[Uterine sarcoma treated by surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. Patterns of relapse, prognostic factors and role of radiation therapy].

The objective was to evaluate the results of a combination of surgery and postoperative radiotherapy in patients with uterine sarcoma, to describe the patterns of relapse and to define prognostic factors. From 1980 to 1993, 29 patients (median age: 56 years) presenting with uterine sarcoma have been treated with surgery and postoperative irradiation. The histology was: leiomyosarcoma: 11; carcinosarcoma: 12; stromal sarcoma: 6. The distribution by stage was: pT1: 18; pT2: 5; pT3: 3; pT4: 3; pNO: 27; pN1: 2. Gross residual disease was present in 4 patients. External beam irradiation was performed in all the cases and brachytherapy in 19. Chemotherapy was given in 3 patients. The overall survival rate was 66% at 2 years and 57% at 5 years with a disease free survival of 54% at 2 years and 50% at 5 years. Seven patients relapsed locally and 8 developed metastases. One patient died of ileitis. In a multivariate analysis, the disease free survival was strongly influenced by the menopausal status. The survival in this study is higher than that described in series of patients treated with surgery alone. This study confirms the worse prognosis of uterine sarcoma in postmenopausal women.