Prognostic impact of lymphadenectomy in uterine clear cell carcinoma

Prognostic nomogram for predicting the overall survival rate of patients with uterine clear-cell carcinoma: Based on SEER database

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk factors for uterine clear-cell carcinoma (UCCC) and construct nomograms predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of patients with UCCC.

METHODS

The demographic and clinical information of 1674 patients diagnosed with UCCC between 2004 and 2015, including age, race, marital status, tumor size, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and details of surgery and radiotherapy/chemotherapy, was collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. After excluding patients with unknown AJCC stage, race, marital status, or lymph node information, 1469 patients remained. Risk factors were determined using univariate and multivariate analyses, and nomograms were developed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival of UCCC. Various indicators were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram, such as the C-index, net classification improvement (NRI) and decision curve analysis (DCA).

RESULTS

Age, log odds of positive lymph nodes, AJCC stage, surgery status, and chemotherapy status were independent risk factors for UCCC. The C-indexes of the training group and AJCC stage groups were 0.771 and 0.697, respectively. The results for the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, NRI, and calibration curves indicated that the nomogram had good predictive ability. DCA revealed that the nomogram had greater clinical applicability than AJCC stage alone. Internal validation using the validation cohort also demonstrated that this nomogram had good predictive performance.

CONCLUSION

A new nomogram comprising a combination of demographic and clinical characteristics provided better survival predictions than the AJCC staging system alone, which will facilitate prognostic assessments and clinical decision-making.

Endometrial clear cell carcinoma: A population-based study

Background

A systematic analysis of prognostic factors concerning endometrial clear cell carcinoma (ECCC) is lacking. The current study aimed to construct nomograms predicting the overall survival (OS) of ECCC patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study, and predicted nomograms for 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were established. The nomograms were verified with the consistency index (C-index), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

A total of 1778 ECCC patients, 991 from FIGO stage I/II and 787 from FIGO stage III/IV, were included in this study. The age at diagnosis, marital status, T stage, tumor size, and surgery-independent prognostic factors in FIGO stage I/II, and the age at diagnosis, T stage, lymph node involvement, distant metastasis, tumor size, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in FIGO stage III/IV were independent prognostic factors. The C-indexes of the training and validation group were 0.766 and 0.697 for FIGO stage I/II and 0.721 and 0.708 for FIGO stage III/IV, respectively. The calibration curve revealed good agreement between nomogram-predicted and actual observation values. The DCA established that nomograms had better clinical benefits than the traditional FIGO stage.

Conclusions

The predicted nomograms showed good accuracy, excellent discrimination ability, and clinical benefits, depicting their usage in clinical practice.

Prognostic factors in clear cell carcinoma of endometrium: analysis of 55 cases

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and pathologic prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the endometrium.

METHODS

A retrospective review of fifty-five patients with endometrial clear cell carcinoma were collected.

RESULTS

The median overall and disease-free survivals were 40 and 20 months, respectively. A univariate analysis was performed with respect to stage of disease, age, lymph nodes status, myometrium invasion, lymph vascular space invasion and adjuvant therapy. Stage was found to be the only important prognostic factor related to survival. In fact, early stage had a median survival of 77 months compared to 34 months in the advanced disease (p<0.04). These differences remained significant after adjusting for single stage (stage III versus IV).    Conclusions: Endometrial CCC is a rare histotype. Advanced stage disease is considered a poor prognostic factor. Recurrences are high even in early stage. Randomized clinical trials are needed.

Adjuvant vaginal interventional radiotherapy in early-stage non-endometrioid carcinoma of corpus uteri: a systematic review

Purpose

This systematic review focused on rare histological types of corpus uteri malignancy, including uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), and uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), and it is proposed to assist with clinical decision-making. Adjuvant treatment decisions must be made based on available evidences. We mainly investigated the role of vaginal interventional radiotherapy (VIRt) in UCS, UCCC, and UPSC managements.

