Systemic therapy for advanced uterine sarcoma: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature regarding the systemic treatment of advanced uterine sarcoma and provide an evidence-based summary of the available literature.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched. "Uterine sarcoma," "leiomyosarcoma," "mixed mesodermal tumor," "chemotherapy," and "systemic therapy" were combined with the search terms for study designs.

Results: Three randomized controlled trials and 24 prospective phase II trials were included in the systematic review. In a randomized trial of doxorubicin versus doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide for advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma, doxorubicin produced an overall response rate (RR) of 19% and median survival of 11.6 months, which was similar to the response with combination chemotherapy (RR 19%, median survival 10.9 months). A randomized trial comparing ifosfamide plus cisplatin versus ifosfamide alone in mixed mesodermal tumors showed a significant improvement in RR and progression-free survival with the combination compared with ifosfamide alone, however, the combination was associated with increased toxicity including death. A randomized trial comparing doxorubicin to doxorubicin with dacarbazine in women with advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma demonstrated a significantly higher RR with the combination (P < 0.05), but no significant difference in survival.

Conclusions: Offering palliative chemotherapy to patients with advanced, unresectable uterine sarcoma who are symptomatic from this disease is a reasonable decision. Doxorubicin is an option for women with advanced uterine sarcoma. The combination of cisplatinum and ifosfamide is also an option for women with metastatic mixed mesodermal tumors; however, this combination is associated with significant toxicity when compared to ifosfamide alone.