Reproductive and oncologic outcomes in young women with uterine sarcoma undergoing fertility-sparing treatment: a systematic review.

Background: Uterine sarcomas (US) are rare cancer of possible occurrence even in women of childbearing age. To date, total hysterectomy is the standard treatment in the early stages. The possibilities of carrying out fertility-sparing treatments (FST) to save the fertility of women with unfulfilled reproductive desires are described in the literature, but to date, they can only be considered experimental. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the oncological and reproductive outcomes of women with different histological types of US undergoing FST. Design: Systematic review. Data sources and methods: Electronic databases were searched for English-language studies describing FST for US until January 31, 2024. Results: Forty-five papers which met the abovementioned inclusion criteria, were included in the qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis was not possible because of the heterogeneity of the data. A descriptive summary of the results according to the histotype of US was provided. Six hundred forty-one patients of childbearing age with US and undergoing FST. After treatment with FST, 89 (13.9%) disease recurrences and 107 (16.7%) pregnancies were recorded. Conclusion: In selected cases of early-stage US, FST may be proposed. However, the patient must be informed of the real possibility of recurrence and potentially difficult achievement of pregnancy. Additional well-designed prospective studies and clinical trials are needed to address the knowledge gaps and enhance clinical decision-making in this population. Trial registration: PROSPERO ID: CRD42024509356.

Intraperitoneal spread in uterine sarcoma following unprotected laparoscopic transvaginal uterine morcellation: a case report and literature review.

Clinically and through auxiliary examinations, distinguishing uterine leiomyoma from early-stage uterine sarcoma presents significant challenges. A 48-year-old patient underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma, during which a large uterus was excised through the vagina and extracted. Four months post-operation, the patient developed abdominal distension, indicative of extensive pelvic-abdominal dissemination of uterine sarcoma. We hypothesize that unprotected fibroid fragmentation increases the risk of uterine sarcoma spread, thereby worsening the prognosis. Our literature review aims to thoroughly understand the risks associated with unprotected transvaginal laparoscopic tumor division.

Uterine Leiomyosarcoma in a Young Woman: A Report of a Rare Case.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is an uncommon disease that arises from the smooth muscles present in the uterus. It usually occurs in post-menopausal women. Due to its aggressive nature, it has a very poor prognosis. We present a case of uterine LMS, which presented at a young age of 35 years for infertility, which is rare at this age. She had a fundal fibroid for which myomectomy was done. On histopathology, she was diagnosed with LMS. It is very difficult and nearly impossible to diagnose LMS preoperatively by available imaging modalities. There is an urgent need for a reliable preoperative risk scoring system that can help in diagnosing malignancy so that a correct surgical pathway and treatment can be offered to patients. A total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) was done and was advised adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient remained disease-free and was put on chemotherapy.

A clinical ultrasound algorithm to identify uterine sarcoma and smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential in patients with myometrial lesions: the MYometrial Lesion UltrasouNd And mRi study.

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis between benign uterine smooth muscle tumors and malignant counterpart is challenging. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of a clinical and ultrasound based algorithm in predicting mesenchymal uterine malignancies, including smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential. STUDY DESIGN: We report the 12-month follow-up of an observational, prospective, single-center study that included women with at least 1 myometrial lesion ≥3 cm on ultrasound examination. These patients were classified according to a 3-class diagnostic algorithm, using symptoms and ultrasound features. "White" patients underwent annual telephone follow-up for 2 years, "Green" patients underwent a clinical and ultrasound follow-up at 6, 12, and 24 months and "Orange" patients underwent surgery. We further developed a risk class system to stratify the malignancy risk. RESULTS: Two thousand two hundred sixty-eight women were included and target lesion was classified as benign in 2158 (95.1%), as other malignancies in 58 (2.6%) an as mesenchymal uterine malignancies in 52 (2.3%) patients. At multivariable analysis, age (odds ratio 1.05 [95% confidence interval 1.03-1.07]), tumor diameter >8 cm (odds ratio 5.92 [95% confidence interval 2.87-12.24]), irregular margins (odds ratio 2.34 [95% confidence interval 1.09-4.98]), color score=4 (odds ratio 2.73 [95% confidence interval 1.28-5.82]), were identified as independent risk factors for malignancies, whereas acoustic shadow resulted in an independent protective factor (odds ratio 0.39 [95% confidence interval 0.19-0.82[). The model, which included age as a continuous variable and lesion diameter as a dichotomized variable (cut-off 81 mm), provided the best area under the curve (0.87 [95% confidence interval 0.82-0.91]). A risk class system was developed, and patients were classified as low-risk (predictive model value <0.39%: 0/606 malignancies, risk 0%), intermediate risk (predictive model value 0.40%-2.2%: 9/1093 malignancies, risk 0.8%), high risk (predictive model value ≥2.3%: 43/566 malignancies, risk 7.6%). CONCLUSION: The preoperative 3-class diagnostic algorithm and risk class system can stratify women according to risk of malignancy. Our findings, if confirmed in a multicenter study, will permit differentiation between benign and mesenchymal uterine malignancies allowing a personalized clinical approach.

A Rare Case of Uterine Myxoid Leiomyosarcoma.

A 49-year-old female patient was referred to a tertiary care hospital with a history of postmenopausal bleeding and abdominal pain that had persisted for the last two months. An abdominal examination revealed a huge mass that had been present for 12 weeks. A fibroid uterus was suggested by USG. A biopsy was done and sent to histopathology which revealed myxoid leiomyoma. Subsequently, the patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy without bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of myxoid leiomyosarcoma (MLMS) of the uterus.

Uterine tumor resembling high-grade endometrial mesenchymal sarcoma with GATAD2B-MMRN1 fusion.

Uterine sarcomas are a group of rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal tissue of the uterus, and their diagnosis is often difficult because they have variable morphologies and no typical immunophenotype. This report describes a 48-year-old woman who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy and relapsed within 5 years with a large mass in the pelvic cavity. Morphologically, the tumor was composed of oval cells and small arteries, and the cells showed moderate to severe atypia. Immunohistochemical results showed that the tumor cells expressed desmin, smooth muscle actin, and h-caldesmon, which supported myogenic differentiation. They were strongly positive for Cyclin D1, estrogen receptors (ER), and estrogen receptors (PR), supporting their origin from uterine mesenchymal cells. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed a GATAD2B::MMRN1 rearrangement. The patient was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma resembling high-grade endometrial mesenchymal sarcoma with a GATAD2B-MMRN1 fusion. We review the relevant literature and discuss the diagnostic and differential diagnostic points for this disease.

Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Patients With Uterine Leiomyosarcoma: A Single-Center Experience.

Background Uterine leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are associated with more recurrence and higher mortality compared to other uterine cancers. Considering the limited number of case series in the literature, the limited effectiveness of standard treatment methods, and the inadequacy of molecular biomarkers, we planned to investigate the effects of treatment methods and survival outcomes in these patients. Methodology The study was designed retrospectively, and the records of patients who were followed up and treated at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Medical Oncology Clinic, between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2021, were reviewed. Patients over 18 years of age with a pathological diagnosis of uterine LMS were included. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data were recorded using the hospital database. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging was reassessed for each patient in accordance with the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition (2017). Tumor size, location, and grade were also evaluated. Types of treatments, protocols, and adverse effects were recorded. Relapsed patients, relapse localization, and treatments given at relapse were recorded and compared.  Results Twenty-eight patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 53.7 years. The median follow-up time was 39.3 months. The localization of LMS could be detected in 22 (78.57%) patients, among them 20 (90.9%) patients had intramural, 1 (4.5%) had submucosal, and 1 (4.5%) had subserosal LMS. All patients (26, 92.8%) underwent primary surgery, except for 2 (7.14%) patients who were metastatic at the time of diagnosis. Adjuvant treatment suggestion was made for 7 (25%) patients with a high risk of recurrence in the multidisciplinary tumor council. Partial response was observed in 1 (3.5%) of the 2 (7.1%) metastatic patients, and stable disease was observed in the other. Recurrence was detected in 22 (84.6%) patients . Fifteen (53.6%) patients died during the follow-up period. Survival was better in premenopausal patients (99.2 versus 51.6 months, P = 0.056). No significant difference was found when the survival of patients who received and did not receive adjuvant treatment were compared. In relapsed patients, there was no significant difference in survival between patients who underwent and did not undergo surgical treatment. Conclusions Uterine LMS is a rare and aggressive malignancy with limited diagnostic methods, frequent recurrences, high mortality, and limited use of nonsurgical treatments. The positive effect of adjuvant treatment on survival has not been demonstrated. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of hormone receptor status on prognosis and new biomarkers.

