Published online May 10, 2014. doi: 10.5317/wjog.v3.i2.42
Revised: August 1, 2013
Accepted: August 8, 2013
Published online: May 10, 2014
The standard treatment of endometrial cancer or atypical hyperplasia is surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries. In early stage disease this has an excellent chance of cure but results in infertility. Although the majority of patients are postmenopausal an increasing number of patients with atypical hyperplasia or endometrial cancer are presenting with a desire to retain their fertile potential. In the last 8 years a number of studies have been published involving 403 patients with endometrial cancer and 151 patients with Atypical hyperplasia treated with high dose progestagens. The response rate is 76.2% and 85.6% respectively with endometrial cancer having a recurrence rate of 40.6%. There is a 26% recurrence rate in atypical hyperplasia. Overall 26.3% of those wishing to conceive had a live baby. Although concerns exist about the risks of medical treatment, those that fail this treatment do not appear to have a significantly poorer prognosis although 20 patients (3.6%) had either ovarian cancer or metastatic disease discovered during treatment or follow up.
Core tip: Early endometrial cancer is successfully treated with hysterectomy in most cases but an increasing number of women develop the disease whilst still hoping to conceive. We are gathering an increasing amount of data to accurately describe the risk they are taking by undergoing medical treatment with progestagens as an alternative.