Advances in Treatment of Uterine Sarcoma

Uterine sarcomas are often diagnosed in advanced stages when the cancer has already spread. This can make these cancers hard to treat. Researchers are looking for new ways to treat this cancer. They may also try new combinations of older treatments. Researchers also look back at health records to find patterns of the treatments that seemed to work best. Here are some recent advances researchers have found:

• Expert surgeons may be better able to find more of the cancer and take it out. It may be worthwhile to work with a surgeon who has a lot of experience in uterine sarcoma. This expert surgeon is most likely a gynecologic oncologist.

• Intensive, expert surgery is linked to better survival rates. It may seem obvious, but this connection isn’t always easy to prove. Recent studies have more clearly established this link.

• New chemotherapy drugs and targeted therapy drugs are being tested for this cancer. 

• Adding radiation to chemotherapy after surgery may improve survival in women with carcinosarcoma.