The diagnostic value of barium enema in cancer of the corpus uteri.

The diagnostic value of barium enema in staging of carcinomas of the corpus uteri was evaluated in a retrospective study of 218 patients. The primary treatment in all patients was surgical. Barium enema was performed preoperatively in 48 (22%) of the patients and postoperatively in 106 (49%); 64 (29%) of the patients were not subjected to this investigation. Barium enema revealed changes possibly due to tumor in five patients (3%): two patients exhibited stenosis of the sigmoid colon due to a stromal sarcoma (Stages III and IV), and in one patient there was evidence that the primary tumor was in fact a carcinoma of the sigmoid colon. The suspicion of bowel involvement in the two other patients (both at Stage I) proved to be unfounded. These results show that barium enema is unnecessary in carcinoma of the corpus uteri at Stages I and II, and that in Stages III and IV the necessity for this investigation should be considered for each patient on an individual basis.