Treatment

TREATMENT OPTIONS BY STAGE

Stage I Endometrial Cancer

• Surgery (total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). Lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen may also be removed for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
• Surgery (total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with or without removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen) followed by internal radiation therapy or external radiation therapy to the pelvis. After surgery, a plastic cylinder containing a source of radiation may be placed in the vagina to kill any remaining cancer cells.
• Radiation therapy alone for patients who cannot have surgery.
• Clinical trials of radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.

Stage II Endometrial Cancer

Stage IIA

• Surgery (total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). Lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen may also be removed for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
• Surgery (total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with or without removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen) followed by internal radiation therapy or external radiation therapy to the pelvis. After surgery, a plastic cylinder containing a source of radiation may be placed in the vagina to kill any remaining cancer cells.
• Radiation therapy alone for patients who cannot have surgery.
• Clinical trials of radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.

Stage IIB

• Surgery (total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells) followed by radiation therapy.
• Internal radiation therapy and external radiation therapy, followed by surgery (hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and abdomen for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells).
• Surgery (radical hysterectomy with or without removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells).

Stage III Endometrial Cancer

• Surgery (radical hysterectomy and removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells) followed by internal radiation therapy and external radiation therapy.
• Radiation therapy alone for patients who cannot have surgery.
• Hormone therapy for patients who cannot have surgery or radiation therapy.
• Clinical trials of chemotherapy.
• Clinical trials of new therapies.

Stage IV Endometrial Cancer

• Internal radiation therapy and external radiation therapy.
• Hormone therapy.
• Clinical trials of chemotherapy.

Glossary

• Total hysterectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the uterus, including the cervix. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through the vagina, the operation is called a vaginal hysterectomy. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through a large incision (cut) in the abdomen, the operation is called a total abdominal hysterectomy. If the uterus and cervix are taken out through a small incision (cut) in the abdomen using a laparoscope, the operation is called a total laparoscopic hysterectomy.
• Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: A surgical procedure to remove both ovaries and both fallopian tubes.
• Radical hysterectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the uterus, cervix, and part of the vagina. The ovaries, fallopian tubes, or nearby lymph nodes may also be removed.

Reference:

National Cancer Institute, USA.