Material and methods

A systematic research using PubMed and Cochrane library was conducted to identify full articles evaluating the efficacy of VIRt in early-stage UPSC, UCCC, and UCS. A search in ClinicalTrials.gov was performed in order to detect ongoing or recently completed trials as well as in PROSPERO for ongoing or recently completed systematic reviews. Survival outcomes and toxicity rates were obtained.

Results

All studies were retrospective. For UCS, the number of evaluated patients was 432. The 2- to 5-year average local control (LC) was 91% (range, 74.2-96%), disease-free survival (DFS) 88% (range, 82-94%), overall survival (OS) 79% (range, 53.8-84.3%), the average 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 70% (range, 70-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%. For UCCC, the number of investigated patients was 335 (UCCC – 124, mixed – 211), with an average 5-year LC of 100%, DFS of 83% (range, 82-90%), OS of 93% (range, 83-100%), and G3-G4 toxicity of 0%. For UPSC, the number of examined patients was 1,092 (UPSC – 866, mixed – 226). The average 5-year LC was 97% (range, 87.1-100%), DFS 84% (range, 74.7-95.6%), OS 93% (range, 71.9-100%), CSS 89% (range, 78.9-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%.

Conclusions

These data suggest that in adequately selected early-stage UPSC and UCCC patients, VIRt alone may be suitable in women who underwent surgical staging and received adjuvant chemotherapy. In early-stage UCS, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach has to be planned, considering high-rate of pelvic and distant relapses.

Contemporary management of uterine clear cell carcinoma: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) review and recommendation

Uterine clear cell cancer (UCCC) is a rare but aggressive disease. Due to its rarity, large, prospective studies focused on UCCC are exceedingly difficult therefore available data are generally from small, retrospective studies. There is also pertinent information from subsection analysis of larger studies that include UCCC and other histotypes. In 2009, the clinical practice committee of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) published a review on UCCC aimed at guiding management. Since that publication, there have been developments which are relevant to UCCC, these include availability of data from landmark trials regarding adjuvant therapy, increasing utilization of sentinel lymph node approach and availability of immunotherapy as a treatment option. This SGO review is updated with all relevant, published information since 2009 considered clinically important for management of UCCC. In addition, it follows the new SGO's style for this type of publication which includes utilization of the question and answer format.

Association of Lymph Node Count and Overall Survival in Node-Negative Endometrial Cancers

Purpose

To estimate whether the number of lymph nodes removed during surgery is associated with overall survival among women with endometrial cancer.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of women with node-negative, stage I to IIIB endometrial cancer (n = 152,702) identified from the 1998-2011 National Cancer Database. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression tested for an association of lymph node count with survival. Restricted mean survival and relative hazard curves were plotted for survival as a function of number of removed lymph nodes.

Results

Among women with node-negative endometrioid endometrial cancer, for each additional five lymph nodes removed, the hazard for death decreased: stage I, the hazard ratio (HR) was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93 to 0.97; P < .001), stage II, HR was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.87 to 0.94; P < .001); and stage IIIA-B, HR was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88 to 0.96; P < .001). When grouped by grade, each additional five lymph nodes removed was also associated with decreased hazard for death: grade 1, HR was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93 to 0.99; P = .009); grade 2,HR was0.91 (95%CI, 0.89 to0.94; P <.001);and grade 3,HR was 0.95 (95%CI, 0.92 to 0.97; P <.001). Increased lymph node dissection was also associated with increased survival among women with node-negative stage II (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.98; P = .01) or stage IIIA-B (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.89 to 0.99; P = .025) uterine serous carcinoma, but not among women with carcinosarcoma or clear cell adeno-carcinoma. Five-year survival for women with one to four nodes removed and endometrioid or serous histology was 85% (95% CI, 84% to 85%) and 54% (95% CI, 50% to 59%), respectively. Five-year survival was significantly higher for women with ≥ 20 removed nodes and endometrioid (91%; 95% CI, 90% to 91%) or serous (72%; 95% CI, 68% to 76%) histology (P < .001).

