title: Estimated intermediate risk endometrial cancer: debate and new perspectives on therapy individualization and prognosis establishment starting from a peculiar case.
abstract: The adequate treatment for stage IB endometrial cancer (EC) with G1-G2 grading (intermediate risk patients) is still debated. FIGO guidelines recommend adjuvant radio-therapy in order to avoid recurrences, despite it has been demonstrated that this does not improve the overall survival. Recently, other than the conventional risk-factor (histology, stage and grading), lymph-vascular involvement, tumor size and neoplasia molecular patterns has been proposed with intent to establish the most appropriated EC oncologic treatment and prognosis. We report an interesting case of a patient affected by an early stage EC (estimated intermediate low risk), treated by the adequate surgical staging and subsequent adjuvant radio-therapy that showed, in a follow up period, a very poor prognosis, similarly to patients affected by high risk cancer. Even if the classical validated risk factors remain the "cornerstone" in risk assessment, adjuvant treatments and follow up planning after surgery, the molecular investigation of estimated intermediate risk EC could represent a "keystone" to solve and avoid the "oncologic dilemma" of cases in which the observed prognosis results very different from the expected one. Only a detailed molecular evaluation of these cases could allow a more specific treatment targeting, leading to an individualized therapy and low recurrence-risk. The importance of recurrence-risk reduction is linked to difficulties in both their early detection and appropriate management. The delay in diagnosis as well as the performance of not adequate treatment can potentially make the prognosis of these cases worst that the one detected in case of uterine sarcoma or mixed müllerian tumors.
authors: Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padua Padua, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Gizzo
authors: Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padua Padua, Italy.
authors: Alberta
authors: A
authors: Fabris
authors: Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padua Padua, Italy.
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Litta
authors: Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padua Padua, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Saccardi
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D018450:Disease Progression; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Endometrial cancer; cancer recurrence; intermediate risk; microsatellites instability; molecular biomarkers; poor prognosis; post-transcriptional factors; therapy individualization