The Role of Adjuvant Radiation in Uterine Sarcomas

Uterine sarcomas: clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, by Spanish group for research on sarcomas (GEIS)

Uterine sarcomas are very infrequent and heterogeneous entities. Due to its rarity, pathological diagnosis, surgical management, and systemic treatment are challenging. Treatment decision process in these tumors should be taken in a multidisciplinary tumor board. Available evidence is low and, in many cases, based on case series or clinical trials in which these tumors have been included with other soft tissue sarcoma. In these guidelines, we have tried to summarize the most relevant evidence in the diagnosis, staging, pathological disparities, surgical management, systemic treatment, and follow-up of uterine sarcomas.

Evaluation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the adjuvant management of uterine carcinosarcoma: a population-based analysis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) on the survival of uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) patients.

METHODS

We analyzed 3207 patients with uterine carcinosarcoma without distant metastasis after surgery from 2004 to 2015 by utilizing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Generally, cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Further subgroup survival analysis was performed for those receiving RT and chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

RESULTS

In general, both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that age, race, marital status, stage, lymph node metastasis, lymphadenectomy (LND), RT, and chemotherapy (CT) were associated with improved CSS and OS (P < 0.05). Further subgroup analysis showed that CRT exhibited a survival advantage over RT or CT alone in different groups. Various RT modalities, including brachytherapy (BT), external radiotherapy (EBRT), and EBRT + BT, were correlated with improved survival for patients aged 60-69 years with stage III-IV disease and lymph node metastasis. Patients with stage I-II disease aged > 70 years seemed to gain survival benefits from brachytherapy (BT) alone. BT with or without external radiotherapy was associated with improved survival for those who did not undergo lymphadenectomy.

CONCLUSION

For UCS without distant metastasis after surgery, CRT should be considered. Regarding RT, BT alone is efficient in improving survival, especially for patients with stage I-II disease aged > 70 years old. EBRT alone does not show results in survival improvement for patients who did not undergo LND and those with lymph node metastasis. However, considering the limitation of SEER database, further studies with more large sample size and strict study design are needed to confirm it.

A nomogram-based overall survival stratification to identify uterine sarcoma patients without distant metastases who may benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE

Adjuvant radiotherapy has been commonly performed in uterine sarcoma patients, but its role in overall survival (OS) remains controversial. Therefore, our study aimed to build a nomogram-based prognostic stratification to identify uterine sarcoma patients who might benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.

METHODS

Uterine sarcoma patients without distant metastases between 2004 and 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The LASSO Cox regression was performed to identify essential prognostic predictors and a nomogram was built to predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to validate the nomogram. Finally, prognostic stratification was performed by decision tree analysis based on the total points of the nomogram.

RESULTS

2871 patients with uterine sarcoma were included. Preliminary analysis suggested that adjuvant radiotherapy failed to provide an OS benefit for the total population without our nomogram. The built nomogram showed good discrimination and calibration abilities to predict the OS in uterine sarcoma patients and the patients were stratified into three risk groups based on the nomogram. For patients in the high-risk group, adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved the 5-year OS and median survival time by 26.4% and 17 months, respectively (P < 0.001); while radiotherapy failed to improve the survival outcomes of patients in the low- and intermediate-risk groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram-based prognostic stratification provides preliminary characterization of uterine sarcoma patients who may benefit from radiotherapy. The newly defined high-risk patients may gain significant OS benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.

Sarcoma of the Uterus. Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015/074, April 2021)

Purpose This is an official guideline, published and coordinated by the Germany Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, DGGG). Because of their rarity and heterogeneous histopathology, uterine sarcomas are challenging in terms of their clinical management and therefore require a multidisciplinary approach. To our knowledge, there are currently no binding evidence-based recommendations for the appropriate management of this heterogeneous group of tumors. Methods This S2k guideline was first published in 2015. The update published here is once again the result of the consensus of a representative interdisciplinary committee of experts who were commissioned by the Guidelines Committee of the DGGG to carry out a systematic search of the literature on uterine sarcomas. Members of the participating professional societies achieved a formal consensus after a structured consensus process. Recommendations 1.1 Epidemiology, classification, staging of uterine sarcomas. 1.2 Symptoms, general diagnostic workup, general pathology or genetic predisposition to uterine sarcomas. 2. Management of leiomyosarcomas. 3. Management of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas. 4. Management of high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma and undifferentiated uterine sarcomas. 5. Management of adenosarcomas. 6. Rhabdomyosarcomas of the uterus in children and adolescents. 7. Follow-up of uterine sarcomas. 8. Management of morcellated uterine sarcomas. 9. Information provided to patients.

Development and validation of tumor-size-stratified prognostic nomograms for patients with uterine sarcoma: A SEER database analysis

BACKGROUND

Tumor-size-stratified analysis on the prognosis of uterine sarcoma is insufficient. This study aimed to establish the tumor-size-stratified nomograms to predict the 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with uterine sarcoma.

METHODS

The data analyzed in this study were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We collected data from patients with uterine sarcoma diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. According to the median tumor size of 7.8 cm, the enrolled patients were divided into two tumor size (TS) groups: TS <7.8 cm and TS ≥7.8 cm. Patients in each group were randomly divided into the training and validation cohorts with a ratio of 7:3. Chi-square test was used to compare differences between categorical variables. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify significant predictors. We calculated the concordance index (C-index) and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) to validate the nomograms.

RESULTS

Compared with TS <7.8 cm group, TS ≥7.8 cm group had more patients of 45-64 years group, higher black race prevalence, higher proportion of myometrium tumor, higher stage, and higher grade; In the TS <7.8 cm training cohort, six variables (age, race, marital status, tumor primary site, stage, and grade) were identified as significantly associated with OS in multivariate analysis. However in the TS ≥7.8 cm training cohort, only four variables (surgery on primary site, tumor size, stage, and grade) were significantly identified; The C-index of two nomograms were 0.80 and 0.73 in training cohorts, respectively, and the AUC values for 3- and 5-year OS predictions in training cohorts were all above 0.80. Similar results were observed in validation cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that the significant prognostic factors were different between two tumor size groups of uterine sarcoma patients. The tumor-size-stratified nomograms, which we constructed and validated, might be useful to predict the probability of survival for patients with uterine sarcoma.

Primary characteristics and outcomes of newly diagnosed low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma

OBJECTIVE

To assess potential predictive variables for nodal metastasis and survival outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed, low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma.

METHODS

We performed a single-institution, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma who presented between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 2019 and underwent hysterectomy at our institution or presented within 3 months of primary surgery elsewhere before recurrence. Patients who presented to our institution only at recurrence were excluded. Patients with <3 months of follow-up were excluded from survival analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 127 consecutive patients for analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 48 years (range 19-88 years); 91 (74.6%) of 127 were pre-menopausal; and 74 (58.3%) of 127 had uterine-confined, stage I tumors. Of 56 patients (44.1%) who underwent lymph node sampling, 10 (17.9%) had nodal metastasis. Of the 10 with nodal metastasis, 1 (10%) did not have lymphadenopathy or extra-uterine disease, 4 (40%) had lymphadenopathy only, 1 (10%) had extra-uterine disease only, and 4 (40%) had both. Among the 29 patients without apparent extra-uterine disease or gross lymphadenopathy, there was one occult lymph node metastasis (3.4%). Gross lymphadenopathy at time of surgery was predictive for lymph node metastasis (p<0.001). Median follow-up was 69 months (range 4-336) for the 95 patients included in the survival analyses. The 5-year progression-free survival and disease-specific survival rates were 79.8% and 90.8%, respectively. Patients with stage I tumors had longer progression-free survival than those with stage II-IV disease (p<0.001); there was no difference in disease-specific survival (p=0.63). Post-operative observation versus adjuvant therapy with hormone blockade or radiation therapy did not result in progression-free survival differences for stage I or completely resected stage II-IV disease (p=0.50 and p=0.81, respectively). Similarly, there was no disease-specific survival difference for completely resected stage II-IV disease (p=0.3).

CONCLUSIONS

Lymph node dissection in patients with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma should be reserved for those with clinically suspicious lymphadenopathy. Disease stage correlated with progression-free survival but not disease-specific survival. Post-operative therapy did not improve progression-free survival or disease-specific survival.

Low-Grade Uterine Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma: Prognostic Analysis of Clinico-Pathological Characteristics, Surgical Management, and Adjuvant Treatments. Experience From Two Referral Centers

Objective

Low-grade uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) is a rare tumor characterized by an overall good survival but showing a indolent behavior and a variable risk of recurrence. There is no clear consensus on the optimal management of these tumors and no prognostic or predictive factors have been established. With this study, we evaluated the prognostic relevance of several clinical, surgical, and pathological features in patients affected by LG-ESS to identify risk factors associated with recurrence.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 52 LG-ESS cases, treated from January 1st, 1994, to May 31st, 2020, in two referral centers. The relationship between recurrence and clinicopathological characteristics as well as surgical treatment was investigated. Risk of recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated by Cox regression and the Kaplan-Meier analysis, respectively.

Results

Of 52 patients with LG-ESS, 8 experienced recurrence (15%). The median follow-up was 100 months (SD ± 96, range: 15–336). By univariate analysis, fragmentation/morcellation, tumor size, FIGO stage, higher mitotic count, presence of necrosis, and lymphovascular space invasion (LSVI) resulted associated with a poorer outcome. Conversely, the surgical modality (laparotomic vs laparoscopic and hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy vs local excision) and pelvic lymphadenectomy were not. Even the different modalities of adjuvant therapy (hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) showed no prognostic significance. Tumor fragmentation/morcellation and higher mitotic count resulted independent prognostic variables at multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

This data supports the avoidance of any type of morcellation if LG-ESS is suspected preoperatively. Higher mitotic count and, possibly, tumor size, advanced FIGO stage, necrosis, and LVSI could be exploited to tailor the adjuvant therapy, but these results need to be confirmed in larger prospective studies.

Conformal radiotherapy in management of soft tissue sarcoma in adults

We present the update of the recommendations of the French society of radiation oncology on soft tissue sarcomas. Currently, the initial management of sarcomas is very important as it may impact on patients' quality of life, especially in limb soft tissue sarcomas, and on overall survival in trunk sarcomas. Radiotherapy has to be discussed within a multidisciplinary board meeting with results of biopsy, eventually reexamined by a dedicated sarcoma pathologist. The role of radiotherapy varies according to localization of soft tissue sarcoma. It is part of the standard treatment in grade 2 and 3 sarcomas of the extremities and superficial trunk>5cm. In case of R1 or R2 resection, reexcision should be discussed. In such cases, it may be delivered preoperatively (50Gy/25 fractions of 2Gy) or postoperatively. In retroperitoneal sarcomas, preoperative conformal radiotherapy with or without modulated intensity cannot be proposed systematically in daily practice. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy cannot be considered a standard treatment. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy has become widely available. Other soft tissue sarcoma sites such as trunk, head and neck and gynaecological soft tissue sarcomas will be addressed, as well as other techniques that may be used such as brachytherapy and proton therapy.

Clinical, histological and therapeutical aspects in the management of uterine and extrauterine stromal sarcomas: Case reports

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare tumor, predominantly occurring as a primary tumor of the uterus. Rare cases of primary extrauterine ESS (EESS) have been reported. Low-grade ESS (LG-ESS) is more common than high-grade ESS (HG-ESS). We present five cases of ESS and one case of EESS. All cases received external radiotherapy (EBRT) at the Radiotherapy Department of the Emergency Clinical Hospital ‘Sfantul Apostol Andrei’ Galati, during 2004-2020. Five cases underwent EBRT in two-dimensional (2D) technique and only one patient received EBRT with three-dimensinal conformational radiotherapy (3DCRT) technique with a linear accelerator, Elekta Synergy. Five patients were referred to postoperative radiotherapy after hysterectomy. The median age of the patients was 57.4 years. One patient was referred to radiotherapy with palliative intent. EESS localized in the retroperitoneum, in the para-aortic region, was identified in one 64-year-old patient with a personal history of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in 1997; EESS was complicated with vertebral extension at the L1-L2 level and spinal cord compression syndrome. ESS represents a rare diagnosis and a high- or low-grade tumor profile is distinguished by immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests. Up to 30% of patients have EESS at presentation. The treatment of ESS is multimodal, its management requiring a multidisciplinary team, and it is different according to the primary tumor location and tumor staging. The role of adjuvant radiotherapy remains controversial in high-grade EESS and due to the rarity of these cases there are limited data concerning the efficacy of adjuvant EBRT available from prospective randomized control clinical trials.

Adjuvant radiotherapy improves overall survival when added to surgery and chemotherapy for uterine carcinosarcoma: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results analysis

BACKGROUND

Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) confers a high recurrence risk following surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy (CHT) is typically administered in all stages. The benefit of radiation therapy (RT) in UCS, when added to adjuvant CHT, is unknown. We sought to analyze the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to ascertain whether RT improves overall survival (OS) when added to surgery and CHT for UCS.

METHODS

SEER 18 Custom Data registries (Nov 2018 submission) were queried for uterine (ICD10 C54.1-9, C55.9) carcinosarcoma (ICD-0-3 8980-3). Patients with stage I-III UCS who underwent surgery and CHT ± RT were analyzed with univariate analysis (UVA) and multivariable analysis (MVA) using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. Propensity-score matched analysis with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed to account for indication bias. Furthermore, conditional landmark analysis (minimum three-month follow-up) was performed to minimize immortal time bias.

RESULTS

All 1541 patients (1988-2016) underwent surgery and CHT and 54% received RT. On UVA, RT improved median and 5-year OS from 41 to 87 months and 43-55%, respectively (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.77) (p < 0.001). After IPTW adjustment, RT improved median and 5-year OS from 46 to 65 months and 46-53%, respectively (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63-0.87) (p < 0.001). The benefit of RT remained on unadjusted and adjusted MVA and conditional landmark analysis.

CONCLUSION

In stage I-III UCS treated with surgery and CHT, receipt of RT is associated with OS benefit. Further prospective data are needed to investigate the RT's benefit in UCS.

[Rôle of radiotherapy for sarcomas]

The quality of the initial management of sarcomas is fundamental because it conditions the patient's quality of life and his overall survival. Radiotherapy should be discussed in a multidisciplinary consultation meeting within the framework of the Netsarc+network. The place of radiotherapy in patients with soft tissue or bone sarcoma depends on the histology and tumour location, knowing that it is most often associated with surgery which remains the main treatment. It is part of the standard treatment for grade II and III deep limb sarcomas of 5cm or greater in size and Ewing's sarcomas. In these indications, conformal radiotherapy with modulation of intensity is used routinely, in combination with IGRT. In other locations, such as retroperitoneal sarcomas or uterine sarcomas, radiotherapy is not a standard of care and must be discussed according to the prognostic criteria related to the patient, the tumour, and the previously received treatments. New techniques, such as proton therapy, hadron therapy (carbon ions) are techniques particularly suited to bone sarcomas considered to be radioresistant. However, large prospective trials are lacking in these rare indications, explaining the lack of recommendations of a high level of evidence.

The Effect of Adjuvant Pelvic Radiotherapy on Distant Metastasis for Uterine Carcinosarcoma

BACKGROUND

Uterine carcinosarcomas (UCS) are rare tumors that carry a poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. Standard treatment consists of surgical resection and chemotherapy, though the benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) has yet to be determined. This study assessed survival rates between patients with UCS who underwent surgical resection alone and patients who underwent combinations of surgery, chemotherapy, and RT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent surgical resection for UCS between 1993 and 2011 at a single institution. We assessed 3-year disease-free survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival, distant metastases-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival rates and utilized Kaplan-Meier modeling to analyze differences between UCS treatment modalities.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients underwent UCS surgical resection between 1993 and 2011. The mean age was 61 (range: 39 to 75 y). Of these patients, 100% (n=24) underwent surgical resection, 25% (n=6) underwent surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, 29% (n=7) underwent surgery and adjuvant RT, and 33% (n=8) underwent surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy and RT. At 3 years median follow, there was no significant difference in overall survival between treatment modalities. The addition of radiation therapy conferred increased DMFS in patients undergoing surgery irrespective of adjuvant chemotherapy (44% vs. 83%, P=0.0211).In patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, the significant increase in DMFS persisted with the addition of RT (P=0.0310). Lymph node involvement (n=8) was associated with a lower locoregional recurrence-free survival (38% vs. 92%, P=0.0029).

CONCLUSIONS

RT may offer a potential benefit in reducing the rate of distant metastases, though there were no statistically significant improvements in survival metrics.

Uterine Sarcomas: A Retrospective Analysis of a Cohort of 62 Patients

Background and objective

Uterine sarcomas are rare tumors, and they account for 4% of all uterine malignancies. These tumors are characterized by a great diversity of histological types, and current knowledge regarding their treatment is limited. The aim of our study was to analyze a cohort of patients with uterine sarcomas with respect to the histological types of their tumors, as well as their prognosis and treatment.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective analysis involving patients diagnosed at a single center with uterine sarcoma between 2003 and 2017. 

Results

The study included 62 patients; the mean age of the patients was 62 ±13 years. Carcinosarcoma was identified in 44% of cases, leiomyosarcoma in 40%, and endometrial stromal sarcoma in 13%. Endometrial stromal sarcoma was found to occur in younger women compared to carcinosarcoma (52 ±13 vs. 66 ±12 years, p=0.016); 90% of patients underwent surgery, and medical treatment was implemented in 42%. The mean overall survival (OS) was 93 ±10.65 months, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12 months. There was a significant association between the stage of the disease at diagnosis and the probability of survival: mean OS was 118 months for locoregional disease vs. 44 months for metastatic disease (p<0.001). The overall five-year survival rate was 39%.

Discussion and conclusions

Uterine sarcomas are rare cancers, and they are very heterogeneous. They are also associated with a high mortality rate. Further investigational studies are required so that a more effective treatment method and individualized treatment plans can be implemented for patients with uterine sarcoma.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy Improved Survival in Stage I to II Low-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma: A Retrospective Study of 152 Cases

Objective

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) is a rare gynecological tumor. Whether adjuvant radiotherapy benefits survival in patients with resected early-stage ESS remains controversial. This study was designed to explore the role of adjuvant radiotherapy in stage I to II LG-ESS.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with stage I to II LG-ESS in our center from Jan. 1998 to Feb. 2018. All patients underwent a total hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy was administrated based on clinical and pathological characteristics.

Results

A total of 152 patients with stage I to II resected LG-ESS were included. Forty patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT group) while 112 patients did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy (no RT group). The baseline characteristics of the two groups were comparable, except that the proportion of stage II patients in the RT group was higher than that in the no RT group (32.5% vs. 11.6%, in RT vs. no RT groups, respectively; p = 0.003). For both patient groups, median overall survival was not reached. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 144 months. Radiotherapy was associated with significantly improved DFS (92 months vs. not reached in RT vs. no RT groups, respectively; p = 0.008) and pelvic failure-free survival (PFFS) (92 months vs. not reached in RT vs. no RT groups, respectively; p=0.004). Subgroup analysis revealed that RT benefited survival most among patients with stage IB to IIB disease. Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly reduced the pelvic recurrence rate (10.0%, 4/40 vs. 28.6%, 32/112, p = 0.018). No radiotherapy-induced grade 4 to 5 toxicity was observed.

Conclusion

For patients with stage I to II LG-ESS, adjuvant radiotherapy showed significant improvement in DFS and PFFS with tolerable adverse effects, especially in patients with stage IB to IIB disease.

The Role of Postoperative Radiotherapy for Carcinosarcoma of the Uterus

Simple Summary

The role of radiotherapy on carcinosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor, of the uterus is unclear. We reviewed data published from 2010 on the effects of radiotherapy on tumor control and survival in this patient group. Available data were mainly from cancer registries and suggested that radiotherapy, given either as vaginal brachytherapy (contact radiotherapy of the vagina) or external-beam radiotherapy or a combination of both, reduces the risk of recurrence and improves survival in patients with all stages of carcinosarcoma of the uterus without metastases in other organs.

Abstract

The role of postoperative radiotherapy delivered as external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) or a combination of both, in the management of carcinosarcoma of the uterus is not clearly defined, as only limited randomized trial data are available, indicating a reduction in locoregional recurrences after EBRT. We performed a structured review of data published from 2010. Although no relevant new data from prospective trials or meta-analyses were identified, 14 analyses of cancer registry data from the United States or Europe, focusing predominantly on the endpoint for overall survival, were identified, four of them using propensity-score matching to compare subgroups treated with vs. without radiotherapy. Although stage-by-stage data are rare, the registry analyses support the idea of a beneficial effect, especially of VBT, on overall survival in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IA patients (to a lesser extent in stage IB). For stages II to III, the data sets indicate the largest effects on overall survival for the combination of EBRT and VBT. In all stages, survival effects of radiotherapy apparently persist when given in addition to chemotherapy. Whereas some studies see the strongest survival effects in patients with positive lymph nodes, propensity-score matched data indicate an overall survival effect of radiotherapy (EBRT + VBT or VBT alone) in FIGO stages I to III regardless of lymph node surgery.

Carcinosarcoma of the Uterus: A Study From the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Result (SEER) Database

Background: Uterine cancer (UC) is one of the leading gynecologic neoplastic disorders in the United States (US), of which over 80% are endometrioid adenocarcinomas (EA). In contrast to EA, carcinosarcoma (CS) of the uterus is a sporadic and highly malignant tumor, phylogenetically containing both epithelial and mesenchymal histologic elements. This study sought to analyze demographic, pathological retrospectively, and survival characteristics of a large cohort of CS patients compared to EA patients to identify prognostic factors and treatment approaches that may improve the current clinical management of CS patients.

