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Management of endometrial cancer
Author(s) -
Lawton Frank
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the obstetrician and gynaecologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1744-4667
pISSN - 1467-2561
DOI - 10.1576/toag.5.2.79
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , lymphadenectomy , disease , endometrial cancer , hormonal therapy , clinical trial , oncology , lymph node , chemotherapy , cancer , adjuvant therapy , surgery , breast cancer
Traditionally endometrial cancer has been considered a relatively benign disease with an overall five‐year survival rate of around 75%. However, one‐quarter of patients with this disease are dead within five years of diagnosis. Randomised controlled trials of radiotherapy in this disease are rare and many patients at little risk of recurrent disease, cured by surgery alone, are still referred for adjuvant radiotherapy. Lymph node status is a known prognostic factor but it is not yet known whether lymphadenectomy is of therapeutic significance. The roles of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy remain to be defined. Most patients are treated outside of trials and this situation must be addressed if improvements in treatment are to be seen.