FIGO stage IIIC endometrial carcinoma: Prognostic factors and outcomes

Abstract Objectives Investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, nodal distribution, and postoperative treatment of patients with FIGO stage IIIC endometrial carcinoma and determine patterns of recurrence and survival. Methods A retrospective review of 85 patients who underwent surgical staging with lymph node dissection at a single institution between 1979 and 2005 was performed. Data collected from patient charts included demographics, treatment, recurrence and survival. Variables were compared using the log-rank and X2 tests, and multivariate analysis was performed. Results Of 1487 patients who underwent surgical staging for endometrial cancer, 104 (7.0%) were diagnosed with stage IIIC disease and 85 of these were analyzed. Stage was determined by positive pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) in 54 patients, and positive para-aortic lymph nodes (PaLN) ± PLN in 31 patients. With a median follow up of 50 months, 5-year overall survival (OS) was 61.3%, recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 58.0%, and disease-specific survival (DSS) was 71.9%. Median OS, RFS and DSS were 131 months, 131 months, and not attained, respectively. Five-year OS and RFS with positive PaLN were 48.8% and 44.4% respectively, compared to 69.7% and 65.6% with positive PLN only. On multivariate analysis, age, non-endometrioid histology, and > 50% invasion were significantly associated with OS; age and non-endometrioid histology were associated with RFS. Disease recurred in 21 patients (24.7%): 15 distant, 4 abdominal, 1 para-aortic, and 1 pelvic. Disease recurred outside the field of radiation in all patients. Conclusions Endometrial cancer patients with FIGO stage IIIC had a 5-year OS of 61.3%, a RFS of 58.0% and a DSS of 71.9% in this series. Because of the high proportion of distant sites of recurrence (71.4%), recurrence outside the radiation field (100%), and mortality after recurrence (86.3%), multimodality therapy should be considered.