Methods: Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from 88,530 patients diagnosed with uterine malignancy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for 38 years (1973-2010). Extracted variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test, paired t-test, and multivariate analysis, while Kaplan-Meier functions were used to compare survival between groups. Statistical analyses were performed with IBM Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS^©), version 20.2 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

Results: A total of 3,706 cases of CS comprised 38.2% of uterine sarcomas (n=9,702), and 4.1% of uterine cancers overall (n=88,530). EA made up 88.6% (n=78,481) of all uterine cancers. CS patients presented later in life (68.3±11.5 years) than EA (61.9±12.5 years). 65.2% of CS and 77.8% of EA occurred in Caucasians. The incidence (per million) of EA was higher in Caucasians compared to African-Americans (AA) (41% vs. 26.8%), while the incidence of CS was higher among AA than Caucasians (4% vs. 1.9%, p<0.001). 33.4% of CS was poorly differentiated at presentation, compared to 13.1% of EA. 27.8% of CS patients presented with a distant disease compared to only 4.7% of EA patients. 29.9% of AA patients with CS presented with metastatic disease, compared to 28.2% of Caucasian patients (p<0.001). Mean survival for CS patients (6.6±0.2 years) was significantly lower than that of EA patients (17.7±0.7 years, p<0.001), and AA CS patients had significantly lower survival than Caucasians CS patients (4.5±0.4 years vs. 7.1±0.3 years, p<0.001). CS patients treated with combined surgery and radiotherapy had the highest survival (9.4±0.5 years, p<0.001), while EA patients treated with surgery alone had the highest survival (20.4±1.2 years, p<0.001). Survival among AA CS patients treated with combination therapy was significantly inferior compared to Caucasians (6.5±0.6 years vs. 9.8±0.5 years, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified CS histology (odds ratio [OR] 1.9, CI=1.7-2.1), AA race (OR 1.3, CI=1.2-1.4), age over 40 (OR 3.4, CI=2.9-4.1), undifferentiated grade (OR 3.0, CI=2.6-3.4), and distant metastases (OR 6.2, CI=5.8-6.8) as independently associated with increased mortality (p<0.005). The use of radiotherapy in CS patients was independently associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.1, CI=0.02-0.6, p<0.005).

Conclusions: Uterine CS is a highly malignant tumor with a significantly worse prognosis than EA. AA has a considerably higher CS incidence compared to EA. Moreover, AA CS had higher tumor grades, higher rates of metastatic disease, and experienced significantly lower overall survival compared to Caucasians despite receiving similar therapy. Primary radiotherapy or combination radiotherapy confers a survival advantage to AA uterine CS patients.

A nomogram for predicting overall survival in patients with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma: A population-based analysis

Background

Low‐grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG‐ESS) is a rare tumor that lacks a prognostic prediction model. Our study aimed to develop a nomogram to predict overall survival of LG‐ESS patients.

Methods

A total of 1172 patients confirmed to have LG‐ESS between 1988 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. They were further divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. The Akaike information criterion was used to select variables for the nomogram. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were evaluated using concordance index (C‐index), area under time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (time‐dependent AUC), and calibration plots. The net benefits of the nomogram at different threshold probabilities were quantified and compared with those of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) criteria‐based tumor staging using decision curve analysis (DCA). Net reclassification index (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were also used to compare the nomogram's clinical utility with that of the FIGO criteria‐based tumor staging. The risk stratifications of the nomogram and the FIGO criteria‐based tumor staging were compared.

Results

Seven variables were selected to establish the nomogram for LG‐ESS. The C‐index (0.814 for the training cohort and 0.837 for the validation cohort) and the time‐dependent AUC (> 0.7) indicated satisfactory discriminative ability of the nomogram. The calibration plots showed favorable consistency between the prediction of the nomogram and actual observations in both the training and validation cohorts. The NRI values (training cohort: 0.271 for 5‐year and 0.433 for 10‐year OS prediction; validation cohort: 0.310 for 5‐year and 0.383 for 10‐year OS prediction) and IDI (training cohort: 0.146 for 5‐year and 0.185 for 10‐year OS prediction; validation cohort: 0.177 for 5‐year and 0.191 for 10‐year OS prediction) indicated that the established nomogram performed significantly better than the FIGO criteria‐based tumor staging alone (P < 0.05). Furthermore, DCA showed that the nomogram was clinically useful and had better discriminative ability to recognize patients at high risk than the FIGO criteria‐based tumor staging.

Conclusions

A prognostic nomogram was developed and validated to assist clinicians in evaluating prognosis of LG‐ESS patients.

Upregulated MELK Leads to Doxorubicin Chemoresistance and M2 Macrophage Polarization via the miR-34a/JAK2/STAT3 Pathway in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy with few therapeutic options. Chemoresistance prevails as a major hurdle in treating this malignancy, yet the mechanism of chemoresistance remains largely unclear. In this study, we certified MELK as a poor prognostic marker through bioinformatic analysis of the GEO database. Cellular experiments in vitro revealed that MELK played an essential role in ULMS cells' chemoresistance and that a high expression of MELK could lead to doxorubicin resistance. mRNA profiling uncovered the pathways that MELK was involved in which led to doxorubicin resistance. MELK was found to affect ULMS cells' chemoresistance through an anti-apoptotic mechanism via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. miRNA profiling also revealed that upregulated MELK could induce the decrease of miRNA-34a (regulated by JAK2/STAT3 pathway). We detected that MELK overexpression could induce M2 macrophage polarization via the miR-34a/JAK2/STAT3 pathway, contributing to doxorubicin chemoresistance in the tumor microenvironment. OTSSP167, a MELK inhibitor, may increase ULMS sensitivity to doxorubicin. Our investigation could propose novel targets for early diagnosis and precision therapy in ULMS patients.

Effectiveness of adjuvant treatment for morcellated, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma: A Korean multicenter study

AIM

To evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant treatment for morcellated, uterus-confined leiomyosarcoma in a multicenter setting.

METHODS

We identified patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma primarily treated with surgery between 2003 and 2016. Among them, patients who underwent one of the following morcellation methods were included: (i) power morcellation; (ii) intracorporeal morcellation using scalpels or electrocautery; and (iii) vaginal morcellation. Patients' survival outcomes were compared according to the implementation of adjuvant treatment.

RESULTS

From 13 institutions, 55 patients were included; 31 for adjuvant treatment group and 24 for surgery only group. The clinicopathological characteristics including the mass size, morcellation methods, extent of surgery, and mitotic count were similar between the groups. In the adjuvant treatment group, 67.7%, 19.4% and 12.9% of patients received chemotherapy, chemoradiation and radiation, respectively. After a median follow-up of 50.5 months, the adjuvant treatment and surgery only groups showed similar overall survival (5-year rate, 92.0% vs 90.4%; P = 0.959). No significant difference in progression-free survival was observed between the two groups (3-year rate, 46.1% vs 78.2%; P = 0.069). On multivariate analyses, adjuvant treatment did not affect progression-free survival (adjusted HR, 2.138; 95% CI, 0.550-8.305; P = 0.273). The adjuvant treatment group showed a trend towards more common distant metastasis, compared to the surgery only group (25.8% vs 4.2%; P = 0.062). The incidences of pelvic, retroperitoneal, and abdominal recurrences were not different between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Despite its frequent use in clinical practice, adjuvant treatment did not improve the survival outcomes of patients with morcellated, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma.

Sarcoma of the Uterus. Guideline of the DGGG and OEGGG (S2k Level, AWMF Register Number 015/074, February 2019)

Aims This is an official guideline published and coordinated by the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) and the Austrian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (OEGGG). Because of their rarity and heterogeneous histopathology, uterine sarcomas are challenging in terms of how they should be managed clinically, and treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. To our knowledge, there are currently no binding evidence-based recommendations for the appropriate management of this heterogeneous group of tumors. Methods This S2k guideline was first published in 2015. The update published here is the result of the consensus of a representative interdisciplinary group of experts who carried out a systematic search of the literature on uterine sarcomas in the context of the guidelines program of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG. Members of the participating professional societies achieved a formal consensus after a moderated structured consensus process. Recommendations The consensus-based recommendations and statements include the epidemiology, classification, staging, symptoms, general diagnostic work-up and general pathology of uterine sarcomas as well as the genetic predisposition to develop uterine sarcomas. Also included are statements on the management of leiomyosarcomas, (low and high-grade) endometrial stromal sarcomas and undifferentiated uterine sarcomas and adenosarcomas. Finally, the guideline considers the follow-up and morcellation of uterine sarcomas and the information provided to patients.

Outcome of adjuvant radiotherapy after total hysterectomy in patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma or carcinosarcoma: a SEER-based study

BACKGROUND

The clinical impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on uterine sarcoma is unclear, and may depend on the histological type. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of adjuvant radiotherapy after total hysterectomy in patients with leiomyosarcoma or carcinosarcoma.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall mortality and cancer-specific mortality. In addition, a 1:1 propensity score matching approach was performed, in which age group, disease stage, tumor grade, tumor size, and lymphadenectomy status were matched.

RESULTS

A total of 566 leiomyosarcoma and 1069 carcinosarcoma patients with stage I-III disease were included. Both regular Cox regression analysis and propensity score matching analysis revealed that utilization of adjuvant radiotherapy did not affect overall and cancer-specific mortality in patients with leiomyosarcoma. In contrast, for patients with carcinosarcoma, total mortality risk was significantly decreased with EBRT, brachytherapy, and combination radiotherapy compared with no radiotherapy. Cancer-specific mortality risk was significantly decreased with brachytherapy and combination radiotherapy as compared with no radiotherapy. Propensity score matching analyses revealed similar results in overall mortality, but not cancer-specific mortality, in patients with carcinosarcoma. Furthermore, the frequency of patients who did not receive any form of adjuvant radiotherapy was four times higher than those underwent adjuvant radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant radiotherapy may provide a survival benefit for uterine carcinosarcoma, but not leiomyosarcoma. In addition, adjuvant radiotherapy is underutilized, and increased utilization of adjuvant radiotherapy may improve the survival rate of patients with carcinosarcoma.

Prognostic factors, survival outcomes, and surgical practices when dealing with uterine sarcomas: 8 years’ clinical experience

Objective

To determine the clinical and pathologic characteristics, prognostic factors, surgical practice, adjuvant therapies, and survival outcomes of patients with uterine sarcoma diagnosed and treated in our institution.

Material and Methods

Patients diagnosed and treated for uterine sarcomas at our institution from 2009 to 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. All histologic slides from the specimens underwent a thorough pathologic review by a gynecologic pathologist. The following variables were assessed: age, family history of cancer, smoking status, age of menarche, parity, age at first delivery, related symptoms, clinical staging, histologic type, treatment received, disease-free period, and the time and site of recurrence, as well as treatment of the latter and overall survival.

Results

Ten patients were diagnosed as having leiomyosarcoma, a further 10 patients had malignant mixed mullerian tumors, and five had endometrial stromal sarcoma; the remaining nine patients had other tumors. At the end of our study, 12 (35.3%) patients were alive and in remission, four (11.8%) were alive with disease, 10 (29.4%) were lost to follow-up, and eight (23.5%) had died. The mean survival time was 80.92 months, and the 2-year survival rate was 75.6%. We found that survival was significantly shorter in the presence of lymph node involvement, residual tumor, and recurrence.

Conclusion

This study serves to inform physicians about the outcome of various uterine sarcomas that were diagnosed and managed at our center. We found that 35.3% of our patients were alive and in remission, 11.8% were alive with disease, 29.4% were lost to follow-up, and 23.5% of patients died.

Prognostic factors and the role of pelvic lymphadenectomy in uterine leiomyosarcomas

Objectives:

Leiomyosarcomas are relatively rare uterine smooth muscle tumors. Surgery is the most common therapy choice for uterine leiomyosarcomas. However, controversy exists over the appropriate initial surgical management, especially about the role of lymph node sampling. The aim of our study is to analyze the prognostic factors and the role of lymphadenectomy in overall survival and in disease-free survival.

Methods:

We analyzed retrospectively 31 patients suffering from uterine leiomyosarcomas at Institute of Salah Azaiez during 2000–2014. Demographic and clinical features such as age, menopausal status, stage, tumor size, and management options were examined, and pathological characteristics such as mitotic count, lymphovascular space invasion, and tumor necrosis were evaluated.

Results:

Out of 31 patients treated for uterine leiomyosarcomas, pelvic lymphadenectomy was done for 18 patients. No para-aortic lymphadenectomy was performed. Median number of resected lymph nodes was 13 ± 7 (range: 3–27). Lymphatic metastasis was observed in 2 out of 18 patients with clinical stage IA and IIIB. The distribution of different variables (age, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor size, mitotic count, and adjuvant treatment) between the group of patients, who had or had not lymphadenectomy done, had no significant difference. The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 61% and 50%, respectively. Clinical stage, presence of lymphovascular space invasion, and lymph nodal dissection were found to be relevant for disease-free survival on univariate analysis. Only age and menopausal status were found to be a prognostic factor for overall survival.

Conclusion:

Hence, routine lymph node dissection was not generally recommended. Our study demonstrates that lymphadenectomy has a statistically significant effect on disease-free survival but not on overall survival.

Low-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma - a Review

Like other uterine sarcomas, low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LG-ESS) are a very rare tumor entity. In the past, research studies therefore discussed the various different types of the disease in combination. In addition, the classification of endometrial stromal tumors presented difficulties for quite some time so that in earlier studies it was not always possible to precisely distinguish between LG-ESS, high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma. For LG-ESS, surgery with hysterectomy and adnexectomy is the first-line treatment. The benefits of lymphadenectomy and tumor debulking are unclear. Endocrine therapy with gestagens and aromatase inhibitors is under discussion to provide adjuvant treatment for patients with advanced stages of the disease. As radiotherapy only provides locoregional control, and in view of the usually good prognosis of patients with LG-ESS, its benefits need to be weighed against its side effects. In the case of recurrence, repeat surgery is the first choice. Further research studies viewing LG-ESS as a distinct entity are needed in order to improve treatment options for patients with LG-ESS.

Management of Leimyosarcoma: A Survey Among Members of the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate current clinical management of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) in Korea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a Web-based survey among members of the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group regarding their treatment of LMS.

RESULTS

In total, 77 (27.8%) of 277 members responded to the survey. For surgical treatment of stage I LMS, 26.8% indicated total hysterectomy only and 16.9% indicated total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Also, lymph node dissection was indicated by 54.9% of respondents, whereas 46.5% stated that bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy could be omitted in young patients. More than half (57.7%) of the respondents recommended against adjuvant treatment. For stage I LMS diagnosed after morcellation, 79.2% of the respondents recommended lymph node dissection and 56.4% recommended adjuvant therapy. As for advanced-stage LMS, in cases of complete resection, adjuvant chemotherapy was preferred by 63.1%. For incomplete resection, combined radiotherapy/chemotherapy was the most preferred adjuvant therapy (63.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

Among Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group members, there are many discrepancies in the clinical management of LMS. A large-scale prospective study to establish treatment guidelines is needed.

Uterine sarcoma - current perspectives

Uterine sarcomas comprise a group of rare tumors with differing tumor biology, natural history and response to treatment. Diagnosis is often made following surgery for presumed benign disease. Currently, preoperative imaging does not reliably distinguish between benign leiomyomas and other malignant pathology. Uterine leiomyosarcoma is the most common sarcoma, but other subtypes include endometrial stromal sarcoma (low grade and high grade), undifferentiated uterine sarcoma and adenosarcoma. Clinical trials have shown no definite survival benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy and have been hampered by the rarity and heterogeneity of these disease types. There is a role of adjuvant treatment in carefully selected cases following multidisciplinary discussion at sarcoma reference centers. In patients with metastatic disease, systemic chemotherapy can then be considered. There is activity of a number of agents, including doxorubicin, trabectedin, gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, eribulin and pazopanib. Patients should be considered for clinical trial entry where possible. Close international collaboration is important to allow progress in this group of diseases.

