Evaluation of Prognostic Factors and Validation of Tumor Response Ratios after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Breast Cancer

PURPOSE: In the treatment of breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is useful to reduce breast cancer size before surgical intervention. Patients who achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) to NAC have improved overall survival (OS). However, the relationship between prognosis and partial response is yet unclear. In this study, we evaluated prognostic factors and the tumor response ratio (TRR) method among patients who received NAC. METHODS: Clinicopathologic factors were evaluated to predict OS. The TRR was calculated by dividing pathologic tumor size by clinical tumor size. TRRs were then categorized into four groups, and the survival times for the different TRR groups were compared using statistical evaluation. RESULTS: Clinical N stage (p=0.02), overall stage (p=0.04), pathologic N stage (p=0.03), hormone receptor status (p=0.01), and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.02) were significantly associated with OS. Pathologic overall stage and TRR did not correlate with OS. Patients with a pCR exhibited the best survival rates using the current staging system and the TRR method. CONCLUSION: Clinicopathologic factors can be easily applied to predict OS, and clinicians could use these parameters until an accurate, simple, and highly discriminatory methods is developed to assess breast cancer patients with a partial.

Invasive carcinoma of the vulva arising from bowenoid papulosis: A case report / 대한산부인과학회지

Bowenoid papulosis of the genitalia follows usually benign clinical course. There are only a few reports in literature stating the occurrence of invasive carcinoma related with bowenoid papulosis. The current report demonstrates invasive carcinoma of vulva arising from bowenoid papulosis. The patient underwent clitoris sparing radical vulvectomy, perianal wide excision and cutaneous free flap, however, she experienced recurrence. She underwent concurrent chemoradiation for secondary treatment.

The clinical implications of acquired thrombophilia in patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of thrombophilia in patients admitted with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). METHODS: Twenty-five infertile women who were admitted into university hospital due to OHSS after ovarian hyperstimulation for intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. Blood samples were drawn at the time of admission and three thrombophilic factors were assayed; antithrombin III, protein C and protein S. Subjects were divided into severe (n=18) and mild-to-moderate (n=7) OHSS, and laboratory parameters including three thrombophilic factors were compared. RESULTS: Antithrombin III level was abnormal in 40% of subjects, protein C in 12%, and protein S in 72%. There was no significant difference in the laboratory parameters between the patients with normal (n=15) and abnormal antithrombin III levels (n=10). However, the patients with abnormal antithrombin III levels had significantly more severe OHSS than those with normal value (100% vs 55.6%, P=0.013). The patients with at least one abnormal thrombophilic factor had significantly more severe OHSS than those with all normal value (94.4% vs 42.9%, P=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombophilic factors, particularly antithrombin III, may be associated with disease severity in patients with OHSS.