High negative prediction for the Basel sarcoma score: Sonographic assessment of features suspicious of uterine sarcoma.

INTRODUCTION: In the management of uterine myomas, laparoscopic surgery with morcellation enables a minimal invasive procedure. Cases of unsuspected uterine sarcoma dissemination have been reported and led to regulative restrictions. To help to distinguish preoperatively myomas from sarcomas, we assessed the value of six sonographic criteria (Basel Sarcoma Score, BSS) in a prospective outpatient cohort of consecutive patients with uterine masses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated all patients presenting with myoma-like masses planned for surgery with standardized ultrasound examination. BSS including the following criteria was investigated: rapid growth in past three months, high blood flow, atypical growth, irregular lining, central necrosis and oval solitary lesion. For each criterion, a score 0/1 was given. BSS (0-6) equals the sum of all given scores. Histological diagnosis was used as reference. RESULTS: Among 545 patients, 522 had the final diagnosis of myoma, 16 had peritoneal masses with sarcomatous components (PMSC), and seven had other malignancies. Median BSS for PMSC was 2.5 (range: 0-4) vs 0 for myomas (range: 0-3). The most common sonographic criteria leading to a false positive score in myomas were rapid growth in past three months and high blood flow. For the detection of sarcomatous masses with BSS threshold of >1, sensitivity was 93.8%, specificity 97.9%, and positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 57.7% and 99.8%, respectively (AUC 0.95). CONCLUSION: BSS can help distinguishing between myomas and sarcomatous masses, with high NPV. Caution is required when >1 criterion is present. As a simple tool, it could easily be integrated into routine myoma sonographic examination and help develop standardized assessment of uterine masses for better preoperative triage.

Sonographic and Magnetic Resonance Characteristics of Gynecological Sarcoma.

INTRODUCTION: Gynecological sarcomas are rare malignant tumors with an incidence of 1.5-3/100,000 and are 3-9% of all malignant uterine tumors. The preoperative differentiation between sarcoma and myoma becomes increasingly important with the development of minimally invasive treatments for myomas, as this means undertreatment for sarcoma. There are currently no reliable laboratory tests or imaging-characteristics to detect sarcomas. The objective of this article is to gain an overview of sarcoma US/MRI characteristics and assess their accuracy for preoperative diagnosis. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed and 12 studies on ultrasound and 21 studies on MRI were included. RESULTS: For the ultrasound, these key features were gathered: solid tumor > 8 cm, unsharp borders, heterogeneous echogenicity, no acoustic shadowing, rich vascularization, and cystic changes within. For the MRI, these key features were gathered: irregular borders; heterogeneous; high signal on T2WI intensity; and hemorrhagic and necrotic changes, with central non-enhancement, hyperintensity on DWI, and low values for ADC. CONCLUSIONS: These features are supported by the current literature. In retrospective analyses, the ultrasound did not show a sufficient accuracy for diagnosing sarcoma preoperatively and could also not differentiate between the different subtypes. The MRI showed mixed results: various studies achieved high sensitivities in their analysis, when combining multiple characteristics. Overall, these findings need further verification in prospective studies with larger study populations.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis analysis of uterine sarcoma: a single-institution retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Uterine sarcomas are rare and aggressive gynaecologic malignancies, characterized by a relatively high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features and explore the prognostic factors of these malignancies. METHODS: This was a single-institution, retrospective study. We reviewed the medical records of 155 patients with pathologically confirmed uterine sarcomas including uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS), low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS), undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (UUS) and adenosarcoma (AS) between 2006 and 2022. A total of 112 patients who underwent surgery between January 2006 and April 2019 were included in the survival analysis. The current study recorded the clinicopathological, treatment and outcome data to determine clinical characteristics and survival. RESULTS: The most common histopathological type was ULMS (63/155, 40.64%), followed by LG-ESS (56/155, 36.13%) and HG-ESS (16/155, 10.32%). The mean age at diagnosis of all patients was 49.27±48.50 years and 32.90% (51/155) of patients were postmenopausal. Fifteen patients underwent fast-frozen sectioning, 63(54.78%) were diagnosed with malignancy, 29(25.22%) were highly suspected of malignancy that needed further clarification and 23(14.84%) were diagnosed with benign disease. A total of 124(80%) patients underwent total hysterectomy (TH) and salpingo-oophorectomy. Multivariate analyses showed that histological type and tumour size were independent prognostic factors both for overall survival (OS) (p<0.001 and P=0.017, respectively) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p<0.001 and P=0.018, respectively). Tumour stage was only significantly associated with PFS (P=0.002). Elevated preoperative NLR, PLR and postmenopausal status were significantly correlated with shorter PFS and OS in univariate analysis, but no statistically significant difference was found in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with uterine sarcoma, in comparison to LMS and LG-ESS, UUS and HG-ESS tend to present as more aggressive tumour with poorer outcomes. Furthermore, larger tumour (>7.5 cm) were an important predictor of shorter PFS and OS.

