Clinical and pathologic correlates in surgical stage II endometrial carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To identify the surgical, pathologic, and therapeutic factors that influence outcome in patients with surgical stage II endometrial adenocarcinoma. METHODS: All patients with comprehensively staged stage II endometrial adenocarcinoma were identified. Data regarding preoperative, surgical, pathologic, adjuvant therapy, and outcomes were collected. Factors were compared with the χ test, and survival curves were generated and compared with the log rank test. RESULTS: Of 162 patients with surgical stage II endometrial cancer, the median age was 65 years, and the median body mass index was 31.2 kg/m. An extrafascial hysterectomy was performed in 75% of cases, whereas 25% of patients underwent radical hysterectomy. At least 10 nodes were recovered in more than 90% of cases. Stage IIA disease was present in 52% of cases, whereas stage IIB accounted for the remaining 48%. After staging, 48% of patients had adjuvant radiation therapy (16% with brachytherapy alone). The remainder received no adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 26 months, 17% experienced disease recurrence. Five-year overall survival rate was 88% and disease-free survival rate was 81%. A significantly better 5-year disease-free survival rate was seen in patients undergoing radical hysterectomy compared with extrafascial hysterectomy (94% compared with 76%, P=.05). Adjuvant radiation did not lead to improved survival. CONCLUSION: In this large series of surgical stage II endometrial cancer cases, improved survival was noted relative to historical controls and in particular with radical compared with extrafascial hysterectomy.