Radiation Therapy With or Without Cisplatin for Local Recurrences of Endometrial Cancer: Results From an NRG Oncology/GOG Prospective Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial

Author(s): Ann H. Klopp, MD, PhD1; Danielle Enserro, PhD2; Matthew Powell, MD3; Marcus Randall, MD4; Julian C. Schink, MD5; Robert S. Mannel, MD6; Laura Holman, MD6; David Bender, MD7; Christina L. Kushnir, MD, MPH8; Floor Backes, MD9; Susan L. Zweizig, MD10; Steven Waggoner, MD11; Kristin A. Bradley, MD12; Lana DeSouza Lawrence, MD13; Parviz Hanjani, MD14; Christopher J. Darus, MD15,16; William Small Jr, MD17; Higinia R. Cardenes, MD, PhD18; Jonathan M. Feddock, MD19; David S. Miller, MD20
Source: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.23.01279

Dr. Anjan Patel's Thoughts

For patients with local recurrences of endometrial cancer, XRT alone is extremely effective, and the addition of cisplatin does not offer any benefit while increasing toxicity. These patients with low-grade and vaginal recurrences have a good prognosis and most should be treated with XRT alone.

PURPOSE

Pelvic recurrence is a frequent pattern of relapse for women with endometrial cancer. A randomized trial compared progression-free survival (PFS) after treatment with radiation therapy alone as compared with concurrent chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between February 2008 and August 2020, 165 patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either radiation treatment alone or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether chemoradiation therapy was more effective than radiation therapy alone at improving PFS.

RESULTS

The majority of patients had low-grade (1 or 2) endometrioid histology (82%) and recurrences confined to the vagina (86%). External beam with either the three-dimensional or intensity modulated radiation treatment technique was followed by a boost delivered with brachytherapy or external beam. Patients randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy were treated with once weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2). Rates of acute toxicity were higher in patients treated with chemoradiation as compared with radiation treatment alone. Median PFS was longer for patients treated with radiation therapy alone as compared with chemotherapy and radiation (median PFS was not reached for RT v 73 months for chemoradiation, hazard ratio of 1.25 (95% CI, 0.75 to 2.07). At 3 years, 73% of patients treated definitively with radiation and 62% of patients treated with chemoradiation were alive and free of disease progression.

CONCLUSION

Excellent outcomes can be achieved for women with localized recurrences of endometrial cancer when treated with radiation therapy. The addition of chemotherapy does not improve PFS for patients treated with definitive radiation therapy for recurrent endometrial cancer and increases acute toxicity. Patients with low-grade and vaginal recurrences who constituted the majority of those enrolled are best treated with radiation therapy alone.

Author Affiliations

1Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; 2Clinical Trials Development Division, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY; 3Washington University School of Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, St Louis, MO; 4University of Kentucky, Radiation Oncology, Lexington, KY; 5Cancer Treatment Centers of America, City of Hope, Gynecologic Oncology, Chicago, IL; 6University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City, OK; 7University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City, IA; 8Women’s Cancer Center of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV; 9The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Cancer Hospital, Columbus, OH; 10University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care, Gynecologic Oncology, Worcester, MA; 11Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Medical Oncology, Cleveland, OH; 12University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Radiation Oncology, Madison, WI; 13Delaware/Christiana Care, Radiation Oncology, Newark, DE; 14Abington Memorial Hospital, Gynecologic Oncology, Abington, PA; 15Maine Medical Center, Gynecologic Oncology, Scarborough, ME; 16Providence Gynecologic Oncology Program and Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Portland, OR; 17Department of Radiation Oncology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Chicago, IL; 18New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, Clinical Radiation Oncology, New York, NY; 19Baptist Health, Radiation Oncology, Lexington, KY; 20University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Gynecologic Oncology, Dallas, TX

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