Dr. Riedel on the Treatment Landscape of Uterine Sarcomas

Richard F. Riedel, MD, associate professor of medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, discusses the treatment landscape of uterine sarcomas.

Uterine sarcomas are very uncommon, representing less than 5% of all uterine cancers. There are many histologic subtypes of uterine sarcomas, including adenosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcomas, PEComas, undifferentiated uterine sarcomas, and leiomyosarcomas. Though the treatment landscape is always evolving, surgery remains a mainstay in localized disease, says Riedel. Chemotherapy can be considered, though the data are not as compelling as physicians would like.

There have been data in support of different regimens such as gemcitabine and docetaxel for uterine leiomyosarcomas, but a prospective study failed to enroll patients. Physicians are unsure whether adjuvant chemotherapy truly benefits this patient population.

Immunotherapy has an emerging role in sarcomas as a whole, states Riedel. It may not be as successful as in melanoma and lung cancer, but there are specific subtypes that may benefit. Whether or not its success will translate specifically to patients with uterine sarcomas has yet to be seen.