Management of aggressive histologic variants of endometrial carcinoma at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre between 1984 and...

The aim of this study was to determine the patient characteristics and outcome of patients with aggressive histologic variants (AV) of endometrial carcinoma, including uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), and mixed type.

All cases with AV histological type of endometrial carcinoma from January 1984 to December 1994 at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre were identified using the Alberta Cancer Registry. Relevant data from the charts of these patients were entered into a study database (Microsoft Excel) and analyzed for presentation, demography, treatment parameters, and outcome of treatment. All pathology was reviewed at the time of diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed using the S-plus statistics computer program. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess independent prognostic factors using the Cox proportional hazards model.

A total of 103 patients with AV histological type were identified and analyzed; there were 61, 31, and 11 cases of UPSC, CCC, and mixed tumors, respectively. Sixty-three patients had Stage I, 11 had Stage II, 15 had Stage III, and 14 had Stage IV disease. The median age of patients was 67 years with a range of 36 to 86 years. Median follow-up was 60 months with a range of 36 to 156 months. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that lymphvascular space invasion and stage are the two independent prognostic factors affecting recurrence and survival. Forty six percent of all cases underwent surgery alone, 39% underwent treatment which included pelvic RT, and 17% underwent treatment which included chemotherapy. Pelvic recurrence was reduced significantly by radiotherapy in Stages I, II, and III (19% recurrence with no RT vs 7% recurrence with RT, P < 0.005). Chemotherapy improved overall survival, but made little difference in distant relapse rates.

Stage Ia cases treated by surgery alone have a low risk of relapse and need not be offered adjuvant systemic therapy or pelvic radiation. Patients with Ib, Ic, II, and III have significantly lower pelvic failure rates if treated with pelvic radiation, but still have a high distant failure rate. Systemic therapy did not significantly improve distant relapse-free survival, but did extend overall survival. Stage IV patients usually died within 6 months with a few responding to systemic chemotherapy. These results suggest that there is a need for randomized trials for these patients.