title: Anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage uterine sarcomas: long-term results of a single institution experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uterine sarcomas are rare neoplasms characterized by a high rate of local recurrences and distant metastases. The role of chemotherapy in early-stage completely resected disease remains controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients with Stage I or II uterine sarcomas, referred to our center for adjuvant chemotherapy, received anthracycline-based regimens. Seventeen (54.8%) patients received ifosfamide, etoposide and epirubicin, six (19.4%) were treated with doxorubicin and carboplatin, three (9.6%) were administered doxorubicin and ifosfamide, while five (16.1%) patients received various anthracycline-based regimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a median follow-up of 82 months disease recurred in 12 (38.7%) patients. Five-year survival probability is estimated at 54%. Both median overall survival and time to progression for all patients have not been reached yet. Patients who received ifosfamide-containing regimens had a statistically significant benefit in overall survival (p < or = 0.05) when compared with those treated with non-ifosfamide-containing regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest a potential role for anthracycline- and ifosfamide-containing chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting for early-stage uterine sarcomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Athens University School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Zorzou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markaki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodolakis
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Voulgaris
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bozas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kastritis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bamias
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gika
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D015251:Epirubicin; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D016190:Carboplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide