Retrospective study of management of uterine sarcomas at Oxford 1990-1998: role of adjuvant treatment.

We report a retrospective study of 47 consecutive patients with uterine sarcoma treated at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford between 1990-1998. The mainstay of treatment was surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy reserved for selected patients with early stage disease. Overall 1 and 2 year survival was 49% and 30% respectively compared with 73% and 55% in the group who received adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Median survival was 11 months for the group as a whole compared to 32.9 months in the adjuvant therapy group. This is a retrospective review with small numbers and considerable selection bias, however, given the poor survival of patients with this disease, adjuvant treatment should be considered in future trials of patients with uterine sarcoma.

Skin care during radiotherapy: a survey of UK practice.

A postal survey of skin care during radiotherapy throughout UK centres has shown considerable variability in practice between units. No scientific study has established the value of many of the treatments advocated and suggestions for a more rational approach to the care of irradiated skin are made. In particular, the continued use of common topical applications for the management of dry and moist desquamation is questioned.

Fatal primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumour initially diagnosed as malignant mesothelioma.

A patient with a missed diagnosis of a primary mediastinal germ cell tumour is reported. The initial diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was not compatible with the clinical course. The true diagnosis was reached after the patient had completed a course of palliative irradiation following the development of superior vena cava obstruction. He succumbed to a massive haemoptysis before chemotherapy could begin.