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Uterine Sarcoma: Modern Treatment Paradigms

  • Gynecologic Oncology (A Fader, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to inform readers of the most current management strategies for women with uterine sarcoma.

Recent Findings

Surgery is the standard of care in the management of all soft-tissue sarcomas, including uterine sarcoma. However, there are malignancies that can be challenging to diagnose preoperatively and can mimic the appearance of benign uterine leiomyomas. Because of aggressive tumor biology and relative chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance, efficacious therapies to achieve prolonged survival or cure in those with both early- and advanced-stage uterine sarcomas have been elusive. The strongest determinant of survival remains the stage at diagnosis, though prediction models may provide a more accurate prognosis. An increase in the use of both adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy more recently has led to a small survival advantage in these tumors.

Summary

Uterine sarcomas are a rare form of uterine cancer; however, they contribute disproportionately to a large number of uterine cancer deaths. Both the rarity of this disease and the inability to confirm a preoperative diagnosis make it difficult to study women with uterine sarcoma. Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated a limited response to traditional cytotoxic therapy, highlighting the importance of novel treatment strategies. This review provides a critical appraisal of the literature regarding the contemporary management of uterine sarcoma, the role of targeted therapies, and potential future directions for research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Women’s Health Institute,, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave, A81, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    Stephanie Ricci

  2. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Lisa Rubinsak & Sarah M. Temkin

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  1. Stephanie Ricci
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  2. Lisa Rubinsak
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Correspondence to Stephanie Ricci.

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The authors report no conflict of interest and received no funding to support this work.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Gynecologic Oncology

Appendix

Appendix

Table 1. Adjuvant therapy response rate in uterine sarcoma
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Ricci, S., Rubinsak, L. & Temkin, S.M. Uterine Sarcoma: Modern Treatment Paradigms. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep 6, 290–297 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-017-0227-x

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