title: Does adjuvant chemotherapy improve survival for women with early-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether adjuvant therapy after primary surgery for treatment of early-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) improves recurrence and survival rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multisite, retrospective study of women diagnosed with stage I-II high grade LMS from 1990-2010 was performed. All patients (pts) underwent primary surgery followed by observation (OBS), radiotherapy (RT), or chemotherapy (CT) postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred eight patients were identified with long-term follow-up; 94 pts (87.0%) had stage I and 14 (13.0%) had stage II disease. The mean patient age was 55.4 years and mean BMI was 28.0. Thirty-four (31.5%) patients underwent OBS, 35 (32.4%) received RT, and 39 (36.1%) received chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 41.8 months, a recurrence was diagnosed in 70.8%. Recurrence was evident in 25/34 (73.5%) OBS, 23/35 (65.7%) RT, and 28/39 (71.8%) of CT cohorts and was not different based on treatment (p=0.413). However, extra-pelvic recurrences were significantly higher in the RT (95.2%) than in the OBS (60%) or CT (64.3%) cohorts (p=0.012). Additionally, recurrences were more likely to be successfully treated or palliated in those who initially received CT (p=0.031). On multivariate analysis, stage (p<0.001) and chemotherapy (p=0.045) were associated with overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with early-stage, high grade uterine LMS experience high recurrence rates and poor survival outcomes, irrespective of adjuvant therapy. These rates are higher than previously reported in the literature. Although women treated with CT had similar recurrence rates as those treated with OBS or RT, treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy may decrease the risk of extra-pelvic recurrence and improve survival.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Giuntoli
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eisenhauer
authors.forename: Micael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krill
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: Paola A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gehrig
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Havrilesky
authors.forename: Angeles Alvarez
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Secord
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frasure
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Celano
authors.forename: Amanda Nickles
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Fader
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Adjuvant therapy; Chemotherapy; Uterine leiomyosarcoma