title: Evaluation of prognostic factors and comparison of systemic treatment modalities in patients with recurrent or metastatic endometrial carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prognostic factors related to survival in patients with inoperable metastatic or recurrent endometrial carcinoma (MREC) have remained unclear due to lack of clinical trials. The management of these patients is also controversial. This study was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of two different systemic therapies (chemotherapy vs hormonal therapy) given for the treatment of patients with MREC and to identify the impact of various prognostic factors on the survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1992 and 2004, 44 patients with MREC were admitted to our oncology department. Four cases were excluded from this retrospective study because of lack of data in their charts. Age, presence of other systemic diseases (such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension), histological type, tumor grade, stage, disease-free interval, site of recurrence or metastasis, systemic treatment modality, overall response to treatment, and duration of time to progression were evaluated as prognostic factors. Cox regression analysis was performed for identification of independent prognostic factors and differences between patients characteristics of two treatment groups were calculated by the chi-square or t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up was 18 mo (range 3-113). The overall response rates for chemotherapy and hormonal therapy group were 42% and 41%, respectively (p > 0.05). The median time to progression was 4 mo for the chemotherapy group and 5 mo for the hormonal therapy group (p > 0.05). The median survival after metastasis or recurrence was 11 mo for the chemotherapy group and 16 mo for the hormonal therapy group (p > 0.05). In the group of chemotherapy, grade 3-4 hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were seen in eight and two, patients, respectively. No grade 3-4 toxicities were noted in patients treated with hormonal therapy. In multivariate analysis, only time to progression (p=0.001) and grade (p=0.04) were the independent prognostic factors on survival after metastasis or recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histological differentiation and duration of time to progression are predictive factors for survival after metastasis or recurrence in the whole group. The efficacy of two different groups of treatment in these patients appears to be similar. But the chemotherapy may have some disadvantageous in terms of toxicity. This study supports a future randomized prospective trial of hormonal therapy vs chemotherapy in patients with MREC.
authors.affiliation: Trakya University, Medical Faculty, Medical Oncology Department, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karagol
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saip
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uygun
authors.forename: Seden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kucucuk
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydiner
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topuz
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019290:Megestrol Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D016190:Carboplatin; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D019290:Megestrol Acetate