Malignant mixed mullerian tumour of the ovary: prognostic factor and response of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to analyse retrospectively the data of a series of patients presenting to our unit with malignant mixed mullerian tumour (MMMT) of the ovary to identify the prognostic factors and relate them to survival. The role of platinum-based chemotherapy in the adjuvant treatment of this tumour was also evaluated. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with MMMT of the ovary from 1987 to 2000 were identified from the gynaecological tumour registry of King George V Hospital, Australia. The effect of clinical and histopathological variables on survival was analysed. The response of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery was also evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty patients with MMMT of the ovary were identified. Of the six patients with measurable disease, two (33%) had complete response after adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. The median survival of all patients was 8 months, while that of the patients receiving adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy was 23 months. Women who were older (> 65 years) had a significantly worse survival rate than those who were younger (P = 0.02). The patients with optimal debulking had a better median survival than those with suboptimal debulking, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.21). Sarcomatous component (homologous vs heterologous) was not found to be a significant prognostic factor for predicting survival. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant mixed mullerian tumour of the ovary is a rare and aggressive gynaecological tumour. The current study indicates that patient age was a significant prognostic factor for survival and surgical cytoreduction combined with platinum-based chemotherapy is the most effective management regimen identified to date to treat MMMT of the ovary.