Objectives: We reviewed our series of very advanced FIGO stage III-IV endometrial cancer patients to assess the efficacy and toxicity of a platinum- and doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy followed by conventional radiotherapy.
Methods: Forty-five patients with advanced FIGO stage III and IV endometrial cancer have been treated, after surgery, with four courses of chemotherapy containing cisplatin 50 mg/m(2), epidoxorubicin 60 mg/m(2) and cytoxan 600 mg/m(2) (day 1 every 21 days) in association with conventional external pelvic radiotherapy (50 Gy, with a 2 Gy daily dose administered with "box technique").
Results: Chemotherapy was well tolerated: WHO grade 4 neutropenia, without fever or other symptoms, has been recorded in six patients (8.8%) at nadir, but no patient required hospitalization or colony-stimulating factors support during chemotherapy. Radiotherapy timing was not delayed by systemic treatment. Toxicities observed during radiation treatment are superimposable to those referred for not pretreated patients. At a median follow-up time of 63 months (range 4-112), 18 patients progressed and 16 patients have died: actuarial 9 years progression-free survival and survival are 30% and 53%, respectively.
Conclusions: The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy seems to be an effective and safe way to treat this subset of endometrial cancer patients.