Optimizing Local Control in High-Grade Uterine Sarcoma: Adjuvant Vaginal Vault Brachytherapy as Part of a Multimodal Treatment

PURPOSE

The phase III European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 55874 study has shown that external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) given as adjuvant treatment decreased locoregional recurrences from 40% to 20% in patients (pts) with localized uterine sarcomas (US). No data exist, however, on the place of brachytherapy (BT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of pts receiving adjuvant BT of the vaginal vault based on the vaginal mold technique as part of their multimodal adjuvant treatment for a high-grade US from 1985 to 2015. Treatment characteristics, patterns of relapse, and toxicity were examined.

RESULTS

Median follow-up time was 5.5 years. A total of 98 pts with high-grade US were identified: 81 leiomyosarcomas and 17 undifferentiated sarcomas. Postoperative chemotherapy was delivered in 53 pts. Median dose of EBRT was 45 Gy in 25 fractions. High-dose rate, low-dose rate, and pulsed-dose rate techniques were used in 66, 31, and 1 pts, respectively. At last follow-up, six pts (6.1%) experienced a locoregional relapse as first event. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and the tumor size were associated with a higher probability of local relapse. When focusing on pts with stage I-III disease, 5-year overall survival was 77% (95% confidence interval: 67%-87%) and 5-year survival without locoregional failure was 91% (83%-98%). Toxicities were mild to moderate, with only four acute grade 3 toxicities and two grade 3 late effects.

CONCLUSION

Vaginal vault BT as part of a multimodal adjuvant treatment was associated with a high locoregional control rate and with acceptable side effects in localized high-grade US. The Oncologist 2017;22:182-188Implications for Practice: This study suggests that an aggressive adjuvant treatment combining chemotherapy and pelvic external beam radiotherapy followed with a brachytherapy of the vaginal vault is associated with a high locoregional control rate and an acceptable toxicity rate in patients with high grade uterine sarcoma. Adding a brachytherapy boost could also allow deescalating the total dose of pelvic external beam radiotherapy, in order to decrease the side effects of adjuvant treatment in these patients without increasing the risk of local relapse. However, the prognosis remains determined by a high frequency of systemic relapses.

Outcome and prognostic factors in 110 consecutive patients with primary uterine leiomyosarcoma: A Rare Cancer Network study

Objective

Primary uterine leiomyosarcomas (ULMS) are rare, and the optimal treatment is controversial. We aimed to assess the outcome and prognostic factors in a multicenter population of women treated for primary ULMS.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data of 110 women treated in 19 institutions of the Rare Cancer Network (RCN). Inclusion criteria consisted of a pathology report confirming the diagnosis of ULMS, aged 18-80 years, complete International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage information, complete information on treatment, and a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Local control (LC) and locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis was implemented using the log rank test, and multivariate analysis using the Cox model.

Results

All patients underwent surgery. Seventy-five patients (68%) received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), including brachytherapy in 18 (16%). Seventeen patients (15%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 58 (range, 6-240) months. Five-year OS and DFS rates were 50% and 34%, and LC and LRC rates were 88% and 72%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, independent favorable prognostic factors were younger age, FIGO stage I, small tumor size, previous uterine disease, and no vascular invasion for OS and DFS. FIGO stage was the only favorable factor influencing LRC. Adjuvant local or systemic treatments did not improve the outcomes. Eight patients treated with RT presented a grade 3 acute toxicity, and only one patient with grade 3 late toxicity.

Conclusions

In this large population of primary ULMS patients, we found good results in terms of LC and LRC. Nevertheless, OS remains poor, mainly due to the occurrence of distant metastases. An early diagnosis seemed to improve the prognosis of the patients. Adjuvant local or systemic treatments, or more aggressive surgical procedures such as the Wertheim procedure, did not seem to impact the outcome.

Practice guidelines for management of uterine corpus cancer in Korea: a Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology Consensus Statement

Clinical practice guidelines for gynecologic cancers have been developed by many organizations. Although these guidelines have much in common in terms of the practice of standard of care for uterine corpus cancer, practice guidelines that reflect the characteristics of patients and healthcare and insurance systems are needed for each country. The Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) published the first edition of practice guidelines for gynecologic cancer treatment in late 2006; the second edition was released in July 2010 as an evidence-based recommendation. The Guidelines Revision Committee was established in 2015 and decided to produce the third edition of the guidelines as an advanced form based on evidence-based medicine, considering up-to-date clinical trials and abundant qualified Korean data. These guidelines cover screening, surgery, adjuvant treatment, and advanced and recurrent disease with respect to endometrial carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. The committee members and many gynecologic oncologists derived key questions from the discussion, and a number of relevant scientific literatures were reviewed in advance. Recommendations for each specific question were developed by the consensus conference, and they are summarized here, together with other details. The objective of these practice guidelines is to establish standard policies on issues in clinical areas related to the management of uterine corpus cancer based on the findings in published papers to date and the consensus of experts as a KSGO Consensus Statement.

Molecular Targets and Emerging Therapeutic Options for Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by its early metastasis, high rates of recurrence, and poor prognosis. Multiple obstacles complicate the clinical management of uLMS. These include the fact that most uLMS are typically identified only after a woman has undergone hysterectomy or myomectomy, the limited efficacy of adjuvant therapy for early stage disease, and the poor response of metastatic disease to current treatments. Here, we discuss recent insights into the molecular basis of uLMS and discuss emerging options for its clinical management. Particular attention is given to the biologic basis of these strategies with the goal of understanding the rationale motivating their use.

Review of Recommended Treatment of Uterine Carcinosarcoma

Surgery is the primary treatment for uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS). Lymphadenectomy should be performed for staging purposes in tumors apparently confined to the uterus. Most studies found that lymphadenectomy is of therapeutic value. The therapeutic value of cytoreduction to no residual macroscopic disease in advanced UCS is based mostly on small retrospective uncontrolled studies. Postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered for all stages of UCS. Adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy may reduce locoregional recurrences. However, this does not translate into improved overall survival since most recurrences are distant outside the irradiated field, and the survival rates remain poor, the 5-year overall survival being about 50%. Several adjuvant platin-based combination chemotherapy schedules such as cisplatin/ifosfamide, ifosfamide/paclitaxel, and paclitaxel/carboplatin have been found to be an effective mode of adjuvant treatment. Multimodal therapy (i.e., adjuvant chemotherapy plus radiotherapy) has also been shown to be effective. Most studies dealing with adjuvant treatment are retrospective and prospective randomized controlled trials (i.e., phase III studies) comparing that between the various adjuvant chemotherapy schedules and between them and multimodal treatment are lacking. Quality of life with the various treatment modalities needs also to be assessed. An effective targeted therapy has so far not been found. In spite of the multiple studies with regard to the treatment of UCS published during the last 15 years, the optimal management of UCS is still not established.

Efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in early stage uterine leiomyosarcoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We sought to review the current evidence in order to test the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in improving disease-free survival in patients affected by early stage uterine leiomyosarcoma.

METHODS

On July 2016, literature was searched in order to identify trials comparing different postoperative adjuvant strategies for patients diagnosed with early stage uterine leiomyosarcoma.

