Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Interval Debulking for Advanced-Stage Endometrial Cancer: Survival Outcome Based on Surgical and Molecular Characteristics

Abstract

Simple Summary Advanced-stage endometrial cancer is difficult to treat because many patients have disease that cannot be safely removed with surgery at the time of diagnosis. In these situations, chemotherapy may be given first to shrink the cancer before surgery, an approach called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, it is still unclear which patients benefit most from this strategy and which factors influence their outcomes. In this study, we reviewed the medical records of 42 patients with advanced-stage endometrial cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery. Most patients experienced tumor shrinkage after chemotherapy, and more than 80% had no visible tumor remaining after surgery. Although no individual clinical or molecular factor independently predicted survival after statistical adjustment, tumor response to chemotherapy and the complete surgical removal of the tumor showed potential associations with progression-free survival. These findings add to the growing evidence supporting neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a treatment option for selected patients with advanced endometrial cancer and highlight the need for larger studies to better identify which patients are most likely to benefit from this approach.