Efficacy of sequential cyclical hormonal therapy in endometrial cancer and its correlation with steroid hormone receptor status

Abstract

Forty-six eligible women with metastatic endometrial cancer were randomly allocated to receive monthly cycles of either CAF (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil) or CAF plus Provera 200 mg daily for 3 weeks followed cyclically by Tamoxifen 20 mg daily for 3 weeks. Overall response rates of 15 and 43% were seen with CAF and CAF plus hormonal therapy. Using a multivariate analysis of the results, this difference is significant (P value 0.05). In 8 patients with operable endometrial cancer, negative estrogen receptor concentration (ER less than 15 fmole/mg protein) and Grade 3 disease, the clinical course was aggressive in 4 patients with systemic and local relapse. In 10 other similar patients (negative ER and Grade 3) who received adjuvant cyclical hormonal therapy only 1 relapsed and the other 9 are disease-free for an average of more than 31 months. Sequential cyclical hormonal therapy with ER and progesterone receptor analysis has a place in the management of endometrial carcinoma.