Background: Endometrial cancer is the most frequent gynaecologic neoplasia in women. Stages I and II account for 75% of endometrial cancers.
Methods: Diagnostic features, treatment and outcome based on therapy with surgery and/or irradiation of 185 endometrial cancer patients in Stage I and II were analysed retrospectively.
Results: There were 148 patients (80%) in Stage I and 37 (20%) in Stage II. Twenty-nine patients (16%) relapsed and 18 have died of cancer. The 5 and 10 year specific actuarial survival was 89% and 81% respectively. The 5 and 10 years disease free survival was 82% and 78% respectively. In our analysis of prognostic factors we observed a significantly worse survival for postmenopausal and Stage II patients, high grade tumors (grade III) and greater myometrial penetration (outer 2/3).
Conclusions: Endometrial cancer has a relatively good prognosis partly because of its early diagnosis. There is general consensus that surgery is the optimal treatment in Stages I and II. While it is well documented that complementary irradiation improves survival in Stage II, there is no general agreement regarding the value of complementary irradiation in Stage I. Further studies are needed to delimit Stage I patients who would benefit from complementary irradiation.