A cost-effective analysis of adjuvant therapies for the treatment of stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma

Hysterectomy with sentinel lymph node dissection in the setting of preoperative endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia and an endometrial stripe ≥20 mm: a cost-effectiveness analysis

OBJECTIVES

Routine lymph node assessment in patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia is institution and surgeon-dependent without clear guidelines. We sought to determine if routine sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy for patients with a preoperative diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia and a preoperative ultrasound with endometrial stripe ≥20 mm is cost-effective.

METHODS

A decision model was created to perform two cost-effectiveness analyses: (1) hysterectomy with frozen section versus hysterectomy with SLN dissection in patients with a preoperative diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia and an endometrial stripe of 20 mm or greater, and (2) the same options in all patients with a preoperative diagnosis of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. Costs obtained from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and event probabilities and quality of life utility values were obtained through literature review.

RESULTS

In the case of preoperative endometrial stripe ≥20 mm, hysterectomy with SLN dissection cost $2469 more than hysterectomy with frozen section and gained 0.010 quality adjusted life years, or $44,997/quality-adjusted life years gained. In one-way sensitivity analyses, SLN dissection remained the favored strategy at a willingness to pay threshold of $100,000/quality-adjusted life years unless chronic lower extremity lymphedema after full lymphadenectomy had a likelihood <13.1% (base case value 18.1%); otherwise, SLN dissection was favored with individual variation of all other parameters over plausible ranges. When considering all patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, hysterectomy with frozen section was favored, with results most sensitive to variation of lymphedema risk after full lymphadenectomy.

CONCLUSION

Hysterectomy with SLN dissection in patients with a preoperative endometrial stripe ≥20mm on ultrasound is cost-effective when compared with hysterectomy with frozen section.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of tumor molecular testing in stage III endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Standard of care for adjuvant treatment of stage III endometrial cancer includes chemotherapy and radiation. In addition to stage, tumor molecular profiles may predict treatment outcomes, and prospective clinical trials are ongoing. However, tumor molecular testing is costly and time-consuming. Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of tumor molecular testing in stage III endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A Markov decision model compared two strategies for stage III endometrial cancer: Tumor Molecular Testing (TMT) versus No TMT. TMT included sequential POLE next generation sequencing, mismatch repair immunohistochemistry (IHC), and p53 IHC. POLE-mutated patients were assigned to adjuvant radiation therapy; all others including controls were assigned to adjuvant chemoradiation. First recurrences were treated with 6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Second recurrences were treated with pembrolizumab alone for mismatch repair deficient patients and both pembrolizumab and lenvatinib for other patients. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test model robustness.

RESULTS

Compared to No TMT, TMT was cost saving with equivalent effectiveness. On one-way sensitivity analysis, TMT remained cost saving over all parameter ranges. TMT was also favored on probabilistic sensitivity analysis in 80% of iterations at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/quality adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. However, when TMT was compared to mismatch repair IHC alone, TMT cost $182,798/QALY gained.

CONCLUSIONS

In this model of patients with stage III endometrial cancer, TMT was cost saving compared to No TMT. However, when compared to mismatch repair IHC alone, TMT was economically unfavorable.

Utilization Trend and Comparison of Different Radiotherapy Modes for Patients with Early-Stage High-Intermediate-Risk Endometrial Cancer: A Real-World, Multi-Institutional Study

This study aimed to compare the outcomes of RT modalities among patients who met different HIR criteria based on multicentric real-world data over 15 years. The enrolled patients, who were diagnosed with FIGO I-II EC from 13 medical institutes and treated with hysterectomy and RT, were reclassified into HIR groups according to the criteria of GOG-249, PORTEC-2, and ESTRO-ESMO-ESGO, respectively. The trends in RT modes utilization were reviewed using the Man-Kendall test. The rate of VBT alone increased from zero in 2005 to 50% in 2015, which showed a significant upward trend (p < 0.05), while the rate of EBRT + VBT utilization declined from 87.5% to around 25% from 2005 to 2015 (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in OS, DFS, LRFS, and DMFS between VBT alone and EBRT ± VBT in three HIR cohorts. Subgroup analyses in the GOG-249 HIR cohort showed that EBRT ± VBT had higher 5-year DFS, DMFS, and LRFS than VBT alone for patients without lymph node dissection (p < 0.05). Thus, VBT could be regarded as a standard adjuvant radiation modality for HIR patients. EBRT should be administrated to selected HIR patients who meet the GOG-249 criteria and did not undergo lymph node dissection.

