Objective: This study aimed to determine 5-year progression-free and overall survival in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma, to determine clinical and surgical-pathologic features, to recognize patterns of recurrence and to identify prognostic factors influencing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
Design: This was a single institution, retrospective 10-year review of patients treated at Tygerberg Hospital in South Africa with pathologically confirmed uterine carcinosarcoma.
Methods: A total of 61 patients were studied. Demographic, clinicopathological, treatment and outcome information were obtained. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the effects of variables on PFS and OS.
Results: Eighteen patients (29%) presented as FIGO stage I disease, 5 patients (8%) as stage II, 16 patients (26%) as stage III and 22 patients (36%) as stage IV disease. Fifty of the 61 patients (82%) had surgery. Five-year PFS and 5-year OS were 17.3% (CI 8.9%-27.9%) and 19.7% (CI 10.6%-30.8%), respectively. Seventeen patients presented with recurrence of which 5 (29.4%) were local and 12 (70.6%) were outside the pelvis. In the univariate analysis, tumour diameter ≥ 100mm (HR 4.57; 95% CI 1.59-13.19; p-value 0.005) was associated with 5-year PFS and in univariate analysis of OS, a positive family history (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.18-0.99; p-value 0.047), receiving a full staging operation (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.18-0.78; p-value 0.008) and receiving any other modality of treatment, with or without surgery, (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.27-0.85; p-value 0.012) were associated with better survival. An abnormal cervical smear (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.03-5.6; p-value 0.041), late-stage disease (HR 3.48; 95% CI 1.79-6.77; p-value < 0.001), presence of residual tumour (HR 3.66; 95% CI 1.90-7.02; p-value < 0.001), myometrial invasion more than 50% (HR 2.29; 95% CI 1.15-4.57; p-value 0.019), cervical involvement (HR 3.38; 95% CI 1.64-6.97; p-value 0.001) and adnexal involvement (HR 3.21; 95% CI 1.56-6.63; p-value 0.002) were associated with a higher risk of death. In the multivariate analysis, full staging operation was associated with a risk of progression of disease (HR 3.49; 95% CI 1.17-10.41; p-value 0.025). Advanced stage (HR 4.2; 95% CI 2.09-8.44; p-value < 0.001) was associated with a higher risk of death. Any other modality of treatment (HR 0.28; 95% CI 0.15-0.53; p-value < 0.001) and full staging laparotomy (HR 0.27; 95% CI 0.12-0.59; p-value 0.001) was a protective factor for death.
Conclusions: Carcinosarcoma is an aggressive cancer with poorer survival in this specific cohort than has been described in other contemporary cohorts. Biological or genetic factors are a possible explanation for lower overall survival in this population. Although it is also possible that later diagnosis and poor access to health care contribute to poorer survival. Most recurrences occur outside of the pelvis. Full staging surgery (including pelvic lymphadenectomy) and additional use of other modalities (either for radical or palliative intent) improve survival.