The use of hysteroscopic endometrectomy in the conservative treatment of early endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia in fertile women.

OBJECTIVE: To illustrate the effectiveness of hysteroscopic endometrial resection in conservative treatment of early endometrial cancer/atypical hyperplasia in women of reproductive age. METHODS: Review of outcomes of women of reproductive age who underwent fertility sparing treatment (hysteroscopic superficial endometrectomy followed by progestin therapy) in early endometrial cancer. RESULTS: Eight women with Stage I endometrial cancer and three with atypical endometrial hyperplasia underwent hysteroscopic superficial endometrial resection, followed by 1-year treatment with oral megestrol acetate. One patient had a synchronous endometrioid ovarian carcinoma. One patient with Grade 2 carcinoma opted for conservative treatment and had hysterectomy 3 months later for persisting disease. Ten patients showed no evidence of residual disease during a 12-month follow-up period with regular hysteroscopy. Five patients had seven pregnancies without assisted reproductive technology. One patient got pregnant after one attempt of in-vitro fertilization and oocyte donation. Pregnancy rate was 54.5%; two patients had two successful pregnancies and deliveries. Average time to pregnancy was 16 months from the end of treatment. All babies were delivered vaginally. CONCLUSION: Total superficial endometrial resection followed by progestin can be considered in patients with early endometrial cancer/atypical hyperplasia who still want to conceive. It does not seem to impair fertility nor pregnancy outcomes in women of reproductive age.