Locally-advanced unresected uterine leiomyosarcoma with triple-modality treatment combining radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hyperthermia: A case report

Advanced uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare and extremely aggressive disease. In patients with advanced and unresected uterine LMS, multidisciplinary therapy is the best treatment option, although no consensus exists on the efficacy of the treatment. The present study describes the case of a 41-year-old female who underwent laparotomy due to a large uterine tumor. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large tumor that had extended from the pelvic wall to the outside of the pelvis and then invaded the colon. Large residual tumors remained present in the pelvis following suboptimal debulking surgery. Subsequent to surgery, the patient was treated with adjuvant radiotherapy, followed by chemotherapy with regional whole pelvis hyperthermia (HT). Computed tomography revealed stable disease prior and subsequent to combination treatment. While treatment was being administered for third/fourth-degree burns and subcutaneous fatty necrosis, the patient developed multi-organ failure and succumbed. The present case report describes the potential for using a combination of chemotherapy, HT and radiotherapy in patients with LMS. The development of an effective protocol is required for the administration of chemotherapy, HT and radiotherapy in patients with advanced unresected LMS.