Adjuvant pelvic radiation therapy and high dose rate brachytherapy for pathologic stage III endometrial cancer

Abstract

5157 Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the use of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (RT) and high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy in the treatment of patients with stage III endometrial cancer. Methods: A retrospective review of 40 pathologic FIGO stage III endometrial cancer patients treated between 1996 and 2003 at McGill University was performed. Patients with papillary serous and clear cell carcinomas were excluded. All patients underwent surgery followed by adjuvant RT. Nodal sampling was performed in 25 patients (63%). External beam RT of 45 to 50.4 Gy in 23 to 28 fractions was delivered to the whole pelvis in all patients and with extended fields in one patient (5%) with positive para-aortic nodes. HDR brachytherapy of 6 to 18 Gy in 1 to 3 fractions was delivered to the vaginal vault in 30 patients (75%). Results: Median age at diagnosis was 58 years. Patients had stage IIIA disease in 24 cases (60%), stage IIIB in 2 cases (5%), and stage IIIC in 14 cases (35%). Tumors were histologi...