Conclusion

Increased lymph node count is associated with a 1% to 14% decreased hazard of death per each additional five lymph nodes removed and a 5% to 20% increased 5-year survival among women with pathologically node-negative endometrioid and serous endometrial cancers.

Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes in surgically-staged non-invasive uterine clear cell carcinoma: a Turkish Gynecologic Oncology Group study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prognosis of surgically-staged non-invasive uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), and to determine the role of adjuvant therapy.

METHODS

A multicenter, retrospective department database review was performed to identify patients with UCCC who underwent surgical treatment between 1997 and 2016 at 8 Gynecologic Oncology Centers. Demographic, clinicopathological, and survival data were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 232 women with UCCC were identified. Of these, 53 (22.8%) had surgically-staged non-invasive UCCC. Twelve patients (22.6%) were upstaged at surgical assessment, including a 5.6% rate of lymphatic dissemination (3/53). Of those, 1 had stage IIIA, 1 had stage IIIC1, 1 had stage IIIC2, and 9 had stage IVB disease. Of the 9 women with stage IVB disease, 5 had isolated omental involvement indicating omentum as the most common metastatic site. UCCC limited only to the endometrium with no extra-uterine disease was confirmed in 41 women (73.3%) after surgical staging. Of those, 13 women (32%) were observed without adjuvant treatment whereas 28 patients (68%) underwent adjuvant therapy. The 5-year disease-free survival rates for patients with and without adjuvant treatment were 100.0% vs. 74.1%, respectively (p=0.060).

CONCLUSION

Extra-uterine disease may occur in the absence of myometrial invasion (MMI), therefore comprehensive surgical staging including omentectomy should be the standard of care for women with UCCC regardless of the depth of MMI. Larger cohorts are needed in order to clarify the necessity of adjuvant treatment for women with UCCC truly confined to the endometrium.

Utilization and Role of Adjuvant Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Uterine Clear Cell Carcinoma: A National Cancer Data Base Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Because of the rarity of uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), a National Cancer Data Base analysis was conducted to evaluate practice patterns and implications of adjuvant therapy.

METHODS

The National Cancer Data Base was queried for UCCC patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2011. Patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy, lacking surgical staging, or having follow-up time shorter than 6 months were excluded. Factors associated with utilization were assessed using logistic regression. To define the probability of receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CT + RT), propensity scores with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. Log-rank test and multivariable IPTW-adjusted Cox proportional hazards modeling were then conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 2504 patients were identified, with a median follow-up of 65.5 months. Most patients had FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage I to II UCCC (71.4%). Adjuvant RT alone, CT alone, or CT + RT was given in 35.3%, 9.5%, and 11.7%, respectively. Among those receiving RT, external beam was the most common modality (69.4%). Later year of diagnosis (>2005: odds ratio [OR], 4.42; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.44-8.01), higher FIGO stage (IIIA-IIIC2: OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 3.93-10.24), larger tumor size (3.6-5.0 cm: OR, 3.40; 95% CI, 1.76-6.55), and lymph node dissection (OR, 4.22; 95% CI, 1.60-11.15) were associated with a higher chance of receiving CT + RT. With IPTW-adjusted multivariable analysis, CT + RT significantly decreased mortality risk in stage III to IVA patients (hazards ratio, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22-0.77), trending toward benefit in stage I to II patients (hazards ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.27-1.07).

CONCLUSIONS

In this hospital-based registry analysis of UCCC, adjuvant CT + RT significantly reduced the risk of death, reaching statistical significance for stage III to IVA patients.

