ABSTRACT
In the United States, cancer of the endometrium is the most common female pelvic malignancy reported by the American Cancer Society, and the fourth most common cancer in women, ranking behind breast, bowel, and lung cancers (1). The diagnosis of endometrial cancer (EC) generally carries a favorable prognosis. At the time of diagnosis of EC the majority of patients have stage I disease based on the surgicalpathologic criteria of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system (2). These
patients can expect an overall 5-year survival rate of 80% to 90% (3). Primary treatment usually consists of surgical therapy, followed by radiotherapy, hormonal treatment, or chemotherapy in selected patients considered to be at risk for recurrent disease based on pathologic factors.
