[Endometrial carcinoma treated by radiotherapy alone]

Area of Science:

• Gynecologic Oncology
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Endometrial carcinoma is a common gynecologic malignancy.
• Radiotherapy has been a primary treatment modality for endometrial cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of radiotherapy alone in treating endometrial carcinoma.
• To assess the survival rates and complications associated with different radiotherapy techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 90 endometrial carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy from 1958 to 1984.
• Patients were staged using the FIGO system.
• Treatment involved intracavitary radium (or Cesium-137, Cobalt-60) and/or external irradiation.
• A subset of patients received intracavitary afterloading radiotherapy.

Main Results:

• The overall 5-year survival rate was 48.89%.
• Survival rates varied by stage: Stage I (58.82%), Stage II (51.42%), Stage III (33.3%), and Stage IV (0%).
• Complications included proctitis (17 cases), hematuria (4 cases), and rectovaginal fistula (1 case).
• Five patients treated with intracavitary afterloading radiotherapy survived over 5 years.

Conclusions:

• Radiotherapy alone can achieve long-term survival in a significant proportion of endometrial carcinoma patients.
• Intracavitary afterloading radiotherapy demonstrates potential for improved outcomes in endometrial cancer treatment.
• Careful patient selection and treatment planning are crucial for managing complications and optimizing survival.