High-dose insulin and dexamethasone combined with radiotherapy in endometrial stromal sarcoma recurring with multiple metastases: A case report.

RATIONALE: Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare malignant tumor. There is insufficient data supporting the efficiency of current treatments in multiple metastatic settings, and novel therapeutic options for ESS are considered an area of high unmet clinical need. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report the case of a 28-year-old woman who was diagnosed with ESS after undergoing total hysterectomy and left adnexectomy at another hospital. Two years later, the disease recurred, with multiple abdominal cavities and lung metastases. The patient was treated with a variety of chemotherapeutic drugs, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, at the same hospital; however, none of them inhibited disease progression. DIAGNOSES: Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple masses in the abdominal and pelvic cavities and multiple pulmonary nodules. Ultrasound-guided biopsy was performed and the tumor tissue was histologically confirmed after treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Insulin 300-400 IU was administrated by intravenous infusion in 10% glucose (500 mL) with disodium adenosine triphosphate 60 mg, coenzyme A 100 units, 10% potassium chloride 5 mL and 25% magnesium sulfate 5 mL. Dexamethasone (20-25 mg/d) was diluted with 10 mL of 2% lidocaine and then intraperitoneally injected after ascites draw. After 9 months, the patient was referred to another center for radiotherapy. OUTCOMES: CT images tomography showed recurrent pelvic masses, and multiple abdominal cavity and lung metastases gradually shrunk with treatment. Histological biopsy revealed growth arrest of tumor cells. The patient experienced for 3-years survival. LESSONS: High-dose insulin and dexamethasone combined with radiotherapy provides a novel and promising option for patients with multiple ESS metastases.

Long-term multidisciplinary treatment including proton therapy for a recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma and pathologically prominent epithelial differentiation: an autopsy case report.

BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up reports of low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS) including its clinical course and pathological data are rare. We previously reported the case of a Japanese woman diagnosed with LGESS, who was treated with multidisciplinary therapy. She had been suffering from uterine cervical tumor diagnosed as cervical polyps, or fibroid in statu nascendi, since 24 years old. The patient had survived for 25 years with the disease. This report presents her progress and pathological change since the previous report. CASE PRESENTATION: At age 45, the patient experienced a relapse of the remnant LGESS tumor between the right diaphragm and liver. Although chemotherapy was not effective, the tumor was eliminated by proton therapy. At age 46 years, the remnant tumors outside the irradiated field were resected. The disease was originally diagnosed as "neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC)" using the surgical specimen. Therefore, cisplatin and irinotecan combination chemotherapy were administered to treat the remnant dissemination. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy, the liver metastases had enlarged and were resected surgically. Consequently, no remnant tumor was visible in the abdominal cavity at the end of the surgery. To determine the origin of NEC, we examined the previously resected specimens obtained from her ileum at age 40 years. A boundary between the LGESS and neuroendocrine tumor grade 2 (NET G2)-like lesion was found in the tumor, indicating that the origin of these tumors was LGESS. After less than 2 years of chemotherapy and undergoing surgery, a relapse of the tumor in the liver induced biliary duct obstruction with jaundice, which was treated with endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage. Although pazopanib prolonged her life for 10 months, she died from sepsis at age 49 years, which was caused by the infection that spread to the liver metastatic tumor via the stented biliary ducts. Autopsy revealed adenocarcinoma-like differentiation of the tumor. CONCLUSION: This LGESS patient has survived for a long time owing to multidisciplinary treatment including proton therapy. The LGESS tumor differentiated to NET G2-like tissue and then further to adenocarcinoma-like tissue during the long-term follow-up.

Total Pelvic Exenteration for Recurrent Endometrial Sarcoma - A Case Report.

Endometrial stromal sarcomas are rare gynecologic malignancies characterized by the presence of cells that resemble those of the endometrial stroma during the prolipferative phase of the menstrual cycle. They are classified as low grade or high grade tumors depending on the mitotic index, the second one being usually associated with poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. We present the case of a 46-year-old patient who was previously submitted to surgery for an endometrial stromal sarcoma followed by adjuvant radiotherapy; 18 months later she was diagnosed with a pelvic recurrence invading the urinary bladder trigone and the rectosigmoid so she was submitted to a total pelvic exenteration.

A Case of Metastatic Low-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma Treated with Letrozole after Ovarian Ablation by Radiotherapy.

A 50-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to multiple lung nodules detected incidentally on a chest X-ray. A video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy revealed low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS). She had undergone a simple hysterectomy 1 year earlier owing to a diagnosis of adenomyosis. A review of her previous hysterectomy specimen showed not endometriosis but LG-ESS. According to the patient's levels of serum follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol, she was in the premenopausal state with retained and normally functioning ovaries. She then underwent ovarian ablation by radiotherapy, after which she was administered 2.5 mg of letrozole once per day. Three months later, the size of the metastatic nodules in both lungs had decreased. The patient was followed up for 24 months while continuing on letrozole, and maintained a partial remission. We report herein on a case of metastatic LG-ESS treated with letrozole after ovarian ablation by radiotherapy.

Cerebral metastases of an endometrial stromal sarcoma: report of the first case.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESSs) of the uterus are rare gynecological malignancies. Common locations of distant metastases are vagina, vulva, lung, mediastinum, abdomen, bones and ovaries. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 69-year-old woman with a Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) IIb (classification 2009) ESS of the uterus of high-grade malignancy. Initially, a hysterectomy Piver II and total colpectomy were performed, followed by pelvic field irradiation. 8 months later, the patient suffered seizures and hemiparesis. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed cerebral metastases, and irradiation of the brain was initiated. After completion of the staging examinations, additional metastases of lung, abdomen, mediastinum, vulva and inguinal lymph nodes were found. This is the first reported case of brain metastases of an ESS. CONCLUSION: Appropriate treatment options like surgery, chemotherapy or endocrine therapy should be discussed on an individual basis since large-scale clinical trials have not yet been conducted in this rare entity.

Long-term outcomes with intraoperative radiotherapy as a component of treatment for locally advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma.

PURPOSE: To report our institutional experience with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) as a component of treatment for women with locally advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 1990 to 2010, 16 women with primary (n = 3) or locoregionally recurrent (n = 13) uterine sarcoma received IORT as a component of combined modality treatment. Tumor histology studies found leiomyosarcoma (n = 9), endometrial stromal sarcoma (n = 4), and carcinosarcoma (n = 3). Surgery consisted of gross total resection in 2 patients, subtotal resection in 6 patients, and resection with close surgical margins in 8 patients. The median IORT dose was 12.5 Gy (range, 10-20 Gy). All patients received perioperative external beam radiotherapy (EBRT; median dose, 50.4 Gy; range, 20-62.5 Gy), and 6 patients also received perioperative systemic therapy. RESULTS: Seven of the 16 patients are alive at a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 11-203 months). The 3-year Kaplan-Meier estimate of local relapse (within the EBRT field) was 7%, and central control (within the IORT field) was 100%. No local failures occurred in any of the 6 patients who underwent subtotal resection. The 3-year freedom from distant relapse was 48%, with failures occurring most frequently in the lungs or mediastinum. Median survival was 18 months, and 3-year Kaplan-Meier estimates of cause-specific and overall survival were 58% and 53%, respectively. Three patients (19%) experienced late Grade 3 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: A combined modality approach with perioperative EBRT, surgery, and IORT for locally advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma resulted in excellent local disease control with acceptable toxicity, even in patients with positive resection margins. With this approach, some patients were able to experience long-term freedom from recurrence.

Clinical outcome of patients with uterine sarcomas.

PURPOSE: The aim of our retrospective analysis was to study and report the clinical outcome of patients with uterine sarcoma (US) treated at our center; and to share our experience with literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrieved the information regarding the patient's demography, clinico-pathological details, treatment given, survival, and complications of all the US patients treated at our center between the years 2000-2008. The three-year overall survival (OS) was determined with respect to various prognostic factors like age, stage of disease, histopathological type, adjuvant RT etc. RESULTS: A total of 50 case records were retrieved for this retrospective analysis. Age ranged from 24 to 75 years with a median of 50 years. Carcinosarcoma was the commonest histopathological type (23/50 patients). FIGO stage distribution was: stage I, 27; stage II, 7; stage III, 12; stage IV, 2; and unknown stage, two patients. Forty-eight patients underwent surgery; 31 received postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) and 16 received chemotherapy therapy. Median follow-up period was 34 months (range 2-69 months). The three-year OS for the entire group of patients was 42%. Stage of the disease, histopathological type, and use of PORT were found significant prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSION: Although limited by small sample size and retrospective nature, ours is the only study on US being reported from India. Our results have demonstrated FIGO stage of the disease, histopathology and use of PORT to be the significant prognostic factor for survival. Use of chemotherapy in future trials is warranted.

Role of radiotherapy treatment of uterine sarcoma.

Uterine sarcomas are rare and, consequently, data supporting the use of adjuvant radiotherapy in uterine sarcomas consist of few randomised studies and multiple single-institution retrospective reports. It is becoming increasingly clear that each histologic subtype of uterine sarcoma is a distinct entity for which tailored treatment recommendations are needed. In this review, we analysed the effect of adjuvant radiotherapy for the main histologic subtypes of uterine sarcomas. When grouping all histologies, adjuvant radiotherapy has been shown in most studies to reduce local-regional failure without an overall survival advantage, as distant failure is the predominant pattern of relapse. Carcinosarcomas have the strongest indication for adjuvant radiotherapy, especially in early stage disease. Women with leiomyosarcomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas receiving adjuvant radiotherapy have improved local control compared with women undergoing surgery alone. As distant failure rates decrease with improvements in systemic therapies, there may be a broader indication for adjuvant radiotherapy.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma. Is there a place for radiotherapy?

OBJECTIVES: The optimal approach in the management of endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively report the outcome of patients treated for ESS in our hospital over a 27-year period in order to evaluate the treatment results and the role of radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1979 to 2006, 13 patients with ESS were treated at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona. Patients underwent abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The 1989 FIGO classification for endometrial carcinoma was used in this retrospective study. Seven patients presented stage I (6 IB and 1 IC), 1 stage II, 3 stage III and 2 stage IV. Nine patients had high-grade tumours with an infiltration of the outer 50% of the myometrium. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered in 10 patients. RESULTS: The mean follow-up of the patients was 54.6 months (range between 3 and 190). Patients with stage IB had a better outcome in comparison to more advanced stages. Five of the six patients with stage IB received adjuvant radiotherapy and none developed local recurrence, while one patient who received no treatment with radiotherapy had a relapse. Seven of the 13 patients had stages over IB: 5 who had received radiotherapy after surgery had locoregional control and 2 who did not receive radiotherapy had local relapse. Nine patients had high-grade tumours, 6 received radiotherapy after surgery and only one had local relapse. Of the three who did not receive radiotherapy, 2 relapsed locally. Local control rate of the patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy was higher than in the patients who did not (88.9% vs. 50%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal that deep myometrial invasion and stage over IB are significantly associated with poor overall survival and this finding is similar to those of studies in patients with endometrial cancer. The present study showed that the local control was higher in patients receiving radiotherapy.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma. Is there a place for radiotherapy?