The role of postoperative radiotherapy in patients with uterine sarcomas: A PSM-IPTW analysis based on SEER database.

Objective: The optimal adjuvant therapy for uterine sarcomas remains poorly determined due to its rarity and histological diversity. The purpose of the study is to explore and characterize the association between utilization of radiotherapy and survival outcome in patients with surgically resected uterine sarcomas. Methods: We collected data regarding uterine sarcomas which were confirmed after total hysterectomy between 2010 and 2018 period from the latest version of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Initially, 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rate were calculated to predict potential risk factors and possible role of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) technique were employed to balance confounding factors in the utilization of additional therapy. Multivariate and exploratory subgroup analyses were respectively conducted to evaluate the impact of adjuvant therapy on overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). Results: A total of 2897 patients were enrolled in the analysis. Survival benefit at 1-, 3-and 5-year after initial treatment was observed in the group of radiotherapy given, however, poorer prognosis in the group of chemotherapy administration. Accordingly, chemotherapy was enrolled as a confounding factor when stratifying and matching patients by receipt of radiotherapy. Prior to and after PSM-IPTW adjustment, radiotherapy both demonstrated beneficial effect on OS and CSS based on multivariate analysis. Further subgroup analysis indicated radiotherapy improved OS and CSS among a subset of patients in stage II-IV, particularly with uterine leiomyosarcoma, tumor grade IV, bigger tumor size than 100 mm and even with chemotherapy administration. Conclusions: Adjuvant radiotherapy in uterine sarcomas after hysterectomy might be underutilized, and proper use of adjuvant radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy after surgery in advanced-stage and high-risk patients might improve survival.

Advances in the Preoperative Identification of Uterine Sarcoma.

Uterine sarcomas are rare malignant tumors of the uterus with a high degree of malignancy. Their clinical manifestations, imaging examination findings, and laboratory test results overlap with those of uterine fibroids. No reliable diagnostic criteria can distinguish uterine sarcomas from other uterine tumors, and the final diagnosis is usually only made after surgery based on histopathological evaluation. Conservative or minimally invasive treatment of patients with uterine sarcomas misdiagnosed preoperatively as uterine fibroids will shorten patient survival. Herein, we will summarize recent advances in the preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas, including epidemiology and clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, radiomics and machine learning-related methods, preoperative biopsy, integrated model and other relevant emerging technologies.

Role of Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) Genes in Uterine Leiomyosarcomas: A Retrospective Analysis.

