A case of recurrent endometrial cancer successfully treated with oral administration of etoposide]

A 61-year-old female with recurrent endometrial cancer (serous papillary adenocarcinoma) was treated with etoposide because the pelvic tumor progressively increased in size with external beam irradiation. The etoposide (25 mg/day) was given orally for 10 days; the tumor decreased in size. And after an additional two courses of etoposide for 8 and 4 days, respectively, the tumor disappeared and the serum CA 125 level came to within normal limits. Because of moderate nausea and vomiting the etoposide could not be given for 14 days in the first 3 courses. Myelosuppression was not evident. Ten courses of etoposide (for 14 consecutive days a month) were followed without gastro-intestinal side effects, and the patient is alive with no evidence of recurrence at this writing. This case suggests that oral administration of etoposide may be effective for a patient with recurrent endometrial cancer, and this treatment could be administered on an outpatient basis.