RESULTS

Our analysis included 360 patients: 145 (40%), 53 (15%), and 155 (43%) had chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy), radiotherapy, and observation, respectively. Seven (2%) patients who had radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy were excluded from further analysis in order to reduce risk of biases. Administration of chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) did not improve outcomes in comparison to observation (OR: 0.79 (95%CI: 0.48, 1.29)), or radiotherapy (OR: 0.90 (95%CI: 0.42, 1.94)). Loco-regional recurrence rate was similar comparing patients undergoing chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) with having observation alone (OR: 0.84 (95%CI: 0.44, 1.60)). Similarly, pooled results suggested that chemotherapy administration did not affect distant recurrence rate in comparison to no chemotherapy (OR: 0.80 (95%CI: 0.50, 1.28)), and observation alone (OR: 0.99 (95%CI: 0.60, 1.64)). However, patients undergoing chemotherapy (with or without radiotherapy) experienced a trend towards lower risk of developing distant recurrences (OR: 0.49 (95%CI: 0.24, 1.03)) and a higher risk of developing loco-regional recurrences (OR: 3.45 (95%CI: 1.02, 11.73)) than patients undergoing radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

In early stage uterine leiomyosarcoma, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy remains unclear. Owing to the high recurrence rate, even in the early stage of disease, further innovative therapeutic strategies have to be tested.

Clinical significance of radiotherapy in patients with primary uterine carcinosarcoma: a multicenter retrospective study (KROG 13-08)

Objective

To investigate the role of radiotherapy (RT) in patients who underwent hysterectomy for uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS).

Methods

Patients with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I–IVa UCS who were treated between 1990 and 2012 were identified retrospectively in a multi-institutional database. Of 235 identified patients, 97 (41.3%) received adjuvant RT. Twenty-two patients with a history of previous pelvic RT were analyzed separately. Survival outcomes were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

Patients with a previous history of pelvic RT had poor survival outcomes, and 72.6% of these patients experienced locoregional recurrence; however, none received RT after a diagnosis of UCS. Univariate analyses revealed that pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) and para-aortic lymph node sampling were significant factors for locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Among patients without previous pelvic RT, the percentage of locoregional failure was lower for those who received adjuvant RT than for those who did not (28.5% vs. 17.5%, p=0.107). Multivariate analysis revealed significant correlations between PLND and LRRFS, distant metastasis-free survival, and DFS. In subgroup analyses, RT significantly improved the 5-year LRRFS rate of patients who did not undergo PLND (52.7% vs. 18.7% for non-RT, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Adjuvant RT decreased the risk of locoregional recurrence after hysterectomy for UCS, particularly in patients without surgical nodal staging. Given the poorer locoregional outcomes of patients previously subjected to pelvic RT, meticulous re-administration of RT might improve locoregional control while leading to less toxicity in these patients.

Outcome and Predictive Factors in Uterine Carcinosarcoma Using Postoperative Radiotherapy: A Rare Cancer Network Study

Uterine carcinosarcomas (UCS) are rare tumors. Consensus regarding therapeutic management in non-metastatic disease is lacking. This study reports on outcome and predictive factors when using postoperative radiotherapy. We analyzed a retrospective analysis in 124 women treated between 1987-2007 in the framework of the Rare-Cancer-Network. Median follow-up was 27 months. Postoperative pelvic EBRT was administered in 105 women (85%) and 92 patients (74%) received exclusive or additional vaginal brachytherapy. Five-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), cancer specific survival (CSS) and locoregional control (LRC) were 51.6% (95% CI 35-73%), 53.7% (39-71%), 58.6% (38-74%) and 48% (38-67%). Multivariate analysis showed that external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) >50Gy was an independent prognostic factor for better OS (P=0.03), CSS (P=0.02) and LRC (P=0.01). Relative risks (RR) for better OS (P=0.02), DFS (P=0.04) and LRC (P=0.01) were significantly associated with younger age (≤60 years). Higher brachytherapy (BT)-dose (>9Gy) improved DFS (P=0.04) and LRC (P=0.008). We concluded that UCS has high systemic failure rate. Local relapse was reduced by a relative risk factor of over three in all stages of diseases when using higher doses for EBRT and brachytherapy. Postoperative RT was most effective in UCS stage I/II-diseases.

Does Lymphadenectomy Improve Survival in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma?

INTRODUCTION

The role of lymphadenectomy in the management of uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is controversial. We aimed to identify whether lymph node dissection (LND) has any survival benefit in uterine LMS.

METHODS

Data of 95 patients with histologically proven uterine LMS from 2 tertiary centers (1993 through 2009) were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for analyses.

RESULTS

Mean age was 51.5 years. Thirty-six (37.9%) underwent LND. The median lymph node count was 54. Eight (22.2%) patients had lymphatic metastasis. Median follow-up was 26 months. Sixty-two (65%) patients had recurrence and 48 (50.5%) died. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 19 months for both group of patients who had or did not have LND, and median overall survival (OS) was 29 and 26 months, respectively (P = 0.4). Five-year DFS was 35.9% vs 26.8% (P = 0.4), and 5-year OS was 45.4% vs 43.8% (P = 0.22) for the groups. Multivariate analyses did not reveal a single independent prognostic factor in respect to DFS or OS.

CONCLUSION

Higher rate of lymph node metastasis in patients with extrauterine disease indicated the importance of LND in LMS. However, the survival benefit of lymphadenectomy could not be shown.

Sarcoma of the Uterus. Guideline of the DGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015/074, August 2015)

Purpose: Official guideline published and coordinated by the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG). Due to their rarity and their heterogeneous histopathology uterine sarcomas remain challenging tumors to manage and need a multidisciplinary approach. To our knowledge so far there is no evidence-based guideline on the appropiate management of these heterogeneous tumors. Methods: This S2k-guideline is the work of an representative committee of experts from a variety of different professions who were commissioned by the DGGG to carry out a systematic literature review of uterine sarcoma. Members of the participating scientific societies developed a structured consensus in a formal procedure. Recommendations: 1. The incidence and histopathologic classification of uterine sarcoma. 2. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and staging of uterine sarcoma. 3. The management of leiomyosarcoma. 4. The management of endometrial stromal sarcoma and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma. 5. The management of adenosarcoma as well as carcinosarcomas. 6. The management of morcellated uterine sarcoma.

The prognosis factor of adjuvant radiation therapy after surgery in uterine sarcomas

Objective

This retrospective study evaluated the role of adjuvant radiotherapy (AR) after surgery in patients with uterine sarcoma and analyzed the prognostic factors of local-regional failure-free survival (LRFFS) and overall survival (OS).

Patients and methods

A study of a total of 182 patients with uterine sarcoma was conducted between June 1994 and October 2014. Adjuvant radiotherapy was defined as postoperative external beam radiation to the pelvis (30–50 Gray/10–25 fractions at five fractions/week). The primary end point was LRFFS, and the secondary end point was OS. Kaplan–Meier curves were compared using the log-rank test. Cox regression analyses were used to determine prognosticators for LRFFS and OS.

Results

The median follow-up time of all patients was 75 months, with a 5-year LRFFS of 62.1%. The 2-year and 5-year LRFFS rates were longer for those who received AR than for those who did not receive AR (83.4% vs 70.3%; 78% vs 55.3%; P=0.013). The 5-year OS of all patients was 56.2%, and no significant differences were observed in the 2-year and 5-year OS rates between these two groups (82.7% vs 71.4%; 64.1% vs 51.7%; P=0.067). Importantly, in patients with leiomyosarcoma, the 2-year and 5-year LRFFS and OS rates were longer for those who received AR than for those who did not receive AR (P=0.04 and P=0.02 for the 2-year and 5-year LRFFS, respectively).

