Maintenance therapy for long-term control of high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma

BMJ Case Rep. 2022 May 12;15(5):e248971. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2022-248971.

Abstract

High-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS) is a malignant uterine tumour with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to demonstrate the usefulness of maintenance chemotherapy with paclitaxel (PTX) and carboplatin (CBDCA) for HG-ESS recurrence, by examining a case of HG-ESS tumour progression as a result of maintenance therapy interruption because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The patient was a woman in her 60s who presented with lower abdominal pain, nausea and a pelvic tumour, which was diagnosed as HG-ESS. Chemotherapy with PTX (175 mg/m2 day 1) + CBDCA (area under the concentration-time curve 5 day 1) every 21-28 days (TC therapy) was administered for long-term maintenance of HG-ESS. After 26 cycles, chemotherapy had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus leading to disease progression and eventually death. In conclusion, TC therapy can prolong survival in patients with HG-ESS, and maintenance chemotherapy should not be postponed.

Keywords: Cancer - see Oncology; Chemotherapy; Gynecological cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use
  • Endometrial Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use
  • Pandemics
  • Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal* / diagnosis
  • Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel