The outcome and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy alone in patients with stage IIIA endometrial carcinoma with solitary adnexal involvement: a retrospective single-institution study

Objectives: The appropriate adjuvant therapy for patients with endometrial carcinoma with solitary adnexal involvement is unclear. We conducted a retrospective single-institution study to evaluate the outcome and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy alone in this population.

Methods: All patients with endometrial carcinoma who received primary surgical treatment between January 1999 and May 2010 were reviewed. The patients who were diagnosed with stage IIIA disease based only on isolated adnexal involvement and treated with surgical procedures followed by adjuvant chemotherapy alone were included. Demographic, clinicopathologic, treatment and outcome data were collected. Recurrence and survival were analyzed.

Results: Among 1453 reviewed patients, 67 patients were identified. The median age was 48 years. All patients were treated with platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy, with the majority (36/67, 53.7%) receiving paclitaxel plus carboplatin. The total number of cycles of chemotherapy administered was 305 (median four cycles/person). Most of the chemotherapy related toxicities were mild or moderate. The median follow-up time was 76 months. Eight patients experienced recurrence. The majority of initial relapses were distant (7/8, 87.5%), characterized by liver metastases (3/8, 37.5%). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 89.6% and 91.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed that grade 3 tumor was an independent predictor of worse DFS and OS (HR=5.19, P=0.048; HR=6.55, P=0.037, respectively).

Conclusion: Patients with stage IIIA endometrial carcinoma with solitary adnexal involvement have favorable outcomes. Adjuvant chemotherapy alone may be effective and feasible for these patients.