Meticulous surgical staging is initially conducted to determine the extent of spread of the tumor so that therapy can be more precisely tailored. The Stanford team employs various postoperative radiation regimens, as well as chemotherapy, for patents with certain high-risk histotypes. Teng and Roberts are also examining wither conventional postoperative pelvic radiation confers specific benefits to ally patients, or whether more selective assessment is indicated. For patients with recurrent or advanced cancer, several highly active new chemotherapeutic agents as well as hormonal therapy are available. The first studies of papillary serous endometrial carcinoma, performed at Stanford, have identified this particularly virulent form of the cancer and determined that more aggressive therapeutic approaches are needed.
Treatment includes whole abdominal radiotherapy in certain locally advanced-stage cases.
Other Gynecologic Tumors Treatment options are available for patients with trophoblastic tumors, germ cell tumors, and gynecologic sarcomas. For trophoblastic tumors, a new serum diagnostic assay is currently employed, along with the quantitative BHCG assay. Prophylactic chemotherapy is under investigation to determine its relative benefits for certain high-risk patients. Several new cytotoxic agents have offered close to 100 percent cure in early-stage germ cell tumors, with the preservation of fertility. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy are available for thoroughly debulked and staged gynecologic sarcomas.