Malignant müllerian tumours of the uterus

Abstract

Thirty-two cases of malignant Müllerian tumours of the uterus of the mixed mesodermal type were investigated. Histological examinations were performed on tissue obtained during curettage or biopsy and/or surgical removal of the uterus; in 4 cases postmortem examination was also carried out. The biphasic tumours of the uterus were classified into four groups and comprised 44% of alle uterine sarcomas. In 10 of the 28 cases in which uterine curettage or cervical biopsy was carried out, the final diagnosis was clarified when the tumorous uterus was removed. The prognosis was poorer for heterologous than for homologous tumours. In the heterologous group, the prognosis was better for the form with chondrosarcomatous features (2 patients are still alive after more than 5 years) than for the form containing striated muscle tissue (all 5 patients died within 1 year). Attention is drawn to the fact that the adenosarcoma should be considered a separate type; its prognosis was relatively good (2 such patients are still alive after more than 5 years).