Adjuvant treatment with concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy in high-risk endometrial cancer: a clinical experience.

Objective: The concurrent use of radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) as adjuvant treatment after surgery in high-risk endometrial cancer has been generally considered cautiously. Recently some of us have reported preliminary data on the efficacy and tolerability of concomitant CT and RT. In this paper, we update our experience.

Methods: A total of 47 patients aged >18 years and <80 years with histological diagnosis of high-risk endometrial endometrioid carcinomas entered the study. Inclusion criteria were stages IC G3, IIB, IIIA (patients with positive washing without other unfavourable prognostic factors were omitted), IIIB and IIIC. The radiation plan consisted of a total dose of 50.4 Gy, given in five fractions per week (1.8 Gy: daily dose) for 6 weeks. Paclitaxel (P) at a dose of 60 mg/m(2) was infused intravenously in 250 mL of normal saline for 1 h once weekly during RT for 5 weeks. Three further cycles of Paclitaxel, at a dose of 80 mg/m(2), have been given weekly at the end of RT.

Results: There was no life-threatening toxicity. The overall 5-year relapse-free survival was 81.8% (95% CI, 65.2-90.9). The 5-year percent overall disease-specific survival was 88.4% (95% CI, 71.1-95.6).

Conclusions: These results, based on a larger series, support our previous data: Paclitaxel plus RT may represent an effective and well-tolerated treatment in high-risk endometrial cancer patients.