title: Malignant mixed mullerian tumour of the ovary: prognostic factor and response of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to analyse retrospectively the data of a series of patients presenting to our unit with malignant mixed mullerian tumour (MMMT) of the ovary to identify the prognostic factors and relate them to survival. The role of platinum-based chemotherapy in the adjuvant treatment of this tumour was also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients diagnosed with MMMT of the ovary from 1987 to 2000 were identified from the gynaecological tumour registry of King George V Hospital, Australia. The effect of clinical and histopathological variables on survival was analysed. The response of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients with MMMT of the ovary were identified. Of the six patients with measurable disease, two (33%) had complete response after adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. The median survival of all patients was 8 months, while that of the patients receiving adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy was 23 months. Women who were older (> 65 years) had a significantly worse survival rate than those who were younger (P = 0.02). The patients with optimal debulking had a better median survival than those with suboptimal debulking, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.21). Sarcomatous component (homologous vs heterologous) was not found to be a significant prognostic factor for predicting survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malignant mixed mullerian tumour of the ovary is a rare and aggressive gynaecological tumour. The current study indicates that patient age was a significant prognostic factor for survival and surgical cytoreduction combined with platinum-based chemotherapy is the most effective management regimen identified to date to treat MMMT of the ovary.
authors.affiliation: King George V and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia. perapong_i@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Perapong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Inthasorn
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dalrymple
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D018200:Mixed Tumor, Mullerian / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D017671:Platinum Compounds