An analysis of approaches to the management of endometrial cancer in North America: a CTF study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to define the clinical-therapeutical approach to endometrial cancer now being followed in some of the most important centers of reference for gynecological cancer in North America by means of a questionnaire.


METHODS
The questionnaire focused on four principal areas: (1) surgical staging and therapy; (2) adjuvant treatment; (3) treatment modifications; and (4) management of advanced stages (FIGO III-IV).


RESULTS
There were 48 evaluable responses (77%) received by the end of December 1994 which were considered for this analysis. Lymphadenectomy is utilized routinely in 26/48 centers (54.2%) and in selective clinical-pathological conditions in another 21/48 centers (43.5%). In the majority of centers (31/48; 64.6%) radical surgery is utilized for selected indications such as cervical involvement. Only 3/48 (6.2%) centers consider the vaginal approach totally inappropriate. The great majority (40/48; 83.3%) of the centers considered postsurgical adjuvant therapy to be necessary in FIGO Stage Ic. Brachytherapy is routinely performed in 3 centers (6.2%) in postsurgical management of Stage I endometrial cancer, while the majority of the centers (31/48; 64.6%) perform brachytherapy of the vaginal vault in certain clinical-pathological conditions. A wide variety of treatments are used for advanced stages (FIGO III-IV).


CONCLUSIONS
It emerges that some controversial aspects exist on endometrial cancer treatment, and these conflicting data need a large-scale multicenter randomized clinical trial.
Maggino
T
T
Obstetrics and Gynecology Institute, University of Padova, Italy.
Romagnolo
C
C
Landoni
F
F
Sartori
E
E
Zola
P
P
Gadducci
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009656:North America; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant