Is there any place for cytotoxic chemotherapy in endometrial cancer?
Cytotoxic chemotherapy has an established role in the treatment of many solid tumours that are considered to be incurable with any modern treatment method. Such treatment may result in an improvement in quality of life without influencing overall survival. In this chapter the evidence to support the use of chemotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma is reviewed. The most effective single agent and combination treatments are outlined. Although evidence from randomized trials is limited, combination chemotherapy can lead to response rates of over 40% in patients with advanced disease. The role of chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment in patients with early-stage disease is less well defined and this treatment is not recommended outside a clinical trial. The role of chemotherapy for treatment of the aggressive histological variant, uterine papillary serous carcinoma is also discussed.
Steer
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Department of Medical Oncology, 3rd Floor, Thomas Guy House, Guy's Hospital, St Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
Harper
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D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D018283:Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents