Efficacy and prognostic implications of administering adjuvant chemotherapy to patients with endometrial cancer that is confined to the uterus

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the value of prognostic factors and to assess the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with endometrial cancer confined to the uterus. Study design: Patients surgically stage IB, IC and II endometrial cancer according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics were enrolled in this study. Stage IIIA tumors with positive peritoneal cytology, in the absence of other evidence of extra uterine disease, were also included. Results: One hundred and sixty-seven patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria and 58 patients (34.7%) underwent combination chemotherapy. Disease recurrence occurred in 10 patients within a median time of 17 months. Histologic grade 3 was an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free and overall survival rates. Fourteen of 23 patients with histologic grade 3 tumors received adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide (or etoposide), epirubicin and cisplatin (in 1989-1999) or paclitaxel, pirarubicin and carboplatin (in 2000-2002). The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates for these individuals was 92.3%, a value significantly higher than those in patients who had not undergone chemotherapy (50.0%). Conclusions: Histologic grade of 3 is an independent prognostic marker in patients with endometrial cancer confined to the uterus and adjuvant chemotherapy might improve the survival rates in these patients.