Definitive radiation therapy for endometrial cancer in medically inoperable elderly patients.

Publication/Presentation Date

1-1-2010

Abstract

PURPOSE: With the increasing elderly population, more women with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer may not be surgical candidates due to medical comorbidities. Definitive radiation therapy with external beam radiation (EBRT) and/or brachytherapy is a reasonable primary treatment for endometrial cancer in patients who cannot undergo surgery.

METHODS: A retrospective review identified 26 women 75 years and older with endometrial cancer who were not operative candidates due to comorbidities and received definitive radiation.

RESULTS: The median age of the treated patients was 83, all of whom had significant medical comorbidities precluding surgical treatment. Seventy-three percent of the patients had stage T1 disease, 19% were stage T2, and 8% were stage T3. Seventy-three percent of patients received EBRT before brachytherapy (median dose: 45 Gy). The median brachytherapy dose was 20 Gy in 5 fractions. The types of brachytherapy used were Rotte Y applicator (42%), tandem and cylinder (42%), and ring and tandem (16%). Median followup was 12 months (1-60 months). No treatment breaks were required for the entire group and only 2 patients (8%) developed late toxicity. The overall survival for all patients was 89% and 28% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Disease-specific survival for all patients was 93% at 1 year and 73% at 3 years.

CONCLUSIONS: The results in this study indicate that definitive radiation with EBRT and/or brachytherapy for endometrial cancer is feasible and well tolerated in an elderly population.

Volume

9

Issue

3

First Page

260

Last Page

265

ISSN

1873-1449

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

20122872

Department(s)

Department of Surgery

Document Type

Article

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