Clinical outcome with adjuvant treatment of endometrial carcinoma using intensity-modulated radiation therapy

To assess local control and chronic toxicity with IMRT for adjuvant treatment of endometrial carcinoma.

Forty-seven patients with endometrial cancer were treated with adjuvant IMRT and HDR brachytherapy (HDRB). The external beam dose was between 45 and 50.4 Gy, and all patients received 10 Gy in 2 fractions of HDRB to the vaginal cuff. Eight of these patients were treated with extended field to include the paraaortic region.

IMRT dosimetry showed excellent coverage of the planning target volume (PTV) with mean PTV 95, PTV 110 and PTV 120 of 97.8%, 8.2% and 0.9% respectively. At a median follow-up of 20 months, four patients have recurred at extra pelvic sites. No patient had pelvic recurrence. The treatment was well tolerated with late toxicities as follows: small bowel grade 1: 25%, rectal grade 1: 2% and bladder grade 1: 13%. One patient had grade 3 small bowel toxicity. The 3-year actuarial rate of grade 2 or greater toxicity, disease-free survival and overall survival rate were 3.3%, 84% and 90%, respectively.

The preliminary analysis of IMRT for adjuvant treatment of endometrial carcinoma shows excellent local control and low toxicity. However, longer follow-up and more patients are needed to ascertain whether the benefits of IMRT treatment seen here translate into long-term reductions in toxicities and local recurrence.