Purpose: To investigate clinical outcomes with respect to the effectiveness of chemotherapy in the treatment of uterine leiomyosarcoma.
Methods: Study subjects were 18 patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma treated surgically at our hospital between February 1986 and December 2007. A chemotherapy regimen that combined ifosfamide, epirubicine, and cisplatin (IEP) was used as the main first-line chemotherapy.
Results: FIGO disease stages were as follows: Stage I (n = 11), Stage II (n = 1), Stage III (n = 3), Stage IV (n = 3). Five-year overall survival of patients with Stage I-III disease was 65.3% (95% CI: 46.1-92.4%). None of patients with Stage IV disease survived for more than two years. Of seven patients who suffered advanced or recurrent disease, six received IEP; the response rate was 50%, one complete response and two partial responses.
Conclusions: The combination of surgery and chemotherapy seems to be an acceptable treatment for uterine leiomyosarcoma. IEP may be an active regimen for this aggressive disease.