[High-dose progesterone therapy in advanced endometrial cancer]

Since 1973 advanced cases of endometrium carcinoma that cannot be treated by curative therapy have been subjected to high dose gestagen therapy in the gynaecological clinic of the Medical Academy Dresden. With 69 patients, 49.3% complete and 26.1% partial remissions were achieved. A marked improvement of the quality of life could be proved for 73% of the cases. Treatment successes are mainly attributed to the gestagen dose given and to continuous long-term treatment. The wider use of endocrine therapy seems to be justified both in palliative and adjuvant settings. Ten women were chosen at random and subjected to additional chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracile, methotrexate and vinblastin and a complete remission could be achieved in 8 of these cases. Further clinical tests of this therapeutic concept appears to be justified.