ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Extrauterine endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare neoplasm. Little is known about its pathophysiology or best treatment approach. CASE: We are describing a case of extrauterine ESS in a 70-year-old woman on hormone replacement therapy and with a history of endometriosis. We also present a brief review of the literature on ESS and its relationship to endometriosis and hormonal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection should remain the treatment of choice for ESS. Unresectable or metastatic low-grade ESS may respond well to progestin therapy, but outcomes of high-grade ESS tend to be poor.
Subject(s)
Endometrial Neoplasms/etiology , Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal/etiology , Aged , Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology , Endometrial Neoplasms/therapy , Endometriosis/complications , Estrogen Replacement Therapy/adverse effects , Female , Humans , Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal/pathology , Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal/therapy , Tamoxifen/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Locoregional recurrence of breast cancer can occur in up to 30 per cent of patients and has often been considered to indicate a poor prognosis. We reviewed our experience with full-thickness chest wall resection for recurrent breast cancer and conducted a meta-analysis of the English literature to determine patient characteristics and outcomes. Twenty-two women with isolated chest wall recurrence of breast cancer were treated between 1970 and 2000 at our institution. We reviewed their preoperative demographics, operative management and outcome, and combined our results with seven other English language studies. A majority of women (90%) underwent a mastectomy as initial management of their breast cancer. Only 18 per cent of patients had metastatic disease at the time of chest wall resection, and 71 per cent of patients had an R0 resection. The 5-year disease-free survival at City of Hope National Medical Center (COH) was 67 per cent and was 45 per cent for the entire group of 400 patients. The 5-year overall survival was 71 per cent for the COH group and 45 per cent for the entire group. Several studies reported prognostic factors, the most common being a better prognosis in patients with a disease-free interval greater than 24 months. Full-thickness chest wall resection for patients with isolated local recurrence of breast cancer can provide long-term palliation and even cure in some patients.
