Persistence of endometrial activity after radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma

Radiation therapy is a proved treatment for cervical carcinoma; however, it destroys ovarian function and has been thought to ablate the endometrium. Estrogen replacement therapy is often prescribed for patients with cervical carcinoma after radiation therapy. A review of records of six teaching hospitals revealed 16 patients who had endometrial sampling for uterine bleeding after standard radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma. Fifteen patients underwent dilatation and curettage, and one patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy when a dilatation and curettage was unsuccessful. Six patients had fibrosis and inflammation of the endometrial cavity, seven had proliferative endometrium, one had cystic hyperplasia, one had atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and one had adenocarcinoma. Although the number of patients who have an active endometrium after radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma is not known, this report demonstrates that proliferative endometrium may persist, and these patients may develop endometrial hyperplasia or adenocarcinoma. Studies have indicated that patients with normal endometrial glands have an increased risk of developing endometrial adenocarcinoma if they are treated with unopposed estrogen. Patients who have had radiation therapy for cervical carcinoma should be treated with estrogen and a progestational agent to avoid endometrial stimulation from unopposed estrogen therapy.