Past, present, and future of hormonal therapy in recurrent endometrial cancer.

ABSTRACT: Endometrial cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Type I cancers are hormonally driven, typically present with a low grade at an early stage, and are of endometrioid histology. These cancers are often cured by surgery, and the rate of recurrence is low. Type II cancers are less differentiated, often appear at a later stage, and are of serous, clear cell, or high grade endometrioid histology. The risk of recurrence in these cancers is much higher than with type I tumors. Isolated pelvic recurrences can be treated with radiation or exenteration, but systemic disease is fatal. It is in these recurrent patients, where prolongation of progression-free survival is the goal, that hormonal therapy can have the greatest benefit. In selected patients, hormonal therapy can be as effective as cytotoxic c

SUBMITTER: Carlson MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4014387 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature