Retrospective review of 208 patients with leiomyosarcoma of the uterus: prognostic indicators, surgical management, and adjuvant therapy

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated the predictive value of several proposed prognostic indicators and the effect of surgical management and adjuvant therapy on clinical outcome associated with leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the uterus.

Methods: A medical record search of patients treated at Mayo Clinic from 1976 through 1999 was performed using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for LMS and malignant neoplasm of the uterus. Study inclusion criteria included confirmation of the diagnosis of LMS of the uterus by a pathologist at our institution. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. A case-control investigation was also performed.

Results: A total of 208 patients met study requirements. The median follow-up for survivors was 7.7 years. Multivariate analysis showed that high grade, advanced stage, and oophorectomy were associated with significantly worse disease-specific survival. Case-control investigations suggested that ovarian preservation does not adversely affect survival and that adjuvant pelvic radiation therapy does not significantly improve survival. An LMS risk-assessment index that was generated is highly predictive of survival.

Conclusion: Tumor grade and stage (using modified criteria for endometrial cancer) appear to be valid prognostic indicators for LMS of the uterus. Ovarian preservation may be considered in premenopausal patients with early-stage leiomyosarcoma of the uterus. Additionally, adjuvant therapy does not appear to significantly affect survival. Finally, our highly predictive LMS risk-assessment index may be useful for counseling patients.