The evolution of modern treatment of corpus cancer

The treatment of endometrial cancer has been surgical, traditionally, with preoperative radiation gaining favor in the past three decades. This surgical treatment has been confined to simple hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in most clinics because of the pattern of spread of corpus cancer and the alleged benignity of this disease. Even now, the role of radical surgery, the timing of radiation therapy and its mode, and the place of hormonal treatment for primary disease are still the subject of discussion and clinical investigation. The definition of virulence factors and an appropriate staging dependent upon these factors has helped to clarify some of these problems and will help the analysis of cure rates when we can understand the selection of the material. With such a prospect for quality control and establishment of a protocol of individualization of treatment, we have a right to expect that appropriate surgical and radiotherapeutic measures will gain their proper priority and adjuvant hormonal therapy and chemotherapy may be incorporated.