Biological Planning of Radiation Dose Based on In Vivo Dosimetry for Postoperative Vaginal-Cuff HDR Interventional Radiotherapy (Brachytherapy)

(1) Background: Postoperative vaginal-cuff HDR interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy) is a standard treatment in early-stage endometrial cancer. This study reports the effect of in vivo dosimetry-based biological planning for two different fractionation schedules on the treatment-related toxicities. (2) Methods: 121 patients were treated. Group A (82) received 21 Gy in three fractions. Group B (39) received 20 Gy in four fractions. The dose was prescribed at a 5 mm depth or to the applicator surface according to the distance between the applicator and the rectum. In vivo dosimetry measured the dose of the rectum and/or urinary bladder. With a high measured dose, the dose prescription was changed from a 5 mm depth to the applicator surface. (3) Results: The median age was 66 years with 58.8 months mean follow-up. The dose prescription was changed in 20.7% of group A and in 41% of group B. Most toxicities were grade 1–2. Acute urinary toxicities were significantly higher in group A. The rates of acute and late urinary toxicities were significantly higher with a mean bladder dose/fraction of >2.5 Gy and a total bladder dose of >7.5 Gy. One patient had a vaginal recurrence. (4) Conclusions: Both schedules have excellent local control and acceptable rates of toxicities. Using in vivo dosimetry-based biological planning yielded an acceptable dose to the bladder and rectum.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of tumor molecular classification in high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer

PURPOSE

Tumor molecular analyses in endometrial cancer (EC) includes 4 distinct subtypes: (1) POLE-mutated, (2) mismatch repair protein (MMR) deficient, (3) p53 mutant, and (4) no specific molecular profile. Recently, a sub-analysis of PORTEC-3 demonstrated notable differences in treatment response between molecular classification (MC) groups. Cost of testing is one barrier to widespread adoption of MC. Therefore, we sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of MC in patients with stage I and II high-risk EC.

METHODS

A Markov decision model was developed to compare tumor molecular classification (TMC) vs. no testing (NT). A healthcare payor's perspective and 5-year time horizon were used. Base case data were abstracted from PORTEC-3 and the molecular sub-analysis. Cost and utility data were derived from public databases, peer-reviewed literature, and expert input. Strategies were compared using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) with effectiveness in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and evaluated with a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per QALY gained. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test model robustness.

RESULTS

When compared to NT, TMC was cost effective with an ICER of $25,578 per QALY gained; incremental cost was $1780 and incremental effectiveness was 0.070 QALYs. In one-way sensitivity analyses, results were most sensitive to the cost of POLE testing, but TMC remained cost-effective over all parameter ranges.

CONCLUSIONS

TMC in early-stage high-risk EC is cost-effective, and the model results were robust over a range of parameters. Given that MC can be used to guide adjuvant treatment decisions, these findings support adoption of TMC into routine practice.

Surgical lymph node assessment influences adjuvant therapy in clinically apparent stage I endometrioid endometrial carcinoma, meeting Mayo criteria for lymphadenectomy

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of surgical lymph node assessment for clinically apparent, stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma meeting Mayo criteria for lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

Patients with endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma meeting Mayo criteria for lymphadenectomy who underwent hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy were identified. Algorithms for adjuvant therapy with and without lymphadenectomy were developed utilizing NCCN guidelines, PORTEC 1, and PORTEC 2. Patients served as their own control to determine the frequency of treatment modification.

RESULTS

A total of 357 patients were analyzed. Using our algorithms treatment modification would have occurred because of lymphadenectomy in 62.8% of patients if whole pelvic external beam radiation was used for patients meeting inclusion criteria for PORTEC 1. Treatment modification would have occurred in 16.2% of patients if vaginal brachytherapy was used for patients meeting the inclusion criteria for PORTEC 2. Of the total, 53.8% of patients meeting inclusion criteria for PORTEC 1 would have had a reduction in adjuvant therapy from whole pelvic radiotherapy to vaginal brachytherapy alone. Only 9.0% of patients would have adjuvant therapy increased to include external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy based on the presence of positive lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Applying standard adjuvant treatment algorithms to real patient data, surgical lymph node assessment appears to frequently alter treatment allocation.

