Clinical features and outcomes of uterine and ovarian carcinosarcoma

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to compare the clinical presentation and outcomes of women with ovarian and uterine carcinosarcoma (CS).

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients treated for uterine or ovarian CS from 1952 to 2003. Fisher's Exact Test was used to compare patient characteristics. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test.

Results: We identified 87 patients with uterine CS and 18 with ovarian CS. There was no difference in age, body mass index, parity, menopausal status, family history of cancer, history of pelvic radiation, diabetes or hypertension between the two groups. 43% of women with uterine CS presented at stage I/II, compared to 28% of women with ovarian tumors (P = 0.0003). 82% of patients with ovarian tumors received adjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiation; 51% of the patients in the uterine CS group received adjuvant radiation therapy. The median length of follow-up was 13 months. There was no difference in the Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival between the two disease sites. The median survival for uterine CS patients was 16 months, compared to 11 months in the ovarian CS group; HR = 0.991 (95% CI = 0.534, 1.839).

Conclusions: We found no differences in patient demographics between the two groups. Despite differences in stage and initial treatment, there was no difference in survival between women with uterine and ovarian CS.