Early-stage Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma Research Articles

Adjuvant vaginal interventional radiotherapy in early-stage non-endometrioid carcinoma of corpus uteri: a systematic review.

PurposeThis systematic review focused on rare histological types of corpus uteri malignancy, including uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS), uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC), and uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), and it is proposed to assist with clinical decision-making. Adjuvant treatment decisions must be made based on available evidences. We mainly investigated the role of vaginal interventional radiotherapy (VIRt) in UCS, UCCC, and UPSC managements.Material and methodsA systematic research using PubMed and Cochrane library was conducted to identify full articles evaluating the efficacy of VIRt in early-stage UPSC, UCCC, and UCS. A search in ClinicalTrials.gov was performed in order to detect ongoing or recently completed trials as well as in PROSPERO for ongoing or recently completed systematic reviews. Survival outcomes and toxicity rates were obtained.ResultsAll studies were retrospective. For UCS, the number of evaluated patients was 432. The 2- to 5-year average local control (LC) was 91% (range, 74.2-96%), disease-free survival (DFS) 88% (range, 82-94%), overall survival (OS) 79% (range, 53.8-84.3%), the average 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 70% (range, 70-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%. For UCCC, the number of investigated patients was 335 (UCCC – 124, mixed – 211), with an average 5-year LC of 100%, DFS of 83% (range, 82-90%), OS of 93% (range, 83-100%), and G3-G4 toxicity of 0%. For UPSC, the number of examined patients was 1,092 (UPSC – 866, mixed – 226). The average 5-year LC was 97% (range, 87.1-100%), DFS 84% (range, 74.7-95.6%), OS 93% (range, 71.9-100%), CSS 89% (range, 78.9-94%), and G3-G4 toxicity was 0%.ConclusionsThese data suggest that in adequately selected early-stage UPSC and UCCC patients, VIRt alone may be suitable in women who underwent surgical staging and received adjuvant chemotherapy. In early-stage UCS, a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach has to be planned, considering high-rate of pelvic and distant relapses.

A novel model to predict cancer-specific survival in patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC)

Objective: Stage I–II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has aggressively biological behavior and leads to poor prognosis. However, clinicopathologic risk factors to predict cancer-specific survival of patients with stage I–II UPSC were still unclear. This study was undertaken to develop a prediction model of survival in patients with early-stage UPSC.

A novel model to predict cancer-specific survival in patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC).

ObjectiveStage I‐II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has aggressive biological behavior and leads to poor prognosis. However, clinicopathologic risk factors to predict cancer‐specific survival of patients with stage I‐II UPSC were still unclear. This study was undertaken to develop a prediction model of survival in patients with early‐stage UPSC.MethodsUsing Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, 964 patients were identified with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I‐II UPSC who underwent at least hysterectomy between 2004 and 2015. By considering competing risk events for survival outcomes, we used proportional subdistribution hazards regression to compare cancer‐specific death (CSD) for all patients. Based on the results of univariate and multivariate analysis, the variables were selected to construct a predictive model; and the prediction results of the model were visualized using a nomogram to predict the cancer‐specific survival and the response to adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy of stage I‐II UPSC patients.ResultsThe median age of the cohort was 67 years. One hundred and sixty five patients (17.1%) died of UPSC (CSD), while 8.6% of the patients died from other causes (non‐CSD). On multivariate analysis, age ≥ 67 (HR = 1.45, P = .021), tumor size ≥ 2 cm (HR = 1.81, P = .014) and >10 regional nodes removed (HR = 0.52, P = .002) were significantly associated with cumulative incidence of CSD. In the age ≥67 cohort, FIGO stage IB‐II was a risk factor for CSD (HR = 1.83, P = .036), and >10 lymph nodes removed was a protective factor (HR = 0.50, P = .01). Both adjuvant chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy alone decreased CSD of patients with stage I‐II UPSC older than 67 years (HR = 0.47, P = .022; HR = 0.52, P = .024, respectively). The prediction model had great risk stratification ability as the high‐risk group had higher cumulative incidence of CSD than the low‐risk group (P < .001). In the high‐risk group, patients with post‐operative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy had improved CSD compared with patients who did not receive radiotherapy nor chemotherapy (P = .037). However, there was no such benefit in the low‐risk group.ConclusionOur prediction model of CSD based on proportional subdistribution hazards regression showed a good performance in predicting the cancer‐specific survival of early‐stage UPSC patients and contributed to guide clinical treatment decision, helping oncologists and patients with early‐stage UPSC to decide whether to choose adjuvant therapy or not.

Patterns of use and outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation for early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma

Patterns of use and outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation for early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma

Utility of radiation therapy for early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma

ObjectiveEarly-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has a poor prognosis and high recurrence rate. While adjuvant chemotherapy is generally recommended, the role of radiation is uncertain. We examined the association between vaginal brachytherapy and whole pelvic radiation and survival in women treated with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. MethodsThe National Cancer Data Base was used to identify women with stage I-II UPSC treated between 1998 and 2012. Trends in use of chemotherapy, brachytherapy, and external beam radiation over time were examined. The association between these treatments and mortality were examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. ResultsA total of 7325 patients were identified. Overall, 2779 (37.9%) received chemotherapy. The use of vaginal brachytherapy increased from 7.2% in 1998 to 29.1% in 2012 (P<0.0001), while use of external beam radiation decreased from 18.2% to 11.7% over the same period (P<0.0001). Use of chemotherapy was associated with a 22% reduction in mortality (HR=0.78; 95% CI, 0.69–0.88). While brachytherapy was associated with decreased mortality (HR=0.67; 95% CI, 0.57–0.78), use of external beam radiation was not associated with survival (HR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.92–1.17). Stratified by stage, use of chemotherapy was associated with decreased mortality for women with stage IB and II tumors, but not for stage IA neoplasms. Vaginal brachytherapy was associated with reduced mortality for stage IA and II neoplasms. ConclusionFor women with early-stage UPSC, chemotherapy is associated with improved survival. Vaginal brachytherapy was also associated with improved survival, however, there was little benefit to use of external beam radiation.

Comparison of Early-Stage Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (UPSC) and Carcinosarcoma Treated With Adjuvant Carboplatin/Taxane Chemotherapy and Intravaginal Radiation Therapy (IVRT)

Comparison of Early-Stage Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (UPSC) and Carcinosarcoma Treated With Adjuvant Carboplatin/Taxane Chemotherapy and Intravaginal Radiation Therapy (IVRT)

Is observation reasonable in older patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma?

Is observation reasonable in older patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma?

Recurrence rates in patients with uterine papillary serous cancer with and without breast cancer.

e16529 Background: Women with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) are at increased risk for breast cancer and the converse is true. A genetic association between breast cancer and UPSC was recently described and counseling women faced with more than one cancer diagnosis can be difficult. Our objective was to evaluate recurrence rates of women with UPSC to those with UPSC and a personal history of breast cancer (UPSCBR). Methods: Data was collected for UPSCBR patients at two academic institutions between 7/1990 and 7/2012. Patient demographics, pathology, disease stage, and treatments were recorded. A UPSC literature review was performed focusing on recurrences per number of at-risk patients by stage. We used the fixed effect Mantel-Haenszel method to estimate the common pooled effect (recurrence rate) for the UPSC studies and compared these to UPSCBR patients. Results: Forty-three UPSCBR patients were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 72 (49-93). Twenty-six patients were Caucasian, 14 African-American and 3 other. Twenty-four (56%) had early stage at diagnosis (IA-IC) and 19 (44%) had late stage (III-IV). All but one underwent surgical staging/debulking; 36 (90%) were optimally debulked. Twelve (50%) early stage and 17 (89.5%) late stage patients underwent adjuvant therapy with radiation and/or chemotherapy. Nine studies were identified with available recurrence data for early stage UPSC; 8 for late stage. The recurrence rate for stage IA UPSCBR patients was 2/11 (18%) [95% CI: 2 to 52%] compared to 11% [95% CI: 9.8 to 13%] in the UPSC literature. In IB/IC UPSCBR patients we had 3/13 (23%) [95% CI: 5 to 54%] recur versus 21% [95% CI: 19 to 23%]. In later stages III/IV, 7/19 (37%) [95% CI:16 to 62%] UPSCBR patients had recurrences compared to 58% [95% CI: 56 to 60%] of UPSC patients. Conclusions: There is an association between breast cancer and UPSC with regard to incidence. We failed to find evidence of an appreciable difference in recurrence rates between our UPSCBR patients and UPSC patient groups from other reported studies. While diagnosis with two primary malignancies can be challenging for patients, this does not appear to impact their risk of recurrence.

Evaluation of adjuvant therapy in women with uterine papillary serous cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEUterine papillary serous cancer (UPSC) represents only 10% of all uterine cancers and is associated with a significantly worse prognosis compared with other histological types of endometrial cancers. It closely resembles the behavior of ovarian carcinoma.DESIGN AND SETTINGRetrospective study in a referral center covering period from February 1989 to January 2009.PATIENTS AND METHODSEighteen patients who underwent definitive surgery followed by adjuvant therapy—platinum-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both—were reviewed. Median age was 62 years (range, 52–76 years). All patients underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy. Positive lymph nodes were found in 4 of 7 patients who underwent lymph node sampling/dissection. Seven patients had stage I/II disease, whereas 11 patients had stage III disease. Six patients received chemotherapy, 5 patients received radiation therapy, while 7 patients received both chemotherapy and radiation therapy.RESULTMedian follow-up was 27 months. The median survival and relapse-free survival were 33 and 23 months, respectively. Eight patients were alive and free of disease, of whom 5 patients were stage I/II and 4 patients were stage III. Distant metastasis was the most common site of relapse. Early stage (I/II) was associated with significant improvement in relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) (P=.004 and P=.05, respectively). The combined-modality treatment including chemotherapy-radiotherapy showed statistically significant improvement in RFS (P=.012), while the improvement in OS did not reach statistical significance (P=.12).CONCLUSIONThis study indicates that postoperative combined treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy plays a role in the management of UPSC by improving RFS. Distant metastasis remains the major site of relapse. Future studies using combined-modality therapy are needed to improve the outcome in patients with UPSC.

PRO: All Patients With Serous and Clear Cell Carcinomas of the Endometrium Should Receive Chemotherapy as Part of Their Treatment

U Introduction Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) represent 2 rare endometrial cancer subtypes with significantly worse outcomes than the more common endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) subtype. Homogeneous prospective data are lacking that inform upon optimal treatment strategies for these cancers. Phase III chemotherapy trials in advancedstage disease that include UPSC and UCCC as well as retrospective and phase II trials specifically addressing the role of chemotherapy in advanced-stage UPSC and UCCC suggest that all of these patients should receive adjuvant platinumand taxane-based chemotherapy. There are no completed prospective trials addressing chemotherapy in early-stage UPSC and UCCC and retrospective data alone have driven treatment recommendations for these tumors. Given the tendency of UPSC and UCCC to recur distally, the low salvage rates observed after recurrence, and the survival benefit associated with adjuvant chemotherapy, the available retrospective data suggest that all patients with early-stage UPSC and UCCC should receive platinumand taxane-based chemotherapy as part of the adjuvant treatment plan. In gynecologic oncology, several declarative statements can be made regarding treatment strategies for women with gynecologic

Should All Patients with Serous and Clear Cell Endometrial Carcinoma Receive Adjuvant Chemotherapy?

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) represent two rare subtypes that have an increased risk of recurrence and worse overall survival compared with the more common endometrioid endometrial cancers. Meaningful data in the form of prospective randomized trials is lacking for both advanced and early-stage UPSC and UCCC. Data extrapolated from prospective trials in advanced endometrioid endometrial cancer and retrospective trials on early-stage UPSC suggest that adjuvant platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy may provide a survival benefit for these patients. Future trials specifically examining UPSC and UCCC are needed to elucidate the optimal treatment regimen for these patients. Given the current data, the option of chemotherapy should be considered in treatment-planning discussions for all patients with UPSC and UCCC.

An updated clinicopathologic study of early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC)

Objectives Stage I–II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) patients have a significant risk for extrapelvic recurrence. However, clinicopathologic risk factors for recurrence are not well understood. This study was undertaken to define the prognostic factors for recurrence and survival in patients with early-stage UPSC. Methods A retrospective, multi-institution analysis of surgically staged I–II UPSC patients was performed. Patients were treated by various adjuvant modalities. Age, race, sub-stage, percentage UPSC histology, lymphvascular space invasion (LVSI), tumor size and adjuvant treatment modality were evaluated for their effect on recurrence and survival outcomes. Results We identified 206 patients. Forty patients (19.4%) had 5–49% UPSC, 55 (26.7%) had 50–99% and 111 patients (53.9%) had 100% UPSC in their respective uterine specimens. Twenty one percent of patients experienced a primary recurrence. On univariate analysis, age, increasing %UPSC, LVSI, and tumor size were not significantly associated with recurrence or progression-free survival (PFS). However, substage ( p = 0.005) and treatment with platinum/taxane-based chemotherapy ( p = 0.001) were associated with recurrence/PFS. On multivariate analysis, only chemotherapy ( p = 0.01) was a significant factor affecting PFS, whereas age ( p = 0.05), substage ( p = 0.05), and chemotherapy ( p = 0.02) were associated with overall survival. Conclusions Traditional risk factors for recurrence and survival in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer may not be relevant in patients with UPSC. Patients with any percentage UPSC in their uterine specimens are at a significant risk for recurrence and poor survival outcomes. Given that current clinicopathologic data does not accurately identify women most likely to benefit from adjuvant therapy, alternative prognostic markers based on novel techniques should be explored.

Treatment of early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 1992–2006

Objective Optimal management of early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) remains controversial. We reviewed our outcomes in this patient population. Methods The Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) tumor registry identified all patients with Stages I and IIA UPSC treated between January 1992 and June 2006. The Fisher's exact test was used to compare recurrence rates by adjuvant therapy received. Overall survival (OS) estimates were made using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results Fifty-eight patients with Stage I or IIA UPSC underwent surgery. Thirty-four patients (59%) were surgically staged. Among 21 patients with Stage IA disease, 15 received adjuvant therapy. With a median follow-up of 44.7 months, only one recurrence was observed in a patient who received adjuvant brachytherapy. The 5-year OS was 66%. Among 37 patients with Stages IB–IIA, 30 patients received adjuvant therapy. With a median follow-up of 29 months, there were 7 recurrences. The 5-year OS was 60%. Although there were no significant differences in recurrence by adjuvant therapy received, a significant OS benefit was found in those who received radiation. There was no significant difference in OS distributions of those patients who received Carboplatin/Paclitaxel chemotherapy. Conclusions Despite the limitations of our retrospective study, we have shown that even comprehensively staged early-stage UPSC patients are still at risk for recurrence despite adjuvant therapy received. Hence, all patients with this histologic diagnosis should be considered at high risk for recurrence and counseled appropriately regarding the risks and benefits of adjuvant therapy.

Can primary recurrences in surgical stage I-II uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) patients be salvaged?

e16503 Background: There is an absence of data in the literature on salvage rates for vaginal, pelvic, and extra-pelvic recurrences for early-stage UPSC patients (pts). The purpose of this study is to determine whether primary recurrences can be salvaged with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Methods: A retrospective, multi-institution study of pts with stage I-II UPSC diagnosed from 1993–2006. All pts underwent comprehensive surgical staging. Postoperative treatment included either observation (OBS), radiotherapy (RT: brachytherapy, pelvic, abdominal or combo) or ≥ 3 cycles carboplatin/paclitaxel (CT) alone or with RT (CT+RT). Results: We identified 197 stage I-II pts; 44/197 (22.3%) experienced a primary recurrence during a median follow-up of 35 months. Patterns of recurrence analysis revealed that 17 (38.6%) were vaginal/pelvic (V/P) and 27 (61.4%) were extra-pelvic (EP). Multi-site relapses occurred in 13/44 (30%). Pts initially treated with adjuvant CT±RT (n = 108) had a significantly decreased risk of primary recurrence (9.9%) when compared to those patients treated with RT alone (n = 45; 37%) or OBS (n = 43; 35%; p &lt; 0.001). There were no distinguishing risk factors for development of V/P versus EP recurrence. Median time to recurrence after diagnosis was 16 months. The majority of pts (86%) were not salvaged by second line therapy, with a median time from recurrence to death of 8.9 months. However, more pts with isolated vaginal recurrences (5/12 or 42%) were salvaged when compared to those with pelvic or EP recurrences (1/32 or 3.1%; p = 0.004). The 5 pts who are NED after vaginal relapse were treated with CT±RT (n = 3) or RT (n = 2); 80% had not received prior treatment and 20% had received prior CT. To date, more pts with EP recurrence are dead of disease (23/27) than with V/P recurrences (7/17; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Stage I-II USPC pts are more likely to experience an extra-pelvic than vaginal/pelvic primary recurrence, are unlikely to be salvaged and will have a short interval from recurrence to death. The exception is in those with isolated vaginal recurrence, who may be salvaged in select cases. The current best strategy to avoid primary recurrences in this setting is an initial staging surgery followed by adjuvant carboplatin/paclitaxel. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Non-Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Corpus: A Review of Selected Histological Subtypes

Understanding the etiology, presentation, evaluation, and management of selected non-endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas of the uterine corpus is needed to define optimal treatment regimens. The pathology and treatment of selected non-endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas of the uterus are reviewed and summarized. The most common non-endometrioid histology is papillary serous (10%), followed by clear cell (2% to 4%), mucinous (0.6% to 5%), and squamous cell (0.1% to 0.5%). Some non-endometrioid endometrial carcinomas behave more aggressively than the endometrioid cancers such that even women with clinical stage I disease often have extrauterine metastasis at the time of surgical evaluation. Therefore, when technically and medically feasible, comprehensive surgical staging is helpful for women with non-endometrioid endometrial cancer histology. Comprehensive surgical staging includes hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, and cytological evaluation of the abdominal cavity. While whole abdominal radiotherapy has a limited role in early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and clear cell carcinoma (CC), there may be a role for postoperative chemotherapy and volume-directed radiotherapy in both early-stage UPSC and CC. In the setting of optimally debulked advanced-stage disease, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy may be indicated. In the setting of recurrent disease or in women with residual disease after surgery, a platinum-based regimen or enrollment in a clinical trial is recommended. UPSC and CC are managed similarly since sufficient data to separate treatment recommendations are lacking. Because both histologies are associated with a high rate of recurrence, adjuvant therapy is recommended even in women with early-stage disease. The remaining cell types should be treated similar to endometrioid or other low-grade histologies.

Is adjuvant therapy necessary for Stage IA and IB uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma after surgical staging?

Adjuvant therapy of early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and clear cell carcinoma (CCC) is controversial. We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate outcomes of patients with early-stage UPSC or CCC who were followed without adjuvant therapy after complete surgical staging. From 2000 to 2006, we evaluated all consecutive patients with stage IA/IB UPSC or CCC who had surgical staging by a gynecological oncologist at the London Health Sciences Centre, Canada. Follow-up consisted of history and physical examination every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for the next 3 years. Primary outcome measure was 2-year disease-free survival. There were 22 evaluable patients. Mean patient age was 63.4 years. Median number of pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes resected was 15 (range 2–39) and 4 (range 0–12), respectively. Thirteen had UPSC, seven had CCC, and two had both UPSC and CCC. Nine had stage IA and 13 had stage IB disease. Median follow-up was 25 months (range 6–72). Only one patient has recurred (stage IB UPSC, isolated vault recurrence 10 months after surgery), but she is well 9 months after receiving pelvic radiotherapy and vault brachytherapy. Two-year disease-free survival was 95%. These results suggest that adjuvant therapy may not be necessary for stage IA and IB UPSC and CCC after surgical staging. Further prospective evaluation of different adjuvant therapy practices is required for early-stage UPSC and CCC, which may be useful in the design of future clinical trials.

Is adjuvant therapy necessary for Stage IA and IB uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma after surgical staging?

Adjuvant therapy of early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and clear cell carcinoma (CCC) is controversial. We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate outcomes of patients with early-stage UPSC or CCC who were followed without adjuvant therapy after complete surgical staging. From 2000 to 2006, we evaluated all consecutive patients with stage IA/IB UPSC or CCC who had surgical staging by a gynecological oncologist at the London Health Sciences Centre, Canada. Follow-up consisted of history and physical examination every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for the next 3 years. Primary outcome measure was 2-year disease-free survival. There were 22 evaluable patients. Mean patient age was 63.4 years. Median number of pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes resected was 15 (range 2-39) and 4 (range 0-12), respectively. Thirteen had UPSC, seven had CCC, and two had both UPSC and CCC. Nine had stage IA and 13 had stage IB disease. Median follow-up was 25 months (range 6-72). Only one patient has recurred (stage IB UPSC, isolated vault recurrence 10 months after surgery), but she is well 9 months after receiving pelvic radiotherapy and vault brachytherapy. Two-year disease-free survival was 95%. These results suggest that adjuvant therapy may not be necessary for stage IA and IB UPSC and CCC after surgical staging. Further prospective evaluation of different adjuvant therapy practices is required for early-stage UPSC and CCC, which may be useful in the design of future clinical trials.

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma: a review

The purpose of this article is to review the available literature for uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC). A literature search was conducted to identify publications on UPSC. The literature on UPSC is composed mainly of retrospective, single-institution reports. Despite these limitations, several recommendations can be made. When UPSC is confirmed on preoperative biopsy, complete surgical staging should be performed. Although whole abdominal radiotherapy has a limited role in early-stage UPSC, there may be a role for postoperative chemotherapy in early-stage UPSC. In the setting of optimally debulked advanced-stage disease, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy may be indicated. In the setting of recurrent or suboptimally debulked advanced disease, a platinum-based regimen is recommended. Although comprising a minority of the women with endometrial cancer, women with UPSC do account for a disproportionate percentage of the recurrences. There is a need for clinical trials to determine the optimal therapy for this cohort of patients.

Impact of adjuvant therapy on survival of patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma

To determine the efficacy of adjuvant therapy in patients with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma. Data were collected on all surgically staged Stage I-II uterine papillary serous carcinoma patients. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression methods. Of 68 patients, 50 had Stage I and 18 had Stage II disease; 35 underwent adjuvant treatment, including radiotherapy in 26, chemotherapy in 7, and combined RT and chemotherapy in 2. The remaining 33 were treated expectantly. The median follow-up was 56 months (range 1-173). The 5-year overall survival rate was 69%. Of 19 patients with disease limited to the endometrium, 10 received no additional therapy, 3 of whom developed recurrence. However, all 9 women who underwent adjuvant treatment remained free of disease. Patients receiving adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy or radiotherapy had a prolonged 5-year overall and disease-free survival compared with those who were treated expectantly (85% vs. 54%, p = 0.002 for overall survival and 85% vs. 49%, p = 0.01 for disease-free survival). In multivariate analysis, adjuvant therapy (p = 0.035) and the absence of lymphovascular space invasion (p = 0.001) remained as independent prognostic factors for improved survival. Adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy or radiotherapy improves the survival of women with early-stage uterine papillary serous carcinoma.

Peritoneal Cytology in Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma

To highlight the significance of positive peritoneal cytology in uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC). Seventeen consecutive UPSC cases with peritoneal cytology from 1993 to 1997 were reviewed and compared with the original cytologic diagnosis and extent of tumor involvement in tissues. Of the 17 post-menopausal women with UPSC, 11 had early-stage tumors (clinical stage I and II); three cases (27%) with positive peritoneal cytology were upgraded from at least International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians stage IA to IIIA. No change in surgical stage was noted in four of six (67%) advanced cases with positive peritoneal cytology. The review diagnoses of peritoneal cytology did not differ from the original diagnoses. The features of UPSC in peritoneal cytology are those of a high grade malignancy and may be shared by tumors with similar histology from other sites. The malignant features are readily identified, but the site of origin may not be completely ensured. Positive peritoneal cytology upgrades the surgical stage of early-stage UPSC cases and helps with prognostication and treatment. One case with positive washings but without residual tumor probably represented early spread and/or multicentric origin of the tumor.