Objective: To analyze the role of surgery alone, including pelvic and
para-aortic lymphadenectomy, in patients with endometrial cancer who d
id not receive radiotherapy. Methods: Between August 1987 and January
1997, 225 women with disease clinically confined to the uterus were st
aged surgically by a standard protocol that included pelvic and para-a
ortic lymphadenectomy in women with high risk factors. No radiation wa
s administered before or after surgery. Results: The combination of pr
eoperative endometrial biopsy grade and gross depth of myometrial inva
sion identified 123 (55%) high-risk patients who had lymphadenectomy a
nd 102 (45%) low-risk patients who did not. Eighteen (15%) high-risk p
atients had lymph node metastases and received postoperative systemic
therapy. Three low-risk, eight high-risk-node-negative, and no high-ri
sk-node-positive patients were diagnosed with recurrent cancer, corres
ponding to 5-year recurrence-free proportions of 0.95, 0.89, and 1.00,
respectively. Although sample sizes and limited follow-up limit concl
usions, the experience to date suggests a high rate of survival in all
three groups. Conclusion: Our preliminary experience indicates that e
ven high-risk patients have an excellent prognosis when treated with s
urgery, including pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, without radi
otherapy. (C) 1998 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gyneco
logists.