Current treatment options in uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma: report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract

Uterine sarcomas are a rare form of uterine cancer. They occur in women from 40 to 60 years and are generally characterized by poor prognosis, a high rate of local recurrence, and distant metastases. Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) accounts for 0.2% of all gynecological malignancies. Forms of possible treatment include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and endocrine treatment. Randomized trials analyzing these treatment options are limited due to the rarity of this disease; therefore, a standard therapy could not be established thus far. To present an overview of the current treatment options of ESS, a search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed and the results concluded. We report the case of a 32-year-old woman who presented with FIGO stage II ESS. Initial treatment with tamoxifen and local perfusion with cisplatin resulted in disease progression and were discontinued. A novel, therapeutic approach using two cycles of combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin and ifosfamide followed by surgery was applied. Five years after surgery, the patient is still in complete remission. Thus, we conclude that although there is no data from randomized trials available, chemotherapy in advanced or metastatic ESS can provide an opportunity for surgical treatment and can lead to long-term remission.