Adjuvant chemotherapy in uterine carcinosarcoma: Comparison of a doublet and a triplet chemotherapeutic regimen.

BACKGROUND: Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) is a rare and aggressive malignancy, and there are no existing standard guidelines for adjuvant therapy. Doublet chemotherapy regimens are most favored in adjuvant setting; however, given the early chances of distant recurrences, does a triple-drug adjuvant chemotherapy improve disease-free survival (DFS), remains to be seen. Our aim of the study is to compare and review different adjuvant regimens used in UCS. METHODS: Retrospective chart analysis included 37 optimally staged UCS patients. Each of them had either received paclitaxel plus carboplatin (PC) or paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin (TIP). A toxicity analysis was charted as per common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) 4 criteria. A survival analysis was done by the Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test was used for comparison of two variables. RESULTS: Incidence of UCS was 4.1% and mean age (standard deviation) was 58.73 ± 6.3 (range 42 - 71) years. TIP and PC chemotherapies were given to 22 and 15 patients, respectively. Five-year DFS and overall survival for TIP versus PC were 38.2% versus 35.9% (P = 0.118) and 49% versus 50.3% (P = 0.306), respectively, and for Stage I, II versus Stage III was 78.8% versus 12.7%(P = 0.001) and 92.3% versus 34.2% (P = 0.002), respectively. However, in advanced disease (Stage III), there is a trend toward DFS advantage of triple-drug adjuvant regimen (Hazards ratio (HR) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.12-1.07). Grade 3 and 4 toxicities were seen in 54.5% patients of TIP chemotherapy group and in 13.3% patients of the PC chemotherapy (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Triple-drug adjuvant chemotherapy (TIP) confers no survival advantage over doublet chemotherapy (PC), and in turn, increases the grade 3/4 toxicity in the adjuvant setting of optimally staged UCS patients.

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of lung: A diagnostic challenge - Series of six cases with histopathological, predictive molecular and PD.L1 assessment.

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of lung is a rare entity, accounting for 5% of all hepatoid adenocarcinoma. Distinguishing it from metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma is essential, but occasionally can be very challenging, especially with concurrent liver mass. A judicious immunohistochemical panel is warranted for accurate diagnosis and subsequent preservation of tissue for molecular testing. There is limited data on the mutational status, behavior and management strategies of this type of lung adenocarcinoma. We report largest series of six cases of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of lung citing the clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular parameters including PD-L1 immunoexpression as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy. None of the evaluated cases showed targetable mutation; however, four out of six cases showed significant PD-L1 expression. All the cases presented with advanced stage and received chemotherapy, however overall prognosis was dismal. In view of significant PD-L1 expression in these tumors and poor response to conventional chemotherapy, these cases might be considered for upfront immunotherapy.

Metastatic low-grade myoepithelial carcinoma of lung managed with low-dose external beam radiotherapy.

Myoepithelial tumor of lung is a rare tumor; the histopathological findings resemble the myoepithelial tumors of the salivary gland. Distinguishing low-grade nonmetastatic myoepithelial carcinoma from benign myoepithelioma can be challenging both radiologically and histomorphologically. We present a case report of a low-grade myoepithelial carcinoma of lung with contralateral lung metastasis which was treated with low-dose external beam radiotherapy.