Treatment will depend on the location and extent of the recurrence and on previous management and the woman’s preferences.

Patients with a localised recurrence after initial treatment may be candidates for further treatment; options include radiation therapy and chemotherapy, or radical, including exenterative, surgery (NCCN 2017).

For most patients with distant metastases, an appropriate approach is chemotherapy plus/minus biological agents and/or palliative radiotherapy or best supportive care (NCCN 2017). The role of chemotherapy in such patients is palliative, with the primary objective to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life (ESMO Guidelines Working Group 2012).