well as stage IA G3 are shown to benefit from improved overall survival when adjuvant radiation therapy is administered. These findings demonstrate potential opportunities to reduce both overtreatment and undertreatment in stage I endometrial cancer patients.


2005 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Smaniotto ◽  
Giuseppe D'Agostino ◽  
Stefano Luzi ◽  
Vincenzo Valentini ◽  
Gabriella Macchia ◽  
...  

Aims and background This prospective, phase II study aimed to test the efficacy of concurrent 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C and radiation, with or without brachytherapy, on the clinical outcome of a series of recurrent endometrial cancer patients and to determine the prognostic impact of a subset of factors. Methods Thirty patients with locally recurrent, nonmetastatic endometrial cancer received external beam radiation (4-week split course: 23.4 + 23.4 Gy) plus two courses of concomitant chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, 96-h continous infusion, days 1-4; 1 g/m2/day; mitomycin C, 10 mg/m2, bolus iv, day 1). Nineteen patients (63.3%) underwent endocavitary, low-dose brachytherapy boost (20-25 Gy); eight patients (26.7%) received external beam radiation boost (14-20 Gy). Results Eleven complete responses (36.7%), 11 partial responses (36.7%), 6 disease stabilizations (20.0%) and 2 progressions (6.6%) were observed. After a median follow-up of 27 months (range, 1-108), overall actuarial 3-year survival, progression-free survival and local progression-free survival were 46.8%, 35.2% and 41.2%, respectively. Two patients (6.7%) experienced hematological grade 3 toxicity. Two patients (6.7%) had grade 3 intestinal toxicity. Severe late toxicity was infrequent, only 3 patients showing severe vaginal stenosis (10.0%). A clinical score of 0 to 1 was assigned to each patient on the basis of the absence (score = 0) or presence (score = 1) of any of the following prognostic factors: time between surgery and recurrence shorter than 12 months, pelvic wall site of recurrence, positive lymph nodes, hemoglobin <11 g/dL. With this device, it was clear that patients with a low score had a significantly better outcome (clinical remission: 77.2% of patients with a score <2 vs 25.0% of patients with a score ≥2, P = 0.009), better local control of the disease (50.2% vs. 0 at 3 years, P = 0.014,) and better overall survival (65.8% vs 0 at 3 years, P = 0.003). Conclusions Our data suggest that this combined modality therapy was relatively well tolerated and resulted in reasonable local control and survival. The scoring system proved to be helpful in identifying patients with the best chance of benefiting from the treatment.


2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-383
Author(s):  
H. Lin ◽  
C.-L. Chang ◽  
E.-Y. Huang ◽  
C.-C. Changchien

Radiation-induced colon perforation is a rare adverse effect caused by vascular and connective tissue injury to the rectosigmoid colon. It usually occurs a few months to years after radiotherapy for gynecological cancer. Herein, we present a patient who developed sigmoid colon perforation during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer. The patient was a 64-year-old clinical stage IIB woman who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy as a standard treatment. The chemotherapeutic protocol was cisplatin 50 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 4000 mg, starting together with radiotherapy. After the completion of external beam radiation for 4500 cGy, the patient developed sigmoid colon perforation presenting with fecal peritoneum and sepsis. An emergency end ileostomy with resection of entire sigmoid colon was performed and the patient was discharged 3 months later in good condition. Clinicians must be highly suspicious of serious bowel perforation, even if the full dose of radiation has not been completed. Whether or not the chemotherapy was the trigger factor is in need of further clarification.


Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 884
Author(s):  
Chiara Belcaro ◽  
Federica Scrimin ◽  
Alessandro Mangogna ◽  
Emanuele Filippo Galati ◽  
Stefania Biffi ◽  
...  

Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common symptom in the female population, with an estimated prevalence of 10 to 30% in fertile age and up to 90% in perimenopausal women. In most cases, AUB is due to a benign cause. However, it can also be a symptom of atypical endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer, a more common disease during menopause which can also affect women in their reproductive age. Considering the high prevalence of this symptom an appropriate diagnostic algorithm is needed. Concerns about the risks, pain, and stress associated with an endometrial biopsy and its impact on the healthcare system make the choice of AUB diagnostic strategy extremely relevant. Even if the scientific community agrees on the definition of AUB, International Guidelines show some differences in the management of women of reproductive age with AUB, especially regarding the age cut-off as an independent indication for endometrial biopsy. This study compared different diagnostic strategies to identify a diagnostic pathway with high sensitivity and specificity but low impact on the health system’s resources. The analysis was based on three diagnostic algorithms defined as part of the guidelines of leading scientific societies. Women of reproductive age with AUB (n = 625) and without risk of endometrial cancer were included in the study. Results showed that the best criterion to investigate AUB in women at low risk of endometrial cancer is not age cut-off but the presence or absence of focal endometrial pathology at the ultrasound and the response to the progestin therapy. This approach makes it possible to perform fewer outpatient hysteroscopic biopsies without excluding positive cases from the examination.


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