Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG) consensus review for mullerian adenosarcoma of the female genital tract

Application of hysteroscopy in the treatment of Mullerian adenosarcoma of the cervix in an adolescent girl with 7 years of follow-up

BACKGROUND

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the cervix is a rare biphasic tumor composed of a benign epithelial component and a malignant stromal component. Here, we report a rare case of Mullerian adenosarcoma of the cervix in an adolescent girl treated with hysteroscopic resection.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 16-year-old girl presented to the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College in April 2017 with a one-year history of a painless vaginal mass. 10 hours prior to presentation, she had experienced rapid enlargement of the vaginal mass and mild vaginal bleeding. 16 hours after hospitalization, a mass measuring 14 × 10 × 4 cm was spontaneously expelled from the vagina. Histopathological examination of the mass confirmed a diagnosis of Mullerian adenosarcoma. On May 10, 2017, the patient underwent hysteroscopic resection of a cervical lesion and partial cervical resection. After nearly 7 years of follow-up, the tumor has not recurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the cervix is difficult to diagnose in adolescents. For young women affected by low-risk early-stage Mullerian adenosarcoma of the cervix, fertility preserving treatment using hysteroscopic resection with robust follow-up is a reasonable management option.

Survival Trends for Uterine Sarcomas from a Tertiary Center: The Oxford Experience

Uterine sarcomas are rare and aggressive gynecological malignancies. We evaluated the epidemiology, treatment outcomes and survival rates in uterine sarcoma patients managed in our institute. The medical records of women with histology proven uterine sarcoma, including leiomyosarcoma (LMS), adenosarcoma (ADS), and endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), treated at our institution from February 2010 to February 2022, were analyzed. In total, 41 patients were identified. In detail, LMS, ADS, and high-grade and low-grade ESS were identified, respectively, in 60.9%, 19.5%, 12.1%, and 7.3% of the cases. The majority of women affected by LMS (72%) underwent primary surgery and 40% of them also received adjuvant chemotherapy. A surgical approach was the preferred mode of treatment in 83% of the recurrences. The median OS (overall survival), DFS (disease free survival), and PFS (progression free survival) for the LMS group were 25, 44.5, and 8 months, respectively. The 5-year survival rates for LMS, ADS, and ESS groups were 30.5%, 100% and 37.5%, respectively. The 5-year survival for LMS was found to be significantly worse than for other histology types (p = 0.016). Our study provides valuable data for the evaluation of treatment strategies and survival trends among these rare cancers. The management and follow-up planning of each subtype requires a thorough patient-focused multidisciplinary discussion.

Uterine adenosarcoma: Clinical significance of histological classification and SNP array analysis

Mullerian adenosarcoma is a rare malignant biphasic tumor. The mesenchymal component may be low or high grade, with or without sarcomatous overgrowth (SO). Little is known about the molecular heterogeneity of these tumors. In this study, we aim to reclassify a large retrospective monocentric cohort of uterine adenosarcomas according to tumor grade and SO, to evaluate the clinical significance of pathological classification and to correlate with copy-number variations inferred from single nucleotide polymorphism array. Of the 67 uterine adenosarcomas, 18 (26.9%) were low grade without SO, 7 (10.4%) low grade with SO, 8 (11.9%) high grade without SO and 34 (50.7%) high grade with SO. SO, necrosis and RMS were more frequent in high grade than low grade adenosarcomas (p < 0.001). Low-rank test showed that recurrence-free survival was significantly shortened in high grade than low grade adenosarcomas (p = 0.035) and SO was associated with shortened overall and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.038 and p = 0.009, respectively). High-grade tumors displayed complex genomic profiles with multiple segmental losses including TP53, ATM and PTEN genes. The median genomic index was significantly higher in high grade than low grade tumors (27 [3-60] vs 5,3 [0-16], p < 0.0001) and was significantly higher in presence of SO in low grade tumors (12,8 [10-16] vs 2,6 [0-10], p = 0.0006). We propose to report sarcomatous overgrowth with the tumor grade for prognostication in adenosarcoma and representative sampling is crucial for evaluation of these histological criteria.

