Hormonal therapy for women with stage IA endometrial cancer of all grades

Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Jul;122(1):7-14. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182964ce3.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the oncologic and pregnancy outcomes after oral progestin treatment of women of reproductive age with stage IA endometrial adenocarcinoma with stage IA, grade 1 differentiation with superficial myometrial invasion or stage IA, grade 2-3 differentiation with or without superficial myometrial invasion.

Methods: Medical records of 48 women (age 40 years or younger) with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus who met inclusion criteria and were treated conservatively with oral progestin were reviewed. Follow-up was performed primarily with imaging techniques followed by endometrial biopsy when indicated.

Results: The median age was 30 years (range, 23-40 years). Fourteen patients (29.2%) received daily oral megestrol acetate (median dose 160 mg per day, range 40-240 mg per day) and 34 (70.8%) received daily oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (median dose 500 mg per day, range 80-1,000 mg per day). Complete responses were observed for 37 patients (77.1%) after the median treatment duration of 10 months (range 3-20 months). Complete response rates were 76.5%, 73.9%, and 87.5% for patients with stage IA, grade 2-3 without myometrial invasion (n=17), for patients with stage IA, grade 1 with superficial myometrial invasion (n=23), and for patients with stage IA, grade 2-3 with superficial myometrial invasion (n=8), respectively (P=.731). Recurrence rates for 37 patients who achieved complete response after a median follow-up time of 48 months (range 7-136 months) were 23.1%, 47.1%, and 71.4%, respectively (P=.104). None experienced disease progression or died of the disease. Nine patients gave birth to 10 healthy newborns.

Conclusion: Progestin treatment appears to be reasonably effective for patients with stage IA, grade 2-3 differentiation without myometrial invasion and patients with stage IA grade 1 differentiation with superficial myometrial invasion.

Level of evidence: III.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Adenocarcinoma / mortality
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / mortality
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / administration & dosage
  • Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / therapeutic use*
  • Megestrol Acetate / administration & dosage
  • Megestrol Acetate / therapeutic use*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Progestins / administration & dosage
  • Progestins / therapeutic use*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Progestins
  • Medroxyprogesterone Acetate
  • Megestrol Acetate