Sarcopenia as a Predictor of Prognosis in Early Stage Ovarian Cancer

Background@#To identify sarcopenia as a predictive prognostic factor of ovarian cancer in terms of survival outcome in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. @*Methods@#Data of Konkuk University Medical Center from March 2002 to December 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty-two patients who underwent surgery due to early-stage (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I/II) ovarian cancer and had computed tomography (CT) images taken at the initial diagnosis were included. The initial CT scan images were analyzed with SliceOmatic software (TomoVision). A sarcopenia cutoff value was defined as a skeletal muscle index of ≤ 38.7 cm2 /m2 . Overall survival (OS) times were compared according to the existence of sarcopenia, and subgroup analyses were performed. @*Results@#A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant survival disadvantage for patients with early-stage ovarian cancer when they had sarcopenia (P < 0.001; log-rank test). Sarcopenia remained a significant prognostic factor for OS in early-stage ovarian cancer, in a Cox proportional hazards model regression analysis (HR, 21.9; 95% CI, 2.0–199.9; P = 0.006). @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrated that sarcopenia was predictive of OS in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. Further prospective studies with a larger number of patients are warranted to determine the extent to which sarcopenia can be used as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer.

The Difference of Lymphocyte Subsets Including Regulatory T-Cells in Umbilical Cord Blood between AGA Neonates and SGA Neonates

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the regulatory T cells in cord blood of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates with those of small for gestational age (SGA) neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Umbilical cord blood was collected upon labor in 108 healthy full-term (between 37 and 41 gestational weeks) neonates, who were born between November 2010 and April 2012. Among them, 77 samples were obtained from AGA neonates, and 31 samples were obtained from SGA neonates. Regulatory T cells and lymphocyte subsets were determined using a flow cytometer. Student's t-test for independent samples was used to compare differences between AGA and SGA neonates. RESULTS: Regulatory T cells in cord blood were increased in the SGA group compared with normal controls (p=0.041). However, cytotoxic T cells in cord blood were significantly decreased in the SGA group compared with normal controls (p=0.007). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to compare the distribution of lymphocyte subsets including regulatory T cells in cord blood between AGA neonates and SGA neonates.

Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for 30-day morbidity after gynecological malignancy surgery

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between preoperative hypoalbuminemia and the development of complications after gynecological cancer surgery, as well as postoperative bowel function and hospital stay. METHODS: The medical records of 533 patients with gynecological cancer surgery at Konkuk University Hospital between 2005 and 2013 were reviewed. Serum albumin level 2 standard drinks per day, lower American Society of Anesthesiologist score, higher frequency of ascites, and more advanced stage compared with non-hypoalbuminemic patients. Overall complication rate within 30-days after surgery was 20.3% (108 out of 533). Hypoalbuminemic patients were more likely to develop postoperative complications compared to non-hypoalbuminemic patients (34.3% vs. 17.8%, P=0.022), and had significantly longer median time to resumption of normal diet (3.3 [1-6] vs. 2.8 [0-15] days, P=0.005) and length of postoperative hospital stay (0 [7-50] vs. 9 [1-97] days, P=0.014). In multivariate analysis, age >50 (odds ratio [OR], 2.478; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.310 to 4.686; P=0.005), operation time (OR, 1.006; 95% CI, 1.002 to 1.009; P=0.006), and hypoalbuminemia (OR, 2.367; 95% CI, 1.021 to 5.487; P=0.044) were the significant risk factor for postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Preoperative hypoalbuminemia in patients with elective surgery for gynecologic malignancy is an independent predictor of 30-days postoperative complications. Identification of this subset and preoperative optimization of nutritional status may improve surgical outcomes.

Benign gynecologic conditions in pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회지

Gynecologic disease during pregnancy has various effects on and changes by pregnancy according to diagnoses. With recent advancement in diagnostic techniques such as ultrasonography, it makes possible for some disease to diagnose accurately. By predicting complication and treating appropriately, not only treatment but also prognosis can be improved. This study aims to investigate the effect of benign gynecologic disease on pregnancy, diagnosis, and treatment when associated with pregnancy.

Preterm delivery in a primigravida with uterine adenomyosis / 대한산부인과학회지

Adenomyosis has been well known to be associated with infertility, spontaneous rupture of the uterus during labor in a primiparous woman, spontaneous preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), and delayed postpartum hemorrhage. We recently experienced a case of preterm delivery at 29 gestational weeks in a primigravid woman with uterine adenomyosis. We report the case of preterm delivery accompanied by various complications such as uncontrolled pain, preterm labor, and oligohydramnios in a woman with uterine adenomyosis.