Endometrial endometrioid carcinoma: a glimpse at the natural course.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess the natural course of endometrial endometrioid carcinoma by identifying untreated patients and those with a prolonged (>6 months) treatment delay. A chart review of 252 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial endometrioid carcinoma was conducted and clinical data of untreated patients and those with a prolonged treatment delay were abstracted. Seven patients (3 untreated and 4 with prolonged treatment delay) were identified. Five had clinical stage I and 5 had well-differentiated tumors. The survival of the untreated patients ranged from 5 to 59 months. Of the patients with prolonged treatment delay, 2 died more than 5 years after diagnosis and 2 are alive more than 5 years after diagnosis. The lengthy survival of our patients seems to indicate that the natural progression course, even in untreated patients, may be very slow in endometrial endometrioid carcinoma with favorable prognostic factors.