Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in uterine carcinosarcoma from a dedifferentiated papillary serous carcinoma to a sarcoma: case report

ABSTRACT

Carcinosarcomas are endometrial neoplasms with malignant epithelial and mesenchymal components. These are rare tumors, corresponding to <5% of uterine cancers. The average age at diagnosis is 65 years and the most characteristic symptom is transvaginal bleeding, common to other uterine tumors. The definitive diagnosis of the lesion is done by analyzing the surgical specimen and the first-line treatment is surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The authors report a case of a 59-year-old female diagnosed with a uterine carcinosarcoma, whose epithelial component underwent an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The outstanding aspects of this report are the aggressiveness of this tumor and the presence of a lymph node metastasis by the sarcomatous component, which represents an unusual biological behavior.

RESUMO

Os carcinossarcomas são neoplasias endometrials com componentes epiteliais e mesenquimais malignos. São tumores raros, correspondendo a <5% dos cánceres uterinos. A idade média ao diagnóstico é de 65 anos e o sintoma mais característico é o sangramento transvaginal, comum a outros tumores uterinos. O diagnóstico definitivo da lesão é feito pela análise da peça cirúrgica e o tratamento de primeira linha é a cirurgia com quimioterapia e radioterapia adjuvantes. Os autores relatam o caso de uma mulher de 59 anos com diagnóstico de carcinossarcoma uterino, cujo componente epitelial sofreu transição epitelial-mesenquimal. Os aspectos marcantes deste relato são a agressividade desse tumor e a presença de metástase linfonodal pelo componente sarcomatoso, o que representa um comportamento biológico incomum.

Keywords:

Carcinosarcoma - Mixed tumor, Mullerian - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition - Gynecology - Surgical oncology

Descritores:

Carcinossarcoma - Tumor misto mulleriano - Transição epitelial-mesenquimal - Ginecologia - Oncologia cirúrgica

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 15. Januar 2023

Angenommen: 20. Juni 2023

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
20. Juli 2023

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