Objective: To study radiotherapy in the treatment of uterine sarcomas and response to radiation in primary or recurrent uterine sarcomas.
Methods: A total of 102 uterine sarcomas treated in the Cancer Hospital from May 1960 to June 1999. A retrospective review of 45 patients receiving surgery alone, 29 patients for postoperative radiotherapy, 4 radiotherapy alone, 24 recurrent sarcomas receiving radiotherapy.
Results: The 5-year overall survival for 45 patients treated with surgery alone and 29 patients managed by postoperative radiotherapy were 56.7% and 58.6% respectively (P > 0.05). The addition of radiotherapy significantly reduced the local recurrence rate from 42.2% to 20.7% (P < 0.05). The tumor was disappeared completely by treatment of radiotherapy alone in 3 patients of primary uterine cervix sarcomas. 1 patient was free of disease at 36 months. Other 2 patients died 9 and 11 months later because of distant metastases. The complete and partial response rate of radiotherapy was 50.0% for recurrent tumors. The radiotherapeutic sensibility of endometrial stromal sarcomas, mixed mesodermal sarcomas and leiomyosarcomas was downward tendency in turn.
Conclusions: The postoperation adjuvant radiotherapy reduced the pelvic recurrent significantly. Radiotherapy should be used in the treatment of uterine sarcomas as an important part of combination therapy.