External-beam radiotherapy and/or HDR brachytherapy in postoperative endometrial cancer patients: clinical outcomes and toxicity rates

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate local disease control, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and local relapse-free survival (LRFS) in patients with endometrial cancer undergoing adjuvant vaginal brachytherapy (VBT )± external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT). From September 2007 to February 2011, 40 patients with endometrial cancer were retrospectively analysed. Surgery consisted of total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without node dissection (16 patients) or with bilateral pelvic node dissection (24 patients). The stage distribution was as follows: two IA, nine IB, 12 IC, five IIA, eight IIB, two IIIA and two IIIC. Thirty-four patients underwent EBRT and VBT. Six patients received VBT alone. Median follow-up was 26 months. The 5-year OS and DFS were 96.4% and 86.9%, respectively. No local recurrence was observed. Four patients presented distant disease (three had lung metastases and one had hepatic node metastases). Acute EBRT-related toxicities were seen in 15 (38%) patients. We recorded late toxicities in 14 patients (35%). There was no evidence of grade 3-4 toxicity. Adjuvant EBRT and/or VBT in patients with endometrial cancer showed good outcomes in terms of local disease control, with an acceptable toxicity profile.