A total abdominal hysterectomy removal of the womb through an abdominal incision, with or without removal of the ovaries, is the treatment of choice for stage 1 and 2 disease, although a more extensive operation may be chosen for more advanced stage 2 cases and this may followed by a course of pelvic radiotherapy (external beam radiotherapy over five weeks).
With such therapy, for stage 1 disease, the five year survival rates are 73%, whereas the survival for those women presenting with stage 2 tumours is 56%. In stage 3 disease where the disease has spread beyond the ability of the surgeon to obtain a clear margin, then radical pelvic radiotherapy is chosen and a brachytherapy boost (see cancer of the cervix section for explanation of brachytherapy) may be given if it is deemed that the cervical and high vaginal regions are at especially high risk, given an individual patient’s situation. The five year survival rates for stage 3 cases are considerably less good than those of the first two stages and are around 30% survival at five years.
