title: Survival and risk factors associated with uterine sarcomas and carcinosarcomas in stage I and II.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uterine sarcomas are rare mesodermal malignant tumors with an incidence between 0.5 and 3.3 cases per 100,000 females per year. Most sarcomas are aggressive tumors leading to poor overall survival rates and only limited therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for uterine sarcomas and carcinosarcomas, and to identify the factors influencing the survival rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study with twenty-nine patients who were diagnosed with uterine sarcoma and thirty-four patients with carcinosarcoma between the years 1990 and 2006 at the Oncogynecologic center at the University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia. We focused on the analysis of the risk factors and survival rate of early stages I and II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We confirmed highly statistically significant values for the inverse correlation between survival and tumor size, positive lymph nodes, high mitotic activity, vascular invasion, positive peritoneal cytology, elevated CA-125, smoking and BMI in sarcoma and carcinosarcoma group (p<0.001 for all factors). The use of lymphadenectomy had no effect on survival of all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sarcomas and carcinosarcomas are aggressive tumors leading to poor overall survival rates and only limited therapeutic options. As there is no consensus on specific treatment, an individual approach based on evaluation of known risk factors is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, and University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Visnovsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, and University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kudela
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathologic Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Pavol
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Slavik
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, and University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krkoska
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, and University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Pavol
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buocik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathologic Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szepe
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, and University Hospital in Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Danko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D047368:Tumor Burden; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018394:CA-125 Antigen