title: Effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced endometrial adenocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Type I endometrial cancer is a common tumor of the female genital tract. Since in post-menopausal women aromatase enzyme can stimulate the endometrial tissue neoplastic growth, the use of aromatase inhibitors may have a therapeutic effect, especially in patients not eligible for surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review has been performed, with a very specific scope, i.e., the use of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, as a single agent or in combination with others drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the basis of the 117 records retrieved from the bibliographic search, the rationale for the use of aromatase inhibitors in endometrial cancer therapy is discussed. Six papers fall within the scope of our systematic review and their results are thoroughly analyzed. Moreover, we report our experience on the clinical effectiveness of anastrozole in the post-chemotherapy treatment of a patient affected by advanced-stage endometrial cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, aromatase inhibitors seem to have limited clinical benefit in the treatment of advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer, although further clinical trials are necessary to investigate more in depth their role. In our case, we experienced a positive feedback in terms of control of an advanced-stage disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy. s.bogliolo@smatteo.pv.it.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bogliolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gardella
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dominoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musacchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassani
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanellini
authors.affiliation: Service of Biometry and Statistics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Silvestri
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetric and Gynaecology, IRCCS San Martino Hospital and National Institute for Cancer Research, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara Roberta
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gaggero
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Babilonti
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pavia. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Arsenio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spinillo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole
keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Anastrozole; Aromatase inhibitor; Endometrial cancer; Hormone therapy