Conclusion

Patients with uterine sarcoma who were treated with AR after surgery demonstrated an improved LRFFS compared with those who were treated with surgery alone, especially those patients with leiomyosarcoma. Therefore, the role of personalized adjuvant radiation for patients with uterine sarcoma still requires further discussion.

Comparing mortality of vaginal sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma in the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the mortality outcomes of vaginal sarcomas in a large cohort compared with vaginal squamous cell and adenocarcinomas.

METHODS

Women with primary invasive vaginal sarcomas, squamous cell carcinomas, and adenocarcinomas diagnosed between 1988 and 2010 were identified within the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Parametric and nonparametric methods were used to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of women among the three tumor types as well as between sarcoma histologic subtypes. Overall and cancer-specific mortality outcomes were examined using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

The final cohort consisted of 3,121 patients with vaginal squamous cell carcinoma, 720 patients with adenocarcinoma, and 221 patients with sarcoma. Compared with women with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, patients diagnosed with vaginal sarcomas tended to be younger, have larger tumors with less regional extension and lymph node positivity, and be treated primarily with surgery without radiation. In unadjusted analysis, 5-year mortality rates border 30% for all three histologies. After adjusting for other prognostic factors including use of radiation and surgery, patients with vaginal sarcomas had a 69% greater risk of cancer-related mortality compared with patients with squamous cell carcinoma (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.26). Although sarcoma histology failed to associate with mortality risk, age, tumor extension and metastasis, and surgery were poor prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Primary vaginal sarcomas are aggressive neoplasms with different presenting characteristics and increased adjusted risk of mortality compared with squamous cell and adenocarcinoma subtypes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Management Strategies in Advanced Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: Focus on Trabectedin

The treatment of advanced uterine leiomyosarcomas (U-LMS) represents a considerable challenge. Radiological diagnosis prior to hysterectomy is difficult, with the diagnosis frequently made postoperatively. Whilst a total abdominal hysterectomy is the cornerstone of management of early disease, the role of routine adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy is less clear, since they may improve local tumor control in high risk patients but are not associated with an overall survival benefit. For recurrent or disseminated U-LMS, cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment. There have been few active chemotherapy drugs approved for advanced disease, although newer drugs such as trabectedin with its pleiotropic mechanism of actions represent an important addition to the standard front-line systemic therapy with doxorubicin and ifosfamide. In this review, we outline the therapeutic potential and in particular the emerging evidence-based strategy of therapy with trabectedin in patients with advanced U-LMS.

Outcome analysis in patients with uterine sarcoma

PURPOSE

To analyze the prognostic factors for survivals and to evaluate the impact of postoperative whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) on pelvic failure in patients with uterine sarcoma treated with radical surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 75 patients with uterine sarcoma who underwent radical surgery with (n = 22) or without (n = 53) radiotherapy between 1990 and 2010. There were 23 and 52 patients with carcinosarcoma and non-carcinosarcoma (leiomyosarcoma, 22; endometrial stromal sarcoma, 25; others, 5), respectively. The median follow-up period was 64 months (range, 17 to 269 months).

RESULTS

The 5-year overall survival (OS) and pelvic failure-free survival (PFFS) of total patients was 64.2% and 83.4%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that mitotic count (p = 0.006) was a significant predictor of OS. However, factors were not found to be associated with PFFS. On analyzing each of the histologic subtypes separately, postoperative WPRT significantly reduced pelvic failure in patients with carcinosarcoma (10.0% vs. 53.7%; p = 0.046), but not in patients with non-carcinosarcoma (12.5% vs. 9.9%; p = 0.866). Among the patients with carcinosarcoma, 4 patients (17%) had recurrence within the pelvis and 3 patients (13%) had recurrence in other sites as an initial failure, whereas among the patients with non-carcinosarcoma, 3 patients (6%) experienced pelvic failure and 13 patients (25%) experienced distant failure.

CONCLUSION

The most significant predictor of OS was mitotic count. Based on the improved PFFS after postoperative WPRT only in patients with carcinosarcoma and the difference in patterns of failure between histologic subtypes, optimal adjuvant treatment options should be offered to patients based on the risk of recurrence patterns.

Endometrial stromal tumours revisited: an update based on the 2014 WHO classification

Endometrial stromal tumours (EST) are rare tumours of endometrial stromal origin that account for less than 2% of all uterine tumours. Recent cytogenetic and molecular advances in this area have improved our understanding of ESTs and helped refine their classification into more meaningful categories. Accordingly, the newly released 2014 WHO classification system recognises four categories: endometrial stromal nodule (ESN), low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS) and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (UUS). At the molecular level, these tumours may demonstrate a relatively simple karyotype with a defining chromosomal rearrangement (as in the majority of ESNs, LGESSs and YWHAE-rearranged HGESS) or demonstrate complex cytogenetic aberrations lacking specific rearrangements (as in UUSs). Herein we provide an update on this topic aimed at the practicing pathologist.

Distinctive outcome in patients with non-uterine and uterine leiomyosarcoma

Background

Leiomyosarcomas represent the largest subtype of soft tissue sarcomas. Two subgroups can be distinguished, non-uterine (NULMS) and uterine leiomyosarcomas (ULMS). The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate differences in clinical features and outcome between these two subgroups.

Methods

Outcome and clinical-pathological parameters between 50 patients with NULMS and 45 patients with ULMS were assessed, and compared between both groups. Univariate and multivariable survival analyses were performed.

Results

Patients with ULMS presented with larger tumors when compared to patients with NULMS (p < 0.001). More patients with ULMS initially presented with metastatic disease (67% vs. 36%, p = 0.007). Most common metastatic site was lung for both subtypes (28% and 38%). Five-year overall survival (OS) rates of 82.6% and 41.2% and median OS times of 92.6 (range: 79.7-105.4) and 50.4 (range: 34.8-66.0) months were observed in patients with NULMS and ULMS, respectively (p = 0.006). In multivariate analysis, initial metastatic disease remained an independent prognostic factor in terms of OS (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

At time of diagnosis ULMS were larger and more often metastasized. Therefore patients with ULMS showed unfavorable outcome when compared to NULMS. Later diagnosis might be caused by differences in symptoms and clinical presentation or a more aggressive biological tumor behavior.

Pathologic prognostic factors in stage I-III uterine carcinosarcoma treated with postoperative radiotherapy

PURPOSE

To analyse the impact of prognostic factors on specific overall survival (SOS) after postoperative radiotherapy (P-RT) in carcinosarcomas.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 81 patients who received P-RT from 1977 to 2010 after the diagnosis of carcinosarcomas. 2009 FIGO stage: 25-IA, 20-IB, 6-II, 9-IIIA, 11-IIIC. Age, stage, vascular and lymphatic space invasion (VLSI), myometrial invasion, grade, mitotic index, sarcomatous/epithelial components, tumour size and necrosis were considered for the analysis.

STATISTICS

we used the Kaplan-Meier method for survival analysis and the Cox model for risk factor evaluation.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up of the series was 78.86 months (range 7-381). The median age was 72 years (range 51-89). 30 out 81 (37 %) patients relapsed and died (22.2 % pelvic and abdominal, 13.5 % exclusive distant metastasis). On univariate and multivariate analysis only stage had a significant impact on SOS. At 5 years, stage I-II had a SOS of 66 % in comparison with stage III with 30 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Two groups of patients showing different outcome were found after P-RT in uterine carcinosarcomas: stage I-II patients had a life expectancy 2.5-fold longer compared to stage III patients. New therapeutic strategies are warranted in carcinosarcomas considering the high incidence of distant metastasis.