Uterine leiomyosarcomas (uLMS) is a very rare disease, and patients experience a dismal prognosis even when treated with chemotherapy. Therefore, a more in-depth molecular characterization of this disease could provide suitable data for the identification of potential target-based drugs. This retrospective, single institutional study aimed to define the frequencies of gene alterations in uLMS, especially regarding the somatic mutations of BRCA and Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) genes, and the impact of molecular alterations on clinical outcomes. The 16-genes Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) panel, Homologous Recombination Solution TM (HRS, Sophia Genetics, Saint Sulpice, Switzerland), was used for the molecular evaluation of samples. The majority of patients (66/105, 63%) carried at least one sequence alteration, with a prevalence of TP53 involvement followed by RAD51B, BRCA1/2, and FANCL. Patients with TP53 gene alterations experienced a significantly worse prognosis for progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) versus wild-type patients. Given the number of patients with the BRCA1/2 mutation (N = 12), we included them in the HRR patient group; there was no difference in clinical outcomes with HRR versus non-HRR. The Cox's multivariate analysis showed that stage and TP53 gene alterations resulted in a significantly worse OS. The integration of gene networking data, such as tumor mutation burdens and cancer driver gene identification, could show a clearer discrimination of gene distribution patterns, and lead to the implementation of therapeutic targets.

[Endometrial and other rare uterine sarcomas : Diagnostic aspects in the context of the 2020 WHO classification]. / Endometriale und weitere seltene uterine Sarkome : Diagnostische Aspekte im Kontext der WHO-Klassifikation 2020.

Uterine sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies. Mostly (40-50%), they are leiomyosarcomas, followed by endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS), low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG), as well as undifferentiated sarcoma of the uterus (UUS) and adenosarcomas (AS). Other, non-organ-specific tumours such as NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasia, perivascular epithelioid cell tumour (PEComa) and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) are extremely difficult to differentiate.In the most recent WHO classification, endometrial stromal tumours are subdivided as follows: benign, expansively growing endometrial stromal nodule (ESN) with sharp demarcation, the histologically similar-looking LG-ESS with infiltrative growth, the highly malignant HG-ESS and, as a diagnosis of exclusion, the highly aggressive UUS lacking specific lines of differentiation. LG-ESS can be differentiated from HG-ESS in most cases histomorphologically and immunohistochemically, but molecular investigations are necessary in individual cases. HG-ESS can be divided into 4 subtypes (YWHAE/NUTM2 fusion low-grade component, YWHAE/NUTM2 fusion high-grade component, ZC3H7B-BCOR fusion or BCOR-ITD) on the basis of molecular findings. Prognostically unfavourable factors in AS are severe sarcomatous overgrowth, deep myometrial invasion, high-grade histology and lymphatic vessel invasion. Tumours with NTRK fusion are immunohistochemically positive for S100 and TRK. PEComas express cathepsin K and HMB45, as well as TFE3 when translocation is present. Almost every IMT shows an alteration in the ALK gene In the case of overlapping morphology and simultaneous therapeutic and prognostic relevance, it is becoming increasingly important to verify or confirm the suspected histomorphological diagnosis by immunohistochemical and possibly molecular investigations.

New Insights into Hormonal Therapies in Uterine Sarcomas.

Uterine sarcoma (US) is a rare mesenchymal malignant cancer type, accounting for 3-7% of uterine malignancies. US prognosis is still poor due to high local and distant recurrence rates. As for molecular features, US may present variable oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expressions, mostly depending on histotype and grading. Surgery represents the mainstay of treatment for early-stage disease, while the role of adjuvant chemotherapy or local radiotherapy is still debated and defined on the basis of histotype, tumour grading and stage. In metastatic setting, uterine sarcomas' treatment includes palliative surgery, a metastases resection, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. As for the chemotherapy regimen used, drugs that are considered most effective are doxorubicin (combined with ifosfamide or alone), gemcitabine combined with docetaxel and, more recently, trabectedin or pazopanib. Hormonal therapies, including aromatase inhibitors (AIs), progestins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-a) may also represent an effective option, in particular for low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS), due to their favourable toxicity profile and patients' compliance, while their role is still under investigation in uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS), undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (USS) and other rarer US. The present review aims to analyse the existing evidence and future perspectives on hormonal therapies in US, in order to clarify their potential role in daily clinical practice.