Impact of different adjuvant radiotherapy modalities on women with early-stage intermediate- to high-risk endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

Vaginal brachytherapy was recommended for patients with intermediate-risk endometrial cancer, however, optimal radiotherapy modalities for intermediate-high- or high-risk patients remains controversial. Previous studies have mainly focused on survival outcomes and have seldom taken cost issues into consideration, especially for high-risk patients. The purpose of this study is to compare the survival outcomes and costs associated with two adjuvant radiotherapy modalities in the management of patients with early-stage, intermediate- to high-risk endometrial cancer.

METHODS

According to ESMO-ESCO-ESTRO criteria, 238 patients with stage I/II, intermediate- to high-risk endometrial cancer who underwent radiotherapy from January 2003 to December 2015 at our institution were reviewed. The vaginal brachytherapy group and external beam radiation therapy combined with the vaginal brachytherapy group were propensity score-matched at a 1:1 ratio. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used.

RESULTS

A total of 361 patients met our inclusion criteria, the median age of the patients was 58 years (range, 28-85). All were diagnosed with stage I-II endometrial cancer (324 with stage I and 37 with stage II; 350 with endometrioid adenocarcinoma; and 10 with mucinous carcinoma). The median follow-up time was 60.5 months (range, 3-177). Among 119 matched pairs, no significant differences were found in overall (10.9% vs 8.4%, P=0.51), locoregional (4.2% vs 1.7%, P=0.45), or distant recurrence rates (6.7% vs 6.7%, P=1.0) between the two groups. There were also no differences in the 5-year overall (94.8% vs 93.9%, P=0.78) or progression-free survival (90.0% vs 84.4%, P=0.23) between the two groups. The rates of acute and late toxicity were significantly higher in the external beam radiation therapy combined with vaginal brachytherapy vs the vaginal brachytherapy group (all P<0.05), except for the acute hematological toxicity rate (17.6% vs 9.2%, P=0.06). External beam radiation therapy combined with vaginal brachytherapy had a higher median cost ($2759 vs $937, P<0.001) and longer median radiotherapy duration (41 days vs 17 days, P<0.001) than vaginal brachytherapy.

CONCLUSION

Vaginal brachytherapy was associated with similar local control and long-term survival outcomes relative to the combination of external beam radiotherapy and vaginal brachytherapy and it also minimizes radiation-related complications, reduces medical costs, and shortens radiotherapy duration. Vaginal brachytherapy may be the optimal radiation modality for patients with early-stage endometrial cancer at intermediate to high risk.

Positive Surgical Margins in the 10 Most Common Solid Cancers

A positive surgical margin (PSM) following cancer resection oftentimes necessitates adjuvant treatments and carries significant financial and prognostic implications. We sought to compare PSM rates for the ten most common solid cancers in the United States, and to assess trends over time. Over 10 million patients were identified in the National Cancer Data Base from 1998–2012, and 6.5 million had surgical margin data. PSM rates were compared between two time periods, 1998–2002 and 2008–2012. PSM was positively correlated with tumor category and grade. Ovarian and prostate cancers had the highest PSM prevalence in women and men, respectively. The highest PSM rates for cancers affecting both genders were seen for oral cavity tumors. PSM rates for breast cancer and lung and bronchus cancer in both men and women declined over the study period. PSM increases were seen for bladder, colon and rectum, and kidney and renal pelvis cancers. This large-scale analysis appraises the magnitude of PSM in the United States in order to focus future efforts on improving oncologic surgical care with the goal of optimizing value and improving patient outcomes.

Cost-effectiveness of adjuvant intravaginal brachytherapy in high-intermediate risk endometrial carcinoma

PURPOSE

We assessed the cost-effectiveness of adjuvant intravaginal brachytherapy (IVBT) vs. observation after total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TH/BSO) for high-intermediate risk (HIR) endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A Markov model was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of IVBT by comparing average cumulative costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) between patients allocated to (1) 'observation' or (2) 'IVBT' after TH/BSO. We used a prototype Post-Operative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Carcinoma (PORTEC)-defined HIR patient in the base case analysis. We calibrated the model to match the outcomes reported in the PORTEC-1 and PORTEC-2 trials. Utilities were obtained from published estimates, and costs were calculated based on Medicare reimbursement ($5445 for IVBT). The societal willingness-to-pay threshold was set at $100,000 per QALY. The time horizon was 5 years.

RESULTS

IVBT was associated with a net increase of 0.094 QALYs (4.512 vs. 4.418) as well as an increase in mean cost ($17,453 vs. $15,620) relative to observation. The ICER for IVBT was $19,500 per QALY. On one-way sensitivity analysis, IVBT remained cost-effective when its cost was less than $12,937. If the probability of vaginal recurrence in the observation arm was increased or decreased by 25%, the ICER became $1335 per QALY and $87,925 per QALY, respectively. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that IVBT was the preferred management option in 86% of simulations.

CONCLUSIONS

IVBT is cost-effective compared with observation after TH/BSO for HIR endometrial carcinoma by commonly accepted willingness-to-pay thresholds.

Treatment Preferences for Routine Lymphadenectomy Versus No Lymphadenectomy in Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer

BACKGROUND

Debate on the value of lymphadenectomy continues in endometrial cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate patient and clinician preferences for routine lymphadenectomy versus no lymphadenectomy in the surgical management of endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A discrete choice experiment and trade-off question were designed and distributed to 103 endometrial cancer patients and 90 gynecologic oncologists. Participant preferences were quantified with regression analysis using scenarios based on three attributes: 5-year progression-free survival and the rates of acute and chronic complication. A trade-off technique varying the risk of recurrence for no lymphadenectomy was used to quantify any additional risk of recurrence that these participants would accept to receive no lymphadenectomy instead of routine lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

On the basis of discrete choice experiment, the recurrence rate and lymphedema risk had a statistically significant impact on respondents' preference. The trade-off question showed that the median additional accepted risk of having no lymphadenectomy was 2.8% for gynecologic oncologists (0.5-14%) and 3.0% for patients (0.5-10%), but this difference was not significant (p = 0.620). Patients who were younger or had a higher education level or no history of delivery or shorter duration since diagnosis were prepared to accept higher additional risks of having no lymphadenectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that the majority of endometrial cancer patients and clinicians will accept a small amount of recurrence risk to reduce the incidence of lymphedema. Regarding preference heterogeneity among patients, our results show that it is important for surgeons to take a patient-tailored approach when discussing surgical management.

Long-Term Secondary Care Costs of Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study Nested within the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS)

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence on the costs of Endometrial Cancer (EC) by stage of disease. We estimated the long-term secondary care costs of EC according to stage at diagnosis in an English population-based cohort.

METHODS

Women participating in UKCTOCS and diagnosed with EC following enrolment (2001-2005) and prior to 31st Dec 2009 were identified to have EC through multiple sources. Survival was calculated through data linkage to death registry. Costs estimates were derived from hospital records accessed from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) with additional patient level covariates derived from case notes and patient questionnaires. Missing and censored data was imputed using Multiple Imputation. Regression analysis of cost and survival was undertaken.

RESULTS

491 of 641 women with EC were included. Five year total costs were strongly dependent on stage, ranging from £9,475 (diagnosis at stage IA/IB) to £26,080 (diagnosis at stage III). Stage, grade and BMI were the strongest predictors of costs. The majority of costs for stage I/II EC were incurred in the first six months after diagnosis while for stage III / IV considerable costs accrued after the first six months.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to survival advantages, there are significant cost savings if patients with EC are detected earlier.

