[Endometrial carcinoma treated by radiotherapy alone]

90 patients with endometrial carcinoma treated from 1958 to 1984 by radiotherapy alone are presented. They constituted 18.7% of all cases of endometrial carcinoma treated in the same period. According to the clinical staging system of FIGO, there were 28.89% Stage Ia, 8.89% Stage Ib, 38.89% Stage II, 20% Stage III and 3.33% Stage IV lesions. In this series, 82 patients suffered from adenocarcinoma and 8 patients from adenoacanthoma. Two treatment regimens were adopted: 1. intracavitary Ra (137Cs or 60Co) as the major form of treatment supplemented by external irradiation in 82 patients (including 5 by intracavitary 137Cs afterloading), 2. external irradiation supplemented by intracavitary Ra (or 137Cs) radiation in 8 patients. The overall 5-year survival rate was 48.89% (Stage I 58.82%, Stage II 51.42%, Stage III 33.3% and Stage IV 0%). Complications were proctitis in 17 cases hematuria in 4 and rectovaginal fistula in 1. The 5 patients treated by intracavitary afterloading radiation with high doses at reference points A and F all survived for more than 5 years. This may imply a bright future for this form of radiotherapy in the treatment of endometrial carcinoma.