Tumor characteristics and survival outcomes of women with tamoxifen-related uterine carcinosarcoma

Gynecol Oncol. 2017 Feb;144(2):329-335. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.11.042. Epub 2016 Dec 5.

Abstract

Objective: To examine tumor characteristics and survival outcome of women with uterine carcinosarcoma who had a history of tamoxifen use.

Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective study examining stage I-IV uterine carcinosarcoma cases based on history of tamoxifen use. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment pattern, and survival outcomes were compared between tamoxifen users and non-users.

Results: Sixty-six cases of tamoxifen-related uterine carcinosarcoma were compared to 1009 cases with no history of tamoxifen use. Tamoxifen users were more likely to be older (mean age, 69 versus 64, P<0.001) and had a past history of malignancy (100% versus 12.7%, P<0.001). Tamoxifen-related uterine carcinosarcoma was significantly associated with a higher proportion of stage IA disease (48.4% versus 29.9%) and a lower risk of stage IVB disease (7.8% versus 16.0%) compared to tamoxifen-unrelated carcinosarcoma (P=0.034). Deep myometrial tumor invasion was less common in uterine carcinosarcoma related to tamoxifen use (28.3% versus 48.8%, P=0.002). On univariate analysis, tamoxifen use was not associated with progression-free survival (5-year rates 44.5% versus 46.8%, P=0.48) and disease-specific survival (64.0% versus 59.1%, P=0.39). After adjusting for age, past history of malignancy, stage, residual disease status at surgery, and postoperative treatment patterns, tamoxifen use was not associated with progression-free survival (adjusted-hazard ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.50 to 1.50, P=0.60) and disease-specific survival (adjusted-hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 1.29, P=0.24).

Conclusion: Our study suggests that tamoxifen-related uterine carcinosarcoma may have favorable tumor characteristics but have comparable stage-specific survival outcomes compared to tamoxifen-unrelated uterine carcinosarcoma.

Keywords: Survival outcome; Tamoxifen; Uterine carcinosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Carcinosarcoma / chemically induced*
  • Carcinosarcoma / mortality
  • Carcinosarcoma / pathology
  • Carcinosarcoma / therapy
  • Estrogen Antagonists / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tamoxifen / adverse effects*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / chemically induced*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / mortality
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Neoplasms / therapy

Substances

  • Estrogen Antagonists
  • Tamoxifen