Gynecological sarcomas, surgical management: primary, metastatic, and recurrent disease

Adult-type gynecological soft tissue and visceral sarcomas are rare tumors, with an estimated incidence of 13% of all sarcomas and 4% of all gynecological malignancies. They most often develop in the uterus (83%), followed by the ovaries (8%), vulva and vagina (5%), and other gynecological organs (2%). The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the current management of gynecological sarcomas, according to international guidelines. The management of gynecological sarcomas should follow the recommendations for the management of soft tissue and visceral sarcomas. Centralizing cases in expert centers improves patient survival, both for the diagnostic phase and for multidisciplinary therapeutic management. In the case of pelvic soft tissue sarcomas, a radiological biopsy is essential before any surgical decision is taken. In the case of a myometrial tumour which may correspond to a sarcoma, if conservative surgery such as myomectomy or morcellation is planned, an ultrasound-guided biopsy with pathological analysis including comparative genomic hybridization analysis must be carried out. In all cases, en bloc surgery, without rupture, is mandatory. Many rare histological subtypes require specific surgical management.

The uterine adenosarcoma with postoperative residual in a woman treated by total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

In patients with uterine adenosarcoma, a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) is typically recommended as an initial treatment. There is no consensus on adjuvant therapies.

CASE

We report the case of a patient with uterine adenosarcoma with postoperative residual disease. We performed four courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, including Ifosfamide, Mesna, and Adriamycin, and whole pelvic radiation with a dose of 50.4 Gy/28 Fr.

CONCLUSION

A combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be a promising treatment option for uterine adenosarcoma with postoperative residual disease.

[Uterin adenosarcoma: French Guidelines of the French Sarcoma Group and the Rare Gynecologic Tumor Group]

Uterine adenosarcoma is a very rare malignancy defined as a biphasic tumor composed of both benign epithelial component and a malignant sarcoma component. The stage of the disease is determined by the presence of myometrial invasion and the extent of extra-uterine disease. The most important histopronostic factors are the existence of a sarcomatous overgrowth defined by a sarcomatous contingent occupying more than 25 % of the volume of the tumor (directly correlated to the grade of the disease), the presence of a heterologous and/or a high-grade component. Stage I adenosarcomas without sarcomatous overgrowth have a good prognosis, with an overall 5-year survival of up to 80 %. In localized disease, complete surgical removal is recommended. The role of hormone therapy, chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy is not established. If possible, relapses should be re-treated surgically, with the aim of achieving complete resection. In the advanced inoperable or metastatic setting, hormone therapy is an option for low-grade adenosarcomas with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) overexpression. For high-grade tumors, the standard chemotherapies are doxorubicin-based combinations, although an integrated approach of surgery and medical treatment should also be considered in this setting.

Mullerian adenosarcoma: clinicopathologic and molecular characterization highlighting recurrent BAP1 loss and distinctive features of high-grade tumors

