Research from Carle Illinois College of Medicine offers new answers for doctors and patients battling rare forms of uterine cancer. The study homes in on two rare and aggressive types of uterine cancer, suggesting that less invasive, targeted radiation therapy after surgery is beneficial for patients with early-stage cancers.
Endometrial cancer originates in the lining of the uterus, representing the most common form of gynecological cancer in the U.S. Treatment includes surgery, often followed by additional treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, or hormone therapy, depending on the type and stage of cancer.
While past research studies have focused primarily on the most common types of uterine cancer, CI MED student Billianne Schultz and radiation oncologist Dr. Sinisa Stanic set out to learn how two rare forms of the disease respond to different approaches to radiation therapy after surgery.
“Clear cell and papillary serous endometrial carcinomas are known to be more aggressive than the more common types of endometrial cancer due to their distinct molecular features and clinical behavior,” Schultz said. “These subtypes are associated with higher rates of spread beyond the uterus, lymph node involvement, and recurrence.”
Schultz and Stanic tapped into data from the national SEER Cancer Registry to study patient outcomes for patients treated with surgery and radiation therapy: either external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) directed at the patient’s pelvis, or vaginal brachytherapy, which is delivered internally to target tumors and minimize effects on nearby tissue.
“Our findings suggest that the less invasive form of radiation therapy – vaginal brachytherapy – may be an effective option for some early-stage patients, which could potentially improve quality of life without compromising survival,” Schultz said. “The relevance of this subject is underscored by the ongoing debate amongst radiation oncologists regarding the optimal radiation treatment approach for localized stages of high-risk endometrial cancer histologies.”
The team also uncovered evidence that delayed diagnosis increases a patient’s risk of death by two percent for each additional year of age.
“Our study helps to fill a critical knowledge gap in the treatment of two rare but aggressive types of endometrial cancer,” Schultz said. “The study also highlighted the need for further research to develop more personalized treatment strategies that take into account additional patient factors like age and disease characteristics.”
Dr. Sinisa Stanic serves as a clinical professor and the head of the department of oncology at CI MED, and is the medical director at Carle Cancer Institute Urbana. The article, “Postoperative radiation therapy in women with FIGO stage I clear cell and papillary serous carcinomas of the uterus: an analysis of the SEER database,” was published in the Journal of Gynecologic Oncology, https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2026.37.e53.