Risk of unexpected uterine leiomyosarcoma during laparoscopic procedures: Experience from a single tertiary institute in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of occult uterine sarcomas and investigate whether an accurate and well-established preoperative assessment for uterine fibroids could help identify uterine sarcomas more effectively. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent gynecological laparoscopic surgery for presumed uterine fibroids at Sant'Anna Hospital, a single tertiary institute in Turin, Italy, between January 2003 and December 2019. RESULTS: Over the 17-year period, 5826 laparoscopic surgical procedures (myomectomies or subtotal/total hysterectomies) were performed for presumed uterine fibroids. A total of 48 patients with a final diagnosis of uterine sarcoma were identified, the majority of which (n = 39; 81.3%) were recognized as suspicious uterine sarcomas during the preoperative assessment, and morcellement was avoided. The occurrence of unexpected uterine sarcomas was 0.1% (6/5826). Morcellation was conducted in one patient with uterine sarcoma. CONCLUSION: Analysis of our data showed that unexpected uterine sarcomas are uncommon. Accurate preoperative evaluation can help avoid, but does not exclude, the possibility of morcellation of unknown uterine sarcomas.

MRI features and clinical outcomes of unexpected uterine sarcomas in patients who underwent high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation for presumed uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the MRI features and clinical outcomes of unexpected uterine sarcomas in patients after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation for presumed uterine fibroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15,759 consecutive patients who came for HIFU treatment, from November 2008 to September 2019, for presumed uterine fibroids were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients had completed a pre-HIFU MRI. All MRI images were independently analyzed and interpreted by two radiologists in every center. RESULTS: According to the T2WI MRI features of hyperintensity, accompanied by irregular margins, necrosis or cystic degeneration, multi-lobulated lesion with internal septation, 46 patients were suspected to be uterine sarcomas before HIFU. Eleven patients were histologically diagnosed as uterine sarcomas after laparotomy. Among the 15713 patients who received HIFU treatment for presumed uterine fibroids, 8 patients were found to have occult recurrence during the follow-up period, and 6 were confirmed histologically as uterine sarcomas after laparotomy. The incidence rate of uterine sarcomas was 0.108% (17/15759). Among them, 12 cases were low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) and 5 cases were uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS). No histological dissemination of the sarcoma was detected in patients with unexpected uterine sarcomas. CONCLUSION: Although some MRI features of uterine sarcomas and uterine fibroids overlapped, MRI is valuable in distinguishing between uterine fibroids and uterine sarcomas. HIFU does not seem to cause histological dissemination of the sarcoma, but follow-up visits should be strictly adhered to in order to detect unexpected uterine sarcomas at an early stage and to treat them in a timely manner.

Malignant uterine neoplasms attended at a brazilian regional hospital: 16-years profile and time elapsed for diagnosis and treatment / Neoplasias malignas do útero atendidas em hospital regional brasileiro: Perfil em 16 Anos e tempo dispendido até diagnóstico e tratamento

