Role of palliative chemotherapy in advanced epithelioid sarcoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Epithelioid sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma subtype. The response of this disease to chemotherapy is not well described. The aim of this study was to investigate the response rate and progression-free survival in a series of epithelioid sarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy at a single referral center.

METHODS:

A retrospective search of a prospectively maintained database was made to identify epithelioid sarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy between 1990 and 2009. Radiological response and histological diagnosis were re-reviewed for this study.

RESULTS:

Twenty-one epithelioid sarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy were identified; follow-up data on palliative chemotherapy was available on 20 of these patients. The median age was 36.5 years (range, 17.4 to 64.8 y) and the male/female ratio was 19:2. Ten patients (50%) were treated with single-agent anthracycline, 9 patients (45%) were treated with a combination therapy (anthracycline and ifosfamide), and 1 patient received trabectedin (5%). Three patients achieved a partial response, 12 had stable disease, and 5 progressed. The median progression-free survival was 29 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23-35). Seven and 3 patients received second-line and third-line palliative chemotherapy, respectively. The median overall survival from commencing palliative chemotherapy in our series was 51 weeks (95% confidence interval; 29-73).

CONCLUSIONS:

Systemic chemotherapy provides satisfactory palliation in patients with epithelioid sarcoma. However, this is an aggressive disease, responses to chemotherapy are of short duration and there is a need for more effective novel therapies in the treatment of this condition.

• Authors: Robin L Jones, Anastasia Constantinidou, David Olmos, Khin Thway, Cyril Fisher, Omar Al-Muderis, Michelle Scurr, Ian R Judson
• Journal: American journal of clinical oncology (Am J Clin Oncol) Vol. 35 Issue 4 Pg. 351-7 (Aug 2012) ISSN: 1537-453X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21422990 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Dioxoles
• Tetrahydroisoquinolines
• Doxorubicin
• Trabectedin
• Ifosfamide

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Dioxoles (administration & dosage)
• Doxorubicin (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Ifosfamide (administration & dosage)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Palliative Care
• Prognosis
• Prospective Studies
• Retrospective Studies
• Sarcoma (drug therapy, mortality, pathology)
• Survival Rate
• Tetrahydroisoquinolines (administration & dosage)
• Trabectedin
• Young Adult