Gynecologic Oncology Program

Patient and Family Education

Uterine Sarcoma

Stages and Treatment Options

If a patient is diagnosed with uterine sarcoma, more tests will be done to find out if the cancer has spread from the uterus to other parts of the body. This process, called staging, helps the doctor to plan treatment.

The following stages are used to describe sarcoma of the uterus:

Stage I: Cancer is found only in the main part of the uterus (it is not found in the cervix).
Stage II: Cancer cells have spread to the cervix.
Stage III: Cancer cells have spread outside the uterus but have not spread outside the pelvis.
Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread beyond the pelvis, to other body parts, or into the lining of the bladder (the sac that holds urine) or rectum.
Recurrent: Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated.

Treatment Options and Side Effects

There are four primary treatments for patients with sarcoma of the uterus:

surgery
radiation therapy
chemotherapy
hormone therapy

Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment of sarcoma of the uterus. Several types of surgery may be considered, depending on the type, location, and stage of the sarcoma, and may include one or more of the following operations: a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries), and a lymphadenectomy (removal of some of the lymph nodes in the pelvis and around the aorta).

Side effects of surgery: Recovery from a hysterectomy may take from two to six weeks (with a three- to seven-day hospitalization), depending on the type of hysterectomy performed. After a hysterectomy, a woman is no longer able to have children. If her ovaries have also been removed, she will enter menopause if she has not already done so.

(top)

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy for sarcoma of the uterus usually comes from a machine outside the body (external radiation). Radiation may be used alone or in addition to surgery.

Side effects of radiation: The side effects of external beam radiation include fatigue; skin irritation, infection, and discoloration; and diarrhea. Radiation to the pelvic area can also cause irritation to the bladder, narrowing of the vagina due to scar tissue, and premature menopause.

(top)

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or a muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the uterus.

Side effects of chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs generally target rapidly dividing cancer cells. However, other cells that also divide rapidly include blood cells, cells that line the digestive tract, and cells in hair follicles. Unfortunately, these healthy cells may also be impacted by the chemotherapy drugs, resulting in side effects such as infections, tiredness, temporary hair loss, mouth or vaginal sores, changes in the menstrual cycle, and infertility. Not all chemotherapy patients develop all of these symptoms, and they usually go away during the recovery period or after treatment stops. Medicines and other treatments are available to control or minimize many of these symptoms.

(top)

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is the use of hormones, usually taken by pill, to kill cancer cells. It is used to change the way hormones in the body help cancers grow. This approach is not often used for uterine sarcomas.

(top)

This page was last updated on: October 6, 2009.