Prognostic factors and selective use of vaginal hysterectomy in early stage endometrial carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Endometrial cancer represents the fourth most frequent malignancy in women of any age, tending to become the most common gynaecological tumor in developed Countries. A retrospective analysis has been conducted on the prognostic factors of endometrial neoplasm during 15-years experience (1977-1991).


METHODS
321 patients affected by stage I and II endometrial carcinoma have been treated surgically first hand. Surgical-pathological staging and prognostic factors were reviewed and related to follow-up and 5-year survival rate.


RESULTS
The age-peak of patients was 50-70 years; prevalent histologic type was adenocarcinoma (95.6%); 269 patients were in stage I and 52 in stage II. In stage I disease overall 5-year survival rate resulted to be 81.4%, while in stage II it fell to 59.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
Myometrial involvement by adenocarcinomatous cells is probably the most important prognostic factor, considering its reliability and non-contradictory evaluation. Our data confirm there is no difference in impact on 5-year survival between abdominal and vaginal routes in clinical stage I and occult stage II endometrial carcinoma.
Carriero
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Bari, Italy.
Nappi
L
L
Melilli
G A
GA
Di Gesù
G
G
Cormio
G
G
Di Vagno
G
G
Ferreri
R
R
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate