Curative effect of bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy in advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of bevacizumab (BEV) combined with chemotherapy in advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma. The clinical data of 4 patients with advanced or recurrenct uterine sarcoma, who received treatment with BEV combined with chemotherapy in our hospital between May, 2006 and May, 2014, were retrospectively analyzed. We estimated the chemotherapy response rate [complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)], clinical benefit rate [CR + PR+ stable disease (SD)], progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and evaluated treatment safety and toxicity reactions. Of the 4 patients, 1 achieved CR, with a disease-free survival time of 96 months; 1 achieved PR, with a PFS of 13 months and an OS of 25 months; 1 achieved SD, with a PFS of 9 months and an OS of 24 months; and 1 developed progressive disease, with a PFS of 3 months and an OS of 9 months. The response rate (CR+PR) was 50%, and the clinical benefit rate (CR+PR+SD) was 75%. Treatment-related adverse reactions occurred in all 4 patients, including bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reactions. Of the 4 patients, 1 developed grade 4 bone marrow suppression (thrombocytopenia), whereas the remaining 3 patients developed grade 2 bone marrow suppression (leukopenia). Of the 4 cases, 2 developed grade 2 gastrointestinal reactions, and the remaining 2 patients grade 1 gastrointestinal reactions. Therefore, BEV combined with chemotherapy was able to effectively control advanced or recurrent uterine sarcoma, was well-tolerated, and is considered to be a safe and effective candidate treatment for this type of tumor.