[A case and literature review of ovarian carcinosarcoma with long-term survival after repeated recurrences]

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2014 Aug;41(8):1031-6.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Ovarian carcinosarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. We report a case of ovarian carcinosarcoma and also review the literature. In 2000, a 63-year-old woman underwent optimal cytoreductive surgery for ovarian carcinosarcoma( International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics[FIGO]stage III c[pT3cN0M0]). She received adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin(TC). In 2005, a recurrent tumor was noted anterior to the sacrum. The patient had a complete response after 6 cycles of TC chemotherapy; however, a year later, the tumor recurred and was resected. In 2013, the tumor recurred adjacent to the right kidney and was surgically removed after a partial response to 3 cycles of TC chemotherapy. The pathologic findings included epithelial and non-epithelial components with histologic variation and differentiation; specifically, a leiomyosarcoma, cartilaginous tissues with cellular atypia, and a rhabdomyosarcoma were identified in specimens obtained during the first, second, and third surgical procedures, respectively. In keeping with the combination theory of histogenesis, the ovarian carcinosarcoma described herein may have originated from a monoclonal stem cell. The long survival of this patient is attributed to optimal cytoreduction during the primary operation, solitary recurrent tumors that were completely resected, and sensitivity to chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinosarcoma / drug therapy*
  • Carcinosarcoma / surgery
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / surgery
  • Recurrence
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome