Treatment options for patients with metastatic
synovial sarcoma are limited. Over recent years,
trabectedin has emerged as an effective agent for patients with advanced
soft tissue sarcomas resistant to
anthracyclines and
ifosfamide. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to study the efficacy of
trabectedin in the subgroup of
synovial sarcomas. A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients with advanced
synovial sarcoma treated with
trabectedin at four European reference
sarcoma centers and within the Italian Rare
Cancer Network between 2000 and 2013. Radiological response, progression-free, and overall survival, as well as serious and unexpected adverse events were retrospectively assessed. Sixty-one patients with metastatic
synovial sarcoma were identified. The median number of previous
chemotherapy regimens was 2 (range 1-6). Nine patients had a partial response, in addition to two minor responses, and 19 patients had stable disease, for an overall response rate of 15% and a
tumor control rate of 50%. The median progression-free survival was 3 months, with 23% of patients free from progression at 6 months. The median progression-free survival in responding patients was 7 months.
Trabectedin is a therapeutic option for
palliative treatment of a subset of patients with metastatic
synovial sarcoma.