Salvage Versus Adjuvant Radiation Treatment for Women With Early-Stage Endometrial Carcinoma: A Matched Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Adjuvant radiation treatment (ART) has been shown to reduce local recurrences in early-stage endometrial carcinoma (EC); however, this has not translated into improved overall survival (OS) benefit. As a result, some physicians forgo ART, citing successful salvage rates in cases of recurrence. Survival end points were compared between women treated with salvage RT (SRT) for locoregional recurrence and similarly matched women treated upfront with ART.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 40 patients with stage I to II type 1 EC who underwent hysterectomy and received no adjuvant RT but later developed locoregional recurrence and subsequently received SRT. An additional 374 patients who underwent hysterectomy followed by ART during the same period were identified. Patients in the SRT group were matched to those in the ART group based on FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage and tumor grade in a 1:3 ratio. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and OS were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 156 women were matched (39:117). Median follow-up was 56 months. The 2 groups were generally well balanced. With regard to the site of tumor recurrence, it was commonly vaginal in the SRT group (74.3% vs 28.6%, P = 0.01). More SRT patients received a combination of pelvic external-beam RT with vaginal brachytherapy (94.8% vs 35%, P < 0.001). The ART group had significantly better 5-year DSS (95% vs 77%, P < 0.001) and 5-year OS (79% vs 72%, P = 0.005) compared with those of the SRT group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that women who receive SRT for their locoregional recurrence have worse DSS and OS compared with those matched patients who received ART. Further studies are warranted to develop a high-quality cost-effectiveness analysis as well as accurate predictive models of tumor recurrence. Until then, ART should at least be considered in the management of early-stage EC patients with adverse prognostic factors.

Patterns of care in women with high-intermediate risk endometrioid adenocarcinoma in the PORTEC-2 era: A SEER database analysis

PURPOSE

We examined the radiotherapy patterns of care over an 8-year period during which the PORTEC-2 trial and other series were published.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Patients diagnosed with Stage I endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EA) between 2004 and 2011 were identified in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Adjuvant radiation treatments were analyzed by year. Patterns of care from 2004 to 2008 were compared to those from 2009 to 2011 using the χ² test.

RESULTS

Analysis included 31,688 patients with Stage I EA. Among those diagnosed in 2004, 9.3% received adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and 5.0% received adjuvant brachytherapy. In 2011, 4.5% received EBRT and 9.3% received brachytherapy. In those diagnosed with high-intermediate risk (H-IR) EA in 2004, 58.8% received no adjuvant treatment, 28.3% received EBRT, and 12.9% received brachytherapy. In 2011, 57.8% of patients with H-IR disease received no adjuvant treatment, 14.3% received EBRT, and 27.9% received brachytherapy. There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients with H-IR EA treated with EBRT vs. brachytherapy alone before and after 2008 (p < 0.0001) with an increase in use of brachytherapy and a decrease in the use of EBRT.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of brachytherapy alone after hysterectomy has increased over time in all women with Stage I EA and in those with H-IR disease. In almost all subsets, the proportion of women being treated with brachytherapy increased and the proportion treated with EBRT decreased. Less than 30% received adjuvant brachytherapy and over 50% of women were treated without adjuvant radiotherapy.

Overuse of external beam radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Radiation therapy has long been part of the treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite the long history of radiation use, prospective trials in the United States and Europe have been unable to demonstrate a survival benefit with adjuvant radiotherapy compared with observation. Whereas radiation has been associated with a decreased rate of locoregional failure, the treatment is also associated with substantial toxicity. However, a randomized trial published in 2010 demonstrated that, compared with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), vaginal brachytherapy was less toxic and as effective in reducing locoregional relapses.

OBJECTIVE

We examined patterns of use of external beam radiation therapy for women with high intermediate risk endometrial cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

We examined the use of external beam radiation therapy in women registered in the National Cancer Data Base with high intermediate risk, stage I endometrial cancer treated from 2008 through 2012. High intermediate risk was defined as age > 60 years with a stage IA, grade 3 tumors or stage IB, grade 1 or 2 tumors. Multivariable models of EBRT use were developed.

RESULTS

Among 8242 women, 915 (11.1%) received EBRT, 2614 (31.7%) were treated with brachytherapy, and 4713 (57.2%) did not receive any adjuvant radiation. The use of EBRT was 18.1% in 2008 and declined to 8.6% in 2012, whereas the use of brachytherapy rose each year from 26.5% in 2008 to 37.6% in 2012 (P < .0001). External beam radiation was administered to 7.9% of patients with stage IA/grade 3 tumors, 8.8% of those with stage IB/grade 1 cancers, and to 15.2% of women with stage IB/grade 2 neoplasms (P < .0001). EBRT was utilized in 10.1% of women who underwent lymphadenectomy compared with 22.0% who did not undergo lymphadenectomy (P < .0001). In a multivariable model, black women were more likely to receive EBRT than white women (relative risk [RR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.70). Similarly, patients in the eastern United States, those treated at community cancer centers and comprehensive community cancer programs, patients in metropolitan areas, and those diagnosed in earlier years were more likely to undergo EBRT. Patients with stage IB/grade 2 tumors (RR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.65-2.32) were more likely to receive EBRT than those with stage IA/grade 3 neoplasms. Those women who did not undergo lymphadenectomy were more than twice as likely to receive EBRT compared with those who had a lymphadenectomy (RR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.99-2.72).

CONCLUSION

Despite data from randomized trials, approximately 9% of women with high intermediate risk of endometrial cancer continue to receive EBRT. Performance of lymphadenectomy is associated with a lower likelihood of external beam radiation therapy.

Adjuvant therapy in early-stage endometrial cancer: a systematic review of the evidence, guidelines, and clinical practice in the U.S

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the U.S., with an increasing incidence likely secondary to the obesity epidemic. Surgery is usually the primary treatment for early stage endometrial cancer, followed by adjuvant therapy in selected cases. This includes radiation therapy [RT] with or without chemotherapy, based on stratification of patients into categories dependent on their future recurrence risk. Several prospective trials (PORTEC-1, GOG#99, and PORTEC-2) have shown that the use of adjuvant RT in the intermediate risk (IR) and the high-intermediate risk (HIR) groups decreases locoregional recurrence (LRR) but has no effect on overall survival. The ad hoc analyses from these studies have shown that an even larger LRR risk reduction was seen within the HIR group compared with the IR group. Vaginal brachytherapy is as good as external beam radiotherapy in controlling vaginal relapse where the majority of recurrence occur, and with less toxicity. In the high-risk group, multimodality therapy (chemotherapy and RT) may play a significant role. Although adjuvant RT has been evaluated in many cost-effectiveness studies, high-quality data in this area are still lacking. The uptake of the above prospective trial results in the U.S. has not been promising. Factors that are driving current practices and defining quality-of-care measures for patients with early-stage disease are what future studies need to address.

Lymphadenectomy influences the utilization of adjuvant radiation treatment for endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed the effect of lymphadenectomy on the use of adjuvant radiation treatment for women with stage I-II endometrial cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Women with stage I-II endometrioid adenocarcinomas treated between 1988 and 2006 and recorded in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were identified. The influence of lymphadenectomy (LND) on receipt of external beam radiation and brachytherapy stratified was examined.

RESULTS

We identified 58,776 women including 26,043 who underwent LND (44.3%). Among women younger than 60 years of age with stage IA (grades 1, 2, and 3) tumors, LND had no impact on the use of radiation. Patients with stage IB (grade 2 or 3) and stage IC (grade 1 or 2) tumors who underwent lymph node dissection were less likely to undergo external beam radiation and more likely to receive vaginal brachytherapy (P < .05 for all). Furthermore, the extent of lymphadenectomy influenced the receipt of radiation.

CONCLUSION

Women who undergo lymphadenectomy are less likely to receive whole pelvic radiotherapy.

The role of comprehensive surgical staging in patients with endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

The cornerstone of the management of patients with endometrial cancer is hysterectomy. Since 1988, the role of lymphadenectomy for patients with endometrial cancer has been debated. Patients who undergo pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy are more likely to be accurately staged and are less likely to receive adjuvant radiation therapy.

METHODS

The authors perform a narrative review of the recent literature. Overall survival, utilization of radiation therapy, impact on quality of life, and alternative approaches to surgical staging are discussed.

RESULTS

Although a survival benefit from comprehensive surgical staging has not been clearly demonstrated in patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, surgical staging allows one to determine the need for adjuvant therapy. Preoperative and intraoperative assessment of lymph node metastasis and tumor grade lacks accuracy. Unstaged patients are more likely to receive postoperative radiation therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive surgical staging with lymphadenectomy allows patients to be classified accurately into risk categories. Risk status can be definitively determined only with final pathology. Surgically staged patients are more likely to receive appropriate adjuvant therapy or observation when warranted.