Abstract Objective The present study aims to evaluate the profile of endometrial carcinomas and uterine sarcomas attended in a Brazilian cancer center in the period from 2001 to 2016 and to analyze the impact of time elapsed fromsymptoms to diagnoses or treatment in cancer stage and survival. Methods This observational study with 1,190 cases evaluated the year of diagnosis, age-group, cancer stage and histological type. A subgroup of 185 women with endometrioid histology attended in the period from 2012 to 2017 was selected to assess information about initial symptoms, diagnosticmethods, overall survival, and to evaluate the influence of the time elapsed from symptoms to diagnosis and treatment on staging and survival. The statistics used were descriptive, trend test, and the Kaplan- Meier method, with p-values < 0.05 for significance. Results A total of 1,068 (89.7%) carcinomas (77.2% endometrioid and 22.8% nonendometrioid) and 122 (10.3%) sarcomas were analyzed, with an increasing trend in the period (p < 0.05). Histologies of non-endometrioid carcinomas, G3 endometrioid, and carcinosarcomas constituted 30% of the cases. Non-endometrioid carcinomas and sarcomas weremore frequently diagnosed in patients over 70 years of age and those on stage IV (p < 0.05). The endometrioid subgroup with 185 women reported 92% of abnormal uterine bleeding and 43% diagnosis after curettage. The average time elapsed between symptoms to diagnosis was 244 days, and between symptoms to treatment was 376 days, all without association with staging (p = 0.976) and survival (p = 0.160). Only 12% of the patients started treatment up to 60 days after diagnosis. Conclusion The number of uterine carcinoma and sarcoma cases increased over the period of 2001 to 2016. Aggressive histology comprised 30% of the patients and, for endometrioid carcinomas, the time elapsed between symptoms and diagnosis or treatment was long, although without association with staging or survival.

Resumo Objetivo O presente estudo avaliou o perfil dos carcinomas endometriais e sarcomas uterinos atendidos em um centro brasileiro de câncer no período de 2001 a 2016, e avaliou o impacto do tempo decorrido entre os sintomas até o diagnóstico ou tratamento no estadiamento e sobrevida pelo câncer. Métodos Estudo observacional com 1.190 casos que analisou o ano do diagnóstico, faixa etária, estágio e tipo histológico do câncer. Um subgrupo de 185 mulheres com histologia endometrioide e atendidas no período de 2012 a 2017 foi selecionado para avaliar informações sobre sintomas iniciais, métodos de diagnóstico, sobrevida global e para analisar a relação entre o tempo decorrido a partir dos sintomas até o diagnóstico e tratamento no estadiamento e sobrevida. Foram realizadas análises estatísticas descritiva, de tendência linear e de sobrevida pelo método de Kaplan-Meier, com valores de p < 0,05 para significância. Resultados Os casos estudados de acordo com a histologia foram 1.068 (89,7%) carcinomas (77,2% endometrioides e 22,8% não endometrioides) e 122 (10,3%) sarcomas, com tendência crescente no período (p < 0,05). Histologias de carcinomas não endometrioides, G3 endometrioides e carcinossarcomas consistiram em 30% dos casos. Carcinomas não endometrioides e sarcomas forammais frequentemente diagnosticados em pacientes acima de 70 anos de idade e em estágio IV (p < 0,05). O subgrupo com185 mulheres com carcinoma endometrioide apresentou 92% de sangramento uterino anormal e 43% de diagnóstico após curetagem. O tempo médio decorrido entre os sintomas e o diagnóstico foi de 244 dias e entre os sintomas e o tratamento, 376 dias, todos sem associação com estadiamento (p = 0,976) e sobrevida (p = 0,160). Apenas 12% das pacientes iniciaram o tratamento em até 60 dias após o diagnóstico. Conclusão O número de casos de carcinomas e sarcomas uterinos aumentaram no período de 2001 a 2016. A histologia agressiva compreendeu 30% dos pacientes e, no caso dos carcinomas endometrioides, o tempo decorrido entre os sintomas e o diagnóstico ou tratamento foi longo, embora sem associação com estadiamento ou sobrevida.

Gynecological Sarcomas: Molecular Characteristics, Behavior, and Histology-Driven Therapy.

Gynecological sarcomas represent 3% to 4% of all gynecological malignancies and 13% of all sarcomas. The uterus is the most frequent primary site (83%); less frequently sarcomas are diagnosed originating from the ovary (8%), vulva and vagina (5%), and other gynecologic organs (2%). As the classification of gynecologic sarcomas continues to diversify, so does the management. Accurate histopathologic diagnosis, utilizing appropriate ancillary immunohistochemical and molecular analysis, could lead to a more personalized approach. However, there are subtypes that require further definition, with regard to putative predictive markers and optimal management. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of accurate diagnosis and classification of gynecologic sarcoma subtypes by the surgical pathologist in order to provide more tailored systemic treatment, and to highlight the increasing importance of close collaboration between the pathologist and the oncologist.