Mullerian adenosarcoma is an uncommon mesenchymal tumor of the gynecologic tract. Most cases are low-grade, while high-grade adenosarcomas are rare and not well studied. Herein, we characterize the clinicopathologic and molecular features of 27 adenosarcomas of gynecologic origin, enriched for high-grade tumors subjected to targeted panel sequencing. Sarcomatous overgrowth was more frequently seen in high-grade compared to low-grade tumors (12/17, 71%, vs 1/10, 10%, p = 0.004) and heterologous elements were exclusive to high-grade cases (n = 7, p = 0.03). All deaths were from high-grade disease (advanced primary, n = 2, or recurrence, n = 5). Genetic alterations specific to high-grade adenosarcomas have known associations with chromosome instability, including TP53 mutations (n = 4) and amplifications of MDM2 (n = 2) and CCNE1 (n = 2). Somatic ATRX frameshift mutations were found in 2 patients with high-grade recurrences following a primary low-grade adenosarcoma and ATRX deletion in 1 high-grade adenosarcoma with an adjacent low-grade component. The fraction of genome altered by copy number alterations was significantly higher in high-grade compared to low-grade adenosarcomas (P = 0.001). Other recurrent genetic alterations across the entire cohort included BAP1 homozygous deletions (n = 4), DICER1 mutations (n = 4), ARID1A mutations (n = 3), TERT promoter mutations (n = 2) and amplification (n = 1), as well as alterations involving members of the PI3K and MAPK signaling pathways. One tumor harbored an ESR1-NCOA3 fusion and another had an MLH1 homozygous deletion. Immunohistochemical analysis for BAP1 revealed loss of nuclear expression in 6/24 (25%) cases, including all four tumors with BAP1 deletions. Notably, out of 196 mesenchymal neoplasms of gynecologic origin, BAP1 homozygous deletion was only found in adenosarcomas (P = 0.0003). This study demonstrates that high-grade adenosarcomas are heterogeneous at the molecular level and are characterized by genomic instability and TP53 mutations; ATRX loss may be involved in high-grade transformation of low-grade adenosarcoma; and BAP1 inactivation appears to be a specific pathogenic driver in a subset of adenosarcomas.

[Endometrial and other rare uterine sarcomas : Diagnostic aspects in the context of the 2020 WHO classification]

Uterine sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies. Mostly (40-50%), they are leiomyosarcomas, followed by endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS), low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG), as well as undifferentiated sarcoma of the uterus (UUS) and adenosarcomas (AS). Other, non-organ-specific tumours such as NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasia, perivascular epithelioid cell tumour (PEComa) and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) are extremely difficult to differentiate.In the most recent WHO classification, endometrial stromal tumours are subdivided as follows: benign, expansively growing endometrial stromal nodule (ESN) with sharp demarcation, the histologically similar-looking LG-ESS with infiltrative growth, the highly malignant HG-ESS and, as a diagnosis of exclusion, the highly aggressive UUS lacking specific lines of differentiation. LG-ESS can be differentiated from HG-ESS in most cases histomorphologically and immunohistochemically, but molecular investigations are necessary in individual cases. HG-ESS can be divided into 4 subtypes (YWHAE/NUTM2 fusion low-grade component, YWHAE/NUTM2 fusion high-grade component, ZC3H7B-BCOR fusion or BCOR-ITD) on the basis of molecular findings. Prognostically unfavourable factors in AS are severe sarcomatous overgrowth, deep myometrial invasion, high-grade histology and lymphatic vessel invasion. Tumours with NTRK fusion are immunohistochemically positive for S100 and TRK. PEComas express cathepsin K and HMB45, as well as TFE3 when translocation is present. Almost every IMT shows an alteration in the ALK gene In the case of overlapping morphology and simultaneous therapeutic and prognostic relevance, it is becoming increasingly important to verify or confirm the suspected histomorphological diagnosis by immunohistochemical and possibly molecular investigations.

Uterine Sarcomas: How to Navigate an Ever-Growing List of Subtypes

Uterine sarcomas are rare mesenchymal tumors that are aggressive cancers. The rarity of these tumors, and consequently limited prospective data, has made surgical management of uterine sarcomas challenging. One major obstacle in the management of uterine sarcomas is establishing the diagnosis prior to surgery, which is crucial for appropriate intraoperative management. This paper serves to review aspects of surgical management of uterine sarcomas that remain unanswered. Distinguishing common benign myomas from rare uterine sarcomas is important for operative planning and subspecialty care because benign myomas are frequently managed with minimally invasive hysterectomy or myomectomy, whereas the mainstay of management of uterine sarcomas is hysterectomy without specimen fragmentation. Preoperative clinical presentation, serum studies, imaging, and histologic examination all have limitations in establishing a preoperative diagnosis. In addition, patients are often of reproductive age and desire fertility preservation. Although surgery remains the cornerstone for management, high-quality data guiding best practices are sparse. Morcellation should be avoided. Expert pathologic review, imaging to assess for metastatic disease, and consideration of hormone receptor testing are advisable. Recent data have further informed surgical approach and fertility preservation in early-stage disease, but controversy remains. Despite substantial advancement in the medical management of uterine sarcomas, surgical management of uterine sarcomas remain challenging. Larger studies with long-term follow-up are needed to guide fertility preservation surgery options, both local resection and ovarian preservation, further in young women. Development of novel methods to differentiate between benign and malignant uterine masses is needed.

[Interdisciplinary S2k guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of uterine sarcomas-recommendations for surgical pathology]

Uterine sarcomas represent a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies, derived from the myometrium, the endometrial stroma, and very rarely from the nonspecialized uterine soft tissue. The actual incidence is about 1.5 for Caucasian and 3.0 for Afro-American women. There is no grading system for leimoysarcoma defined by the WHO classification; however, if clinicians request, the FNCLCC grading can be specified in analogy to soft tissue sarcomas. Adenosarcomas must be distinguished from adenofibromas (the existence of which is questionable)-with the vast majority of these tumors being uterine adenosarcomas. Within adenosarcomas, deep myometrial invasion (>50%), sarcomatous overgrowth, and a high-grade heterologous component are associated with a higher recurrence rate and poor survival. The immunohistochemical panel represents a very helpful tool for distinguishing low-grade from high grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) and may be supplemented by molecular analyses. Steroid hormone receptor analysis should be performed for all ESS due to the possible therapeutic relevance. Undifferentiated uterine sarcomas represent a diagnosis of exclusion and have a very poor prognosis. Carcinosarcomas represent a special subtype of endometrial carcinomas and are in fact not uterine sarcomas. Uterine sarcomas may present substantial intratumoral heterogeneity and adequate embedding is mandatory. Lesions ≤2 cm in the largest dimension should be processed completely and larger tumors should be processed with one block per centimeter for the largest tumor dimension.

A randomized double-blind phase II study evaluating the role of maintenance therapy with cabozantinib in high-grade uterine sarcoma after stabilization or response to doxorubicin ± ifosfamide following surgery or in metastatic first line treatment (EORTC62113)

BACKGROUND

Uterine sarcomas are a group of rare tumors that include different subtypes. Patients with histopathological high-grade diseases are at high-risk of recurrence or progression, and have a poor prognosis. We aim to explore the most appropriate management in patients with uterine high-grade sarcomas.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of maintenance treatment with cabozantinib in patients with high-grade uterine sarcomas who achieved clinical benefit after standard chemotherapy.

STUDY HYPOTHESIS

Maintenance treatment with cabozantinib after standard chemotherapy given as an adjuvant treatment after curative surgery, or in locally advanced or metastatic disease, increases progression-free survival compared with placebo TRIAL DESIGN: This is a randomized double blinded phase II trial.

MAJOR INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA

The study is enrolling adult patients with high-grade undifferentiated uterine sarcomas, high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas, high-grade leiomyosarcoma, and high-grade adenosarcoma, FIGO (Federation International gynecologue Obstétricien) stage II/III to IV in stable disease or who achieved complete or partial response with doxorubicin ± ifosfamide, who are assigned 1:1 to 60 mg daily cabozantinib (experimental arm) or placebo (control arm), as maintenance therapy. Exclusion criteria include low-grade sarcoma.

PRIMARY ENDPOINT

Progression-free survival at 4 months.

SAMPLE SIZE

The study plans to enroll 90 patients to allow the randomization of 54 patients to detect an improvement in 4-month progression-free survival from 50% to 80% with 15% significance level and 85% power. Estimated dates for accrual completion: recruitment for the trial started in February 2015, and has currently enrolled 83 patients, of whom 35 patients have been randomized. The end of recruitment is anticipated for December 2020.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01979393.

Conservative management of uterine adenosarcoma: lessons learned from 20 years of follow-up

Purpose

Uterine adenosarcomas (UAs) account for 5–8% of cases of uterine sarcomas. Treatment includes total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO).

Fertility preservation is an emerging concept in gynaecology oncology and is particularly relevant in UA, where cases are diagnosed as young as 15-year-old. This manuscript demonstrates a case of UA which was treated conservatively, achieved successful livebirths and underwent completion hysterectomy after two decades of follow-up.

Method

This was a retrospective case note review.

Results

An 18-year-old nulliparous woman presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Ultrasound identified an endometrial polyp, which was histologically diagnosed as low-grade adenosarcoma. She was advised to undergo TAH and BSO, but instead decided to preserve her fertility and opted for conservative management. She was monitored with pelvic ultrasound, hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy bi-annually, with annual pelvic magnetic resonance imaging for 10 years which was uneventful. 11 years post-operatively she conceived following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) but suffered a miscarriage at 16 weeks likely due to cervical incompetence. She subsequently conceived with twins. She delivered spontaneously preterm at 28 weeks. Both children are alive and well. After 20 years of follow-up, she underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy with no evidence of recurrence. She remains disease free.

Conclusion

Whilst radical completion surgery should be advised in UA, this case, in addition to all published conservatively managed cases of UA, demonstrates that conservative management is possible in appropriately selected women. Intensive monitoring post-operatively is essential owing to the risk of recurrence; however, this may pose deleterious side effects which require consideration.

Uterine and Cervical Adenosarcoma: A Retrospective Study of Overall Oncologic Outcomes and Fertility Preservation in Early-Stage Disease

BACKGROUND

The management of adenosarcoma is based on the limited available data. This study aimed to explore the characteristics and oncologic outcomes of patients with uterine and cervical adenosarcoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 21 and 32 cases of cervical and uterine adenosarcoma, respectively, were retrospectively reviewed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between April 2006 and March 2019.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 37.5 months (range, 1-153 months). The disease progression rate (DPR) was significantly higher in patients with uterine adenosarcoma compared with those with cervical adenosarcoma (28.1% vs. 4.8%). The curve of progression-free survival significantly differed. For those with cervical adenosarcoma, the presence of a tumor stalk was a protective factor, whereas heterologous elements (HE) presented a risk factor for disease progression. For those with uterine adenosarcoma, the presence of a tumor stalk was an independent protective factor, whereas lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) was an independent risk factor for disease progression. Moreover, HE was an independent risk factor for mortality. Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) was performed in four and five patients with cervical and uterine adenosarcoma, respectively. Regarding FSS, combined with cases in previous studies, the DPR of patients with uterine adenosarcoma was relatively higher compared with those with cervical adenosarcoma.

CONCLUSION

We found that cervical adenosarcoma had a better prognosis than uterine adenosarcoma. The presence of a tumor stalk was a protective factor, whereas HE and LVSI were risk factors for prognosis. For those with uterine adenosarcoma, if FSS was administered, robust evaluation would be necessary. The small sample size limits the ability to make any strong conclusions about FSS.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Uterine cervical adenosarcoma had a better prognosis than uterine adenosarcoma. For patients with cervical adenosarcoma, the presence of a tumor stalk was a protective factor and the presence of heterologous elements (HE) was a risk factor for disease progression. For those with uterine adenosarcoma, the presence of a tumor stalk was a protective factor and lymphovascular space invasion was a risk factor for disease progression. Moreover, HE was a risk factor for mortality. Regarding fertility-sparing surgery (FSS), the disease progression rate was higher in patients with uterine adenosarcoma compared with those with cervical adenosarcoma. For patients with uterine adenosarcoma, if FSS was administered, hysteroscopy and robust imaging evaluation would be necessary.

Imaging Description of Extragenital Müllerian Adenosarcoma: A Case Report

Müllerian adenosarcoma is a very rare gynecological disease, comprising 5% of uterine sarcomas. Extragenital localizations are even rarer. We report a very interesting case of a 27-year-old woman complaining of pelvic pain, with a subsequent diagnosis of extragenital Müllerian adenosarcoma. This is the first case reported in the literature with a complete and wide imaging description. Even if rare, Müllerian adenosarcoma should be hypothesized in case of young female patients presenting with suspicious pelvic mass.

The Importance of Lymphovascular Invasion in Uterine Adenosarcomas: Analysis of Clinical, Prognostic, and Treatment Outcomes

Objective

This retrospective study examined the clinicopathologic features of adenosarcoma patients to determine potential prognostic factors and retrospectively evaluated overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) after primary treatment of adenosarcoma including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Methods

One hundred sixty-five patients with adenosarcoma were identified from the MD Anderson Cancer Center tumor registry between 1982 and 2014. Clinical data were collected retrospectively. Pathologic characteristics were examined by sarcoma pathologists. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate OS, DFS, and LRFS. The log-rank test was performed to test the difference in survival between groups. Multivariate regression analyses of survival data were conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

Median OS and DFS for all patients were 8.5 and 4.7 years, respectively. Pathologic characteristics that influence OS and DFS were sarcomatous overgrowth (SO), myometrial invasion (MI), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), tumor size, number of mitosis, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, age, and resection status. Median OS for adenosarcoma patients with SO was 5.2 versus 14.5 years for patients without SO (P < 0.0001). Median OS for adenosarcoma patients with MI was 5.8 years versus not reached for patients without MI (P = 0.0005). Median OS for adenosarcoma patients with LVI was 1.0 versus 8.9 years for patients without LVI (P = 0.0021). On Cox analysis for OS and DFS and LRFS, only SO, MI, LVI, age, resection status, and FIGO stage remained significant. There was no difference in OS or LRFS for adjuvant radiation versus no adjuvant radiation (P = 0.17, P = 0.076).

Conclusions

This study highlights the importance of LVI as a prognostic factor and confirms the prognostic significance of SO, MI, age, resection status, and FIGO stage for adenosarcoma. Furthermore, this study suggests that there is no additional benefit to adjuvant radiation. The standard-of-care treatment for adenosarcoma should remain total abdominal hysterectomy bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy +/− lymphadenectomy and no adjuvant radiation.

Uterine Adenosarcoma with Sarcomatous Overgrowth: A Case Report of Aggressive Disease in a 16-Year-Old Girl and a Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Uterine adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth (ASSO) is a rare and aggressive disease. A case of a 16-year-old girl with uterine ASSO is reported herein. The patient received surgical resection and chemotherapy and remained alive without disease 11 months after the surgery.

CASE

A 16-year-old girl was diagnosed with uterine ASSO, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2009) stage I c. She underwent total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, and chemotherapy. She remains alive and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence on follow-up physical, laboratory, and ultrasound scan examinations.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Surgery is the primary treatment for uterine ASSO, total abdominal or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy with or without bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy are recommended. Early surgical resection might increase survival of uterine adenosarcoma. Long-term follow-up of the patients is recommended because of the high chance of recurrence.

Uterine preservation in a young patient with adenosarcoma of the uterus - Case report and review of literature

•

A young lady with uterine sarcoma had a successful delivery 3 years after diagnosis.

•

Local recurrence occurred after 8 years.

•

Ultrasound and endometrial biopsy can be used in the follow-up of these patients.

•

Patients should be counselled on risk of late recurrence.

A Single-Centre Experience on the Management of Adenosarcoma: A Successful Report of an Integrated Medical and Surgical Approach

Adenosarcomas are the rarest form of uterine sarcomas, and clinical experience with their management is still limited. Here, we reported 7 patients with uterine adenosarcoma referred to our institution, focusing on main pathologic features, their medical history, and long-term follow-up. Among these patients, we provided a detailed description of the medical history of a 49-year-old woman with advanced uterine adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth who presented a brilliant radiologic and pathologic response after 3 cycles of epirubicin and ifosfamide, ultimately achieving an extraordinary long-term outcome through an integrated surgical and medical approach. Our single-centre experience would suggest that aggressive uterine adenosarcomas with sarcomatous overgrowth are sensitive to standard epirubicin and ifosfamide and that an integrated approach, both medical and surgical, could be considered in clinical practice, again emphasizing the relevant role of multidisciplinary management for this extremely rare disease.

Uterine Adenosarcoma: a Review

Adenosarcomas are rare malignancies of the female genital tract, accounting for approximately 5 % of uterine sarcomas. Occasionally, adenosarcoma occurs in the ovaries or in extra-uterine tissue, which may be related to endometriosis. These tumors are characterized by benign epithelial elements and a malignant mesenchymal component. Pathologic diagnosis is dependent on the identification of the characteristic morphologic features. The most common immunohistochemical markers for adenosarcoma are CD10 and WT1, but these are not specific. The most frequent presenting symptom is abnormal uterine bleeding. The majority of patients present with stage I disease, with a 5-year overall survival of 60 to 80 %. Survival is influenced by the presence of myometrial invasion, sarcomatous overgrowth, lymphovascular invasion, necrosis, and the presence of heterologous elements including rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. Patients with sarcomatous overgrowth have significantly increased risk of recurrence 23 versus 77 % and decreased 5-year overall survival 50 to 60 %. Standard of care treatment is total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without lymphadenectomy, as the incidence of lymph node metastasis is rare. Retrospective data does not support the use of adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy in uterine adenosarcomas as no survival benefit is seen. Insufficient data exists to recommend routinely neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy for uterine adenosarcomas. Limited evidence exists for the role of hormonal therapy in uterine adenosarcomas. The PIK3/AKT/PTEN pathway is mutated in ∼70 % of adenosarcomas, and this may represent a possible therapeutic target. This article reviews the current state of knowledge concerning uterine adenosarcoma and discusses the management of this rare tumor.

[Grading of gynecological tumors : Current aspects]

Histopathological assessment of the tumor grade and cell type is central to the management and prognosis of various gynecological malignancies. Conventional grading systems for squamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the vulva, vagina and cervix are poorly defined. For endometrioid tumors of the female genital tract as well as for mucinous endometrial, ovarian and seromucinous ovarian carcinomas, the 3‑tiered FIGO grading system is recommended. For uterine neuroendocrine tumors the grading system of the gastrointestinal counterparts has been adopted. Uterine leiomyosarcomas are not graded. Endometrial stromal sarcomas are divided into low and high grades, based on cellular morphology, immunohistochemical and molecular findings. A chemotherapy response score was established for chemotherapeutically treated high-grade serous pelvic cancer. For non-epithelial ovarian malignancies, only Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors and immature teratomas are graded. At this time molecular profiling has no impact on the grading of tumors of the female genital tract.

Extensive Overgrowth of Sex Cord-Like Differentiation in Uterine Mullerian Adenosarcoma: A Rare and Challenging Entity

Sex cord-like differentiation has been well documented in endometrial stromal tumors. On the basis of the extent of sex cord differentiation, uterine stromal tumors with this kind of differentiation have been classified into 2 subgroups of endometrial stromal tumor with sex cord-like elements and uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumor. When extensive, this differentiation has been accompanied with indolent clinical behavior and rather good prognosis in most cases. Sex cord differentiation has been rarely observed in uterine mullerian adenosarcoma. Only 3 cases of such occurrence have been reported in the English literature. Herein, we report a case of uterine mullerian adenosarcoma extensively overgrown by uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex cord tumor in a young woman. The presence of an ovarian sex cord tumor component has been confirmed by immunohistochemistry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second report of such a case in the English literature.

The Impact on Survival of an Extensive Sex Cord-like Component in Mullerian Adenosarcomas: A Study Comprising 6 Cases

Mullerian adenosarcomas are uncommon tumors of the female genital tract characterized by a synchronous proliferation of benign glands and sarcomatous stroma. In general, uterine Mullerian adenosarcomas are associated with a low risk of recurrence. The presence of "stromal overgrowth" (SO), historically defined by an estimate of the volume of sarcoma growing independently of epithelium, is associated with deep myometrial invasion, presence of heterologous elements, and poor outcomes. Very rarely, the stromal component can harbor foci resembling ovarian sex cord tumors (FROSCT). The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of an extensive FROSCT component in Mullerian adenosarcomas has an impact on survival, akin to more typical types of SO. Six patients were included in this study. Age ranged from 39 to 71 yr. Five patients presented with uterine lesions (4 intracavitary, 1 isthmic), and 1 was located in the ovary. Tumors ranging in size from 2.5 to 19 cm were all diagnosed as Stage I. Morphologically, all had prominent FROSCT-like components that comprised 60% to 90% of tumor volume. Immunohistochemically, the FROSCT component was positive for CAM 5.2, vimentin, WT1, CD56, α-inhibin, calretinin, androgen and progesterone receptors, α-actin, and desmin. All patients are alive without disease at 26 to 102 mo. Compared with adenosarcomas with typical forms of SO, FROSCT overgrowth is low grade and not associated with recurrence or metastasis in this small series. Therefore, Mullerian adenosarcoma with extensive FROSCT should not be equated with SO.

Uterine adenosarcomas: A dual-institution experience

There has been limited literature about treatment and follow-up strategies of uterine adenosarcomas because of their rare nature. For this study we retrospectively investigated the medical database of the two major womens' health hospitals in Turkey. A total of 15 patients were identified from the hospital's database. Median follow-up was 86.43 months for all patients. Seven out of 15 patients had recurrences during their follow-up. Among these 7 patients, 4 of them had stage IA disease. Median Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS) were calculated as 41.47 and 57.21 months, respectively. According to our study, polypoid tumours confined to the uterus with superficial myometrial invasion can be treated without comprehensive surgical staging. We believe that, publishing all the data in an organised manner even though they are small in size, gives us an opportunity to design meta-analysis for the development of more appropriate treatment strategies.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding in women with gynaecological malignancies

Abnormal vaginal bleeding is a common gynaecological symptom, and most causes are benign. International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics proposed a PALM-COEIN classification in 2011 to decrease heterogeneity in studies. The gynaecological malignancies that present with abnormal bleeding vary according to the age of the patient and the origin (upper versus lower genital tract). It is important that a thorough history and examination is performed to make this distinction. The common malignancies presenting symptoms and treatment are discussed in this article according to the age of the patient. There is a considerable overlap between the reproductive age and menopause. This article focuses on children, adolescents and women in the reproductive age group.

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the uterus associated with tamoxifen treatment for breast cancer

Mullerian adenosarcoma following tamoxifen therapy is a rare condition. Our aim was to report the youngest patient in the literature with uterine mullerian adenosarcoma who was undergoing tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer. A premenopausal woman aged 38 years who was undergoing tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer, was admitted with symptoms of lower abdominal pain and irregular vaginal bleeding and malodorous vaginal discharge that had continued for at least 6 months. A pelvic examination revealed a large and malodorous polypoid mass protruding through the cervix and an enlarged uterus. A biopsy from the protruding polypoid mass was reported as a large area of necrosis with neoplastic mesenchymal cells. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy, pelvic-paraaortic lymph node dissection, and omentectomie. The histologic diagnosis was Mullerian adenosarcoma. As a result, she was discharged to the oncology department. The woman is alive and her chemoradiotherapy treatment is ongoing. The role of tamoxifen therapy in the development of endometrial neoplasms remains unclear, but all cases of endometrial thickening and vaginal bleeding must be investigated for Mullerian adenosarcoma in tamoxifen users.