[Therapeutic modalities of endometrial carcinoma in stage I and II]

To evaluate the effectiveness of different therapeutic modalities of endometrial carcinoma in stage I and stage II.

From 1984 to 1992, 205 patients with endometrial carcinoma in stage I and stage II were treated in our hospital. The clinical and pathological data were analyzed retrospectively. There were 122 cases in stage I and 83 in stage II. According to therapeutic methods, patients could be divided into 4 groups. Group 1 (surgery group): 81 cases; Group 2 (full dose preoperative intracavitary afterloading irradiation, A point 45G y +/- 10%, F point 50 Gy +/- 10%): 62 cases; Group 3 (non-full dose preoperative intracavitary afterloading irradiation, doses at both point A and point F less than 1/2 of full dose mentioned above): 36 cases; Group 4 (radiotherapy alone): 26 cases. There were no significant differences in pathological type, differential grade, median age and operative methods among the 4 groups.

The 5-year survival rate of group 1 to group 4 was 83.1%, 96.5%, 84.8% and 62.5% respectively in stage I, and 82.0%, 90.9%, 51.4% and 62.7% respectively in stage II. The 5-year survival rate was significantly higher in group 2 (P < 0.05).

The results suggested that operation combined with full dose preoperative intracavitary afterloading irradiation provided the best therapeutic effect, whereas non-full dose preoperative intracavitary afterloading irradiation showed none of benefit.