OBJECTIVES: The optimal approach in the management of endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively report the outcome of patients treated for ESS in our hospital over a 27-year period in order to evaluate the treatment results and the role of radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1979 to 2006, 13 patients with ESS were treated at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona. Patients underwent abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The 1989 FIGO classification for endometrial carcinoma was used in this retrospective study. Seven patients presented stage I (6 IB and 1 IC), 1 stage II, 3 stage III and 2 stage IV. Nine patients had high-grade tumours with an infiltration of the outer 50% of the myometrium. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered in 10 patients. RESULTS: The mean follow-up of the patients was 54.6 months (range between 3 and 190). Patients with stage IB had a better outcome in comparison to more advanced stages. Five of the six patients with stage IB received adjuvant radiotherapy and none developed local recurrence, while one patient who received no treatment with radiotherapy had a relapse. Seven of the 13 patients had stages over IB: 5 who had received radiotherapy after surgery had locoregional control and 2 who did not receive radiotherapy had local relapse. Nine patients had high-grade tumours, 6 received radiotherapy after surgery and only one had local relapse. Of the three who did not receive radiotherapy, 2 relapsed locally. Local control rate of the patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy was higher than in the patients who did not (88.9% vs. 50%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal that deep myometrial invasion and stage over IB are significantly associated with poor overall survival and this finding is similar to those of studies in patients with endometrial cancer. The present study showed that the local control was higher in patients receiving radiotherapy (AU)

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Does radiotherapy or lymphadenectomy improve survival in endometrial stromal sarcoma?

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare uterine malignancy characterized by cells resembling proliferative-phase endometrial stroma. Standard treatment is total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH-BSO). The roles of radiation therapy (RT) and lymphadenectomy (LAD) remain unclear. Using a large population database, we retrospectively evaluated the addition of RT and LAD to surgery for survival impact. METHODS: We identified 1010 women with ESS between 1983 and 2002 from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). Outcomes for patients treated by TAH-BSO alone and surgery plus RT were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression model. A multivariate analysis controlling for age, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, LAD, race, year of diagnosis, and tumor grade was performed. Univariate analyses were performed for individual FIGO stages, low- and high-grade tumors, and surgery with and without LAD. A literature review was performed to compile studies showing LAD data for ESS. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 54 months (range, 1-248 months). The 5-year OS and CSS for patients undergoing surgery plus RT were 72.2% and 80.1% and 83.2% and 90.7% for surgery alone, respectively. Worse prognoses were associated with increasing FIGO stage, tumor grade, and age. Neither did adjuvant RT correlate with improved survival within any FIGO stage nor did it alter survival for low- or high-grade tumor groups. Adding lymphadenectomy to TAH-BSO did not change survival.

The efficacy of hormonal treatment for residual or recurrent low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma. A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (EES) is a rare tumour with a high recurrence rate but a very good prognosis. Responses to hormonal treatment of these recurrences have been published in case reports. The aim of this study was to determine the objective response rate and response duration of hormonal treatment for recurrent or residual low-grade ESS in a consecutive series of patients. STUDY DESIGN: Thirteen consecutive patients with residual or recurrent disease were retrieved from the files. Eleven patients with measurable disease were treated with hormones and form the basis of this study. The following data were collected: age, date of primary diagnosis, type of primary treatment, the presence and localization of residual or recurrent disease, type of treatment, response, duration of response and survival. RESULTS: After hormonal treatment 9 (82%) patients showed an objective response (4 complete response; 5 partial response), one showed stable disease (26+ months) and one progressive disease. Response duration was from 4+ to 252+ months (median 48+ months). CONCLUSION: Hormonal treatment for measurable residual or recurrent low-grade ESS has a high response rate and should be considered as the treatment of choice for patients in which recurrent disease cannot easily be resected.

Phase III randomised study to evaluate the role of adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy in the treatment of uterine sarcomas stages I and II: an European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Gynaecological Cancer Group Study (protocol 55874).

The management of uterine sarcomas continues to present many difficulties. Primary surgery is the optimal treatment but the role of post-operative radiation remains uncertain. In the mid-1980s, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Gynaecological Cancer Group Study proposed a trial to evaluate adjuvant radiotherapy, as previous non-randomised studies had suggested a survival advantage and improved local control when post-operative radiation was administered. The study opened in 1987 taking 13 years to accrue 224 patients. All uterine sarcoma subtypes were permitted. Patients were required to have undergone as a minimum, TAH and BSO and wahsings (166 patients) but nodal sampling was optional. There were 103 leiomyosarcomas (LMS), 91 carcinosarcomas (CS) and 28 endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS). Patients were randomised to either observation or pelvic radiation, 51 Gy in 28 fractions over 5 weeks. Hundred and twelve were recruited to each arm. The initial analysis has shown a reduction in local relapse (14 versus 24, p=0.004) but no effect on either OS or PFS. No unexpected toxicity was seen in the radiation arm. No difference in either overall or disease-free survival was demonstrated but there is an increased local control for the CS patients receiving radiation but without any benefit for LMS. Prognostic factor analysis shows that stage, age and histological subtype were important predictors of behaviour which may explain differences between CS and LMS. CS appears to show more kinship to poorly differentiated endometrial carcinomas in behaviour. LMS did not show the same benefit from radiation. These results will help shape future management and clinical trials in uterine sarcomas.

Prophylactic pelvic irradiation as part of primary therapy in uterine sarcomas.

In a complete geographic series of 155 cases of primary uterine sarcomas, prophylactic pelvic irradiation was used as standard postoperative therapy in the majority of the cases. Vaginal brachytherapy was also added as a boost. The histology was leiomyosarcoma in 62 cases (40%), carcinosarcoma in 60 (39%), endometrial stromal sarcoma in 25 (16%), and other types in 8 cases (5%). The primary surgery was extended hysterectomy in 11 cases (7%), simple hysterectomy in 110 (71%), and supravaginal hysterectomy in 12 (8%). In 22 cases (14%) no major surgery was possible. In the complete series, 62 recurrences (40%) were recorded. Local (9%), regional (9%), and distant recurrences (28%) were the most frequent. The type of surgery was associated with the risk of tumor recurrence. Extended surgery reduced the risk of local and regional recurrences. The 5-year overall survival rate was 42% and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 37%. The number of mitoses was significantly (P=0.007) associated with survival. The locoregional RFS rate was 75% for patients treated with adjuvant irradiation and 83% for patients treated with primary surgery alone. Serious late tissue reactions from the bladder and intestine occurred in 7% of the irradiated cases. The locoregional tumor control rate was high in this series of patients, but no significant difference was found between patients treated with surgery alone and surgery plus postoperative pelvic irradiation. This was true for all histological subtypes of the uterine sarcomas. However, this was not a randomized study and selection bias cannot be ruled out.

Uterine sarcoma: twenty-seven years of experience.

PURPOSE: A correlation of treatment for uterine sarcoma with outcome, prognostic importance of pathology, and clinical parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred forty-one patients (median age: 56 years, range: 19-85 years) with a histologically verified uterine sarcoma were identified from a database compiled at the Royal Marsden Hospital and the University of Florence between 1974 and 2001. Seventy-two patients had leiomyosarcoma, 42 had mixed müllerian tumors, 22 had endometrial stromal sarcoma, 1 hemangiopericytoma, 1 rhabdomyosarcoma, and 3 patients had unspecified sarcoma. According to FIGO classification, Stage I, II, III, and IV tumors were identified in 71, 13, 31, and 26 patients, respectively. RESULTS: At the time of analysis, 73.7% of patients were dead, and 26.3% were alive with a median survival of 2 years from initial diagnosis. Univariate analysis for cause-specific survival demonstrated statistical significance for histology (p = 0.02), grade (p = 0.003), stage (p = 0.007), and age (p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis demonstrated significant prognostic values for stage (p = 0.02) and histology (p = 0.05) only. Postoperative radiotherapy with a total dose higher than 50 Gy seems to be significant (p = 0.001) in reducing local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data favor treatment for Stages I, II, and III of uterine sarcoma with radical surgery plus radical dose irradiation comprising both external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

Surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy of endometrial stromal sarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: In the treatment of endometrial stromal sarcoma, it is still not clear whether adjuvant radiation therapy improves the outcome. We wish to summarize the experiences we gathered from treating 15 patients over a period of 18 years, and to compare these to results from literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: According to the 1989 FIGO classification for endometrial carcinoma, 11 (73%) of the 15 patients analyzed presented stage I, 1 presented stage II, and 3 presented stage III sarcoma. Of these, 11 patients (73%) had high grade stromal sarcoma and 4 had low grade stromal sarcoma. All patients were treated with surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed on 11 patients (73%), vaginal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy on 2 patients, and total abdominal hysterectomy on 2 patients. Combined radiotherapy was performed on 13 patients (93%), while isolated brachytherapy and isolated external beam therapy were each performed on 1 patient. External beam therapy was administrated in daily fractions of 1.6-2.0 Gy up to a total dose of 37-57 Gy to the pelvis. RESULTS: Follow up ranged from 23 to 170 months (mean: 80 mths). 10 patients (67%) are still alive without tumor, and 5 patients have died. Of these, one died due to intercurrent disease, one due to breast-cancer, and 3 due to endometrial stromal sarcoma, presenting distant metastases within one year after therapy. Only one patient presented with an additional local recurrence. The overall actuarial survival and the disease specific survival rate was 72% and 79% respectively after 5 years, and 60% and 79% after 10 years. The overall local control rate was 93% after 5 years. There were no severe acute side effects and no late side effects. CONCLUSION: In our experience, the most effective treatment for patients with endometrial stromal sarcoma is total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by adjuvant radiation therapy, due to the excellent local monitoring possibilities in all stages of disease, and a good disease specific survival in early stages.

[Low-grade sarcoma of the endometrial stroma: late recurrence with ureteral and bladder involvement]. / Sarcoma de bajo grado del estroma endometrial: recidiva tardía con afectación ureteral y vesical.

OBJECTIVE: To report a new case of low grade endometrial stroma sarcoma late relapse involving bladder wall and ureter. METHODS: We report the case of a 64 year old female with history of Wertheim-Meigs hysterectomy 30 years before for uterine sarcomatous tumour, who presented with intermittent macroscopic haematuria episodes associated with mild elevation of serum creatinine. Image diagnostic tests--mainly CT-scan--evidenced a right pelvic mass involving the bladder wall and the homolateral distal ureter. Different lines of palliative treatment--chemotherapy and radiotherapy--were started. RESULTS: Histologic and immunohistochemical studies of samples obtained by transvaginal ultrasound guided biopsies were consistent with low grade endometrial stroma sarcoma. Results from palliative treatment were discouraging. CONCLUSIONS: This type of neoplasms are rare, although relapses may appear after extremely long silent periods. They have potential to compromise urological structures. Although there are publications reporting good results, the role of different palliative therapeutic alternatives is not well established yet, and responses in cases like ours are minimal or none.

Treatment of uterine sarcoma. A survey of 49 patients.

PURPOSE: Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are employed in the treatment of uterine sarcoma. We claim to evaluate the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of uterine sarcoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report a retrospective study of 49 patients with uterine sarcoma treated from 1990-1999 at Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute in Brno. All 49 patients had surgery, 19 (38.7%) had adjuvant radiotherapy and 25 (51%) had chemotherapy. Using the FIGO classification: 71.4% had stage I, 6.1% stage II, 16.3%, stage III and 6.1% stage IVa disease. 42.9% of tumors were mixed Müllerian tumors, 34.7% leiomyosarcomas and 22.4% endometrial stromal sarcomas. 12 cases (24.5%) had a local recurrence, 7 (14.3%) had hematogenous dissemination. There was an increased disease free interval (DFI) for patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.005). The DFI was favourably influenced by the stage of the disease. Of 12 patients with a local recurrence only one had postoperative radiotherapy. Radiotherapy had an impact on overall survival (OS). The five-year OS probability was 51.6% without radiotherapy and 88.9% with radiotherapy (p = 0.0066). CONCLUSION: We conclude that postoperative radiotherapy in our series of patients diagnosed with uterine sarcoma has an impact on locoregional and disease-free progression intervals (LRFI, DFI) and overall survival (OS). The most important prognostic factor is the extend of the disease (stage). Stage I patients have a significantly better survival.