Patterns of Care, Predictors, and Outcomes of Adjuvant Therapy for Early- and Advanced-Stage Uterine Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Population-Based Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to examine the patterns of care and the impact of chemotherapy and radiation on survival in women diagnosed with uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC). The primary outcomes of this analysis were receipt of treatment within 6 months of diagnosis and overall survival.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Women diagnosed with UCCC from 2003 to 2011 were identified through the National Cancer Data Base. Standard univariate and multivariable analyses with logistic regression were performed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to generate overall survival data. Factors predictive of outcome were evaluated using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

A total of 3212 patients were identified. Chemotherapy, radiation, and combination chemotherapy and radiation were administered in 23.3%, 19.7%, and 11.1% of women, respectively. After adjusting for age, race, socioeconomic status, facility type, stage, surgery, lymph node dissection, comorbidity index, period of diagnosis, and registry location, there was an association between combined chemotherapy and radiation (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-0.90) with improved survival. Adjuvant therapy was not associated with improved survival among patients with early-stage disease (stages I and II). Both chemotherapy and combined chemotherapy and radiation were associated with significantly improved survival among patients with advanced-stage disease (stages III and IV).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with early-stage UCCC, adjuvant therapy was not associated with significantly improved survival. Chemotherapy and combination of chemotherapy and radiation were associated with improved survival in patients with advanced-stage UCCC.

Adjuvant therapy of uterine clear cell carcinoma: a review

PURPOSE

Uterine clear-cell carcinoma (UCCC) is a rare subset of type II endometrial carcinoma with a poor prognosis relative to the most common type of endometrioid carcinoma. Due to its rarity, there has been limited direct evidence of the efficacy of specific adjuvant therapy posthysterectomy in women with UCCC. We present a review of current literature regarding adjuvant therapy of uterine clear cell carcinoma.

METHODS

We searched for English-language publications through Pubmed using a combination of the following key words: endometrial carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, recurrence, prognosis, adjuvant therapy, radiation treatment and chemotherapy. Due to the rarity of UCCC, studies were not limited by design or number of patients.

RESULTS

There is a paucity of randomized prospective controlled studies focusing on UCCC adjuvant therapy. Findings have largely been derived from retrospective studies of type II endometrial carcinomas or all endometrial cancers as a group. Very few retrospective studies were found to focus on UCCC adjuvant therapy, although certain larger studies did have subset analyses of UCCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

For early stage disease, locoregional radiotherapy, especially vaginal brachytherapy, has evidence of efficacy. The therapeutic gain of radiotherapy may be further improved with the addition of systemic chemotherapy. Evidence for combined radiation therapy with systemic chemotherapy in women with advanced stage UCCC has remained debatable. UCCC-specific studies are needed to determine the best adjuvant therapy for UCCC without the confounding effects of USC and other endometrial cancers.

Does debulking of enlarged positive lymph nodes improve survival in different gynaecological cancers?

Lymph-node-positive gynaecological cancers remain a pharmacotherapeutic challenge, and patients with lymph-node-positive gynaecological cancers have poor survival. The purpose of this review is to determine whether a survival advantage arises from surgical debulking of enlarged positive lymph nodes in different types of gynaecological cancers. Information from studies published on the survival benefits from debulking lymph nodes in gynaecological cancers was investigated. Pertaining to therapeutic lymphadenectomy, survival benefit can be analysed in two ways, direct survival benefit following therapeutic lymphadenectomy of bulky positive metastatic lymph nodes and indirect survival benefit, which results after a sequela of systematic lymphadenectomy, proper, accurate staging of disease and stage migration and tailor-made adjuvant treatment. The direct hypothesis of therapeutic lymphadenectomy and survival benefit has been prospected in cervical cancers and vulval cancers and in post-chemotherapy residual paraarotic nodal mass in germ cell ovarian cancer. The indirect survival benefit of therapeutic paraarotic lymphadenectomy in high-risk endometrial cancers and advanced epithelial ovarian cancers needs to be tested in randomized controlled trials. More randomized controlled trials are required to investigate this research question. Further, indirect benefit due to tailor-made adjuvant treatment, secondary to accurate staging achieved as a sequela of systematic lymphadenectomy, needs to be analysed in future trials.