Salvage cytoreductive surgery for patients with recurrent endometrial cancer: a retrospective study

Background: Salvage cytoreductive surgery (SCR) has been shown to improve the survival of cancer patients. This study aimed to determine the survival benefits of SCR for recurrent endometrial cancer in Chinese population. Methods: Between January 1995 and May 2012, 75 Chinese patients with recurrent endometrial cancer undergoing SCR were retrospectively analyzed. Results: 43 patients (57.3%) had R0 (no visible disease), 15 patients (20.0%) had R1 (residual disease <= 1 cm), and 17 (22.7%) had R2 (residual disease > 1 cm) Resection. 35 patients (46.7%) had single, and 40 (53.3%) had multiple sites of recurrence. The median survival time was 18 months, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate were 42.0%. Multivariate analysis showed that residual disease <= 1 cm and high histology grade were significantly associated with a better OS. The size of the largest recurrent tumors (<= 6 cm), solitary recurrent tumor, and age at recurrence (<= 56 years old) were associated with optimal SCR. Conclusion: Optimal SCR and high histology grade are associated with prolonged overall survival for patients with recurrent endometrial cancer. Patients with young age, tumor size <6 cm, and solitary recurrent tumor are more likely to benefit from optimal cytoreductive surgery.