Recurrence of uterine cancer

Recurrent uterine cancer is a tumor that has returned after initial treatment. With standard approaches (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy) this condition is considered incurable. The prognosis for recurrent uterine cancer depends on the aggressiveness and area of spread of the recurrent tumor. If the neoplasm is located within the uterus, the five–year survival rate of patients averages 27-28%. In the case of metastasis, this indicator decreases to 15%.

Radiation therapy for recurrent uterine cancer

If the cancer detected at an early stage has returned after surgery, recovery is still possible with additional surgery and subsequent radiation therapy. Brachytherapy is usually prescribed — the introduction of radioactive "grains" into the uterus.

For patients with large tumors, a combination of external and internal radiation therapy is often used. But in this case, the goal of treating recurrent uterine cancer is to reduce symptoms and prolong life.

Hormone therapy for recurrent uterine cancer

If the patient's cancerous tumor contains estrogen or progesterone receptors, hormone therapy may be prescribed during repeated treatment. This method delays the progression and improves the prognosis of recurrence of cervical cancer, especially with a small tumor and the absence of metastases in the lungs and liver. The tumor partially decreases or disappears completely in 20-30% of patients.

Hormone therapy is based on blocking the mechanism of action of cancer cells on the hormones estrogen and progesterone. One effective approach is to remove the ovaries responsible for the production of these hormones. Another method is to prescribe a combination of drugs (progestational agents and antiestrogens), which allows you to achieve a similar effect without cutting out the ovaries.

Chemotherapy for recurrent uterine cancer

The standard chemotherapy for patients with recurrent uterine cancer is Doxorubicin. This drug reduces the tumor in about 25% of women. When combined with Doxorubicin and Platinol or Paclitaxel, the result improves by up to 45%.

The combination of chemotherapy with hormone therapy provides a response (tumor reduction) in 74% of patients. The average response time was more than 10 months, and the average life expectancy was more than 16 months. This treatment can be performed on an outpatient basis and is well tolerated.

Gene therapy for recurrent uterine cancer

Clinical trials of gene therapy are currently underway. This innovative treatment is based on a mechanism for transferring new genetic material into a cell for therapeutic effect. This can be achieved by replacing or inactivating a mutated gene or adding a functional gene to a cell so that it functions normally. Gene therapy is aimed at controlling the rapid growth of cancer cells and improving the prognosis in case of recurrence of uterine cancer. This approach can also activate the immune system to find and kill cancer cells faster.