[Hormone therapy and chemotherapy of endometrial cancer]

It is correct to add hormone or chemotherapy in advanced metastatic disease of endometrial carcinoma and in recurrences. Large doses of hormone treatment have to be given. These are progestagens and the success rate with them, no matter which product is used, is approximately 30%. The use is limited by high blood pressure and the risks of vascular complications and metabolic upsets. Tamoxifen seems to the better tolerated and gives similar results. The response to hormone treatment depends on how sensitive the tumor is to the hormones. It is better when it has large numbers of progesterone receptors and it is of low grade. When the tumour is resistant to hormones, chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs should be used. These drugs are adriamycine and mono or combined chemotherapy, but there is no protocol as yet that is better than any other. The debate about whether to use adjuvant treatment in stage I or II cases is open. It must be considered when the prognosis seems to be bad or there seem to be large risks of recurrences.