Clinical significance of serum prealbumin in gynecologic malignancy / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of gynecologic malignancies was closely related to the nutritional status of patients as well as clinical or surgical staing at the time of diagnosis. The serum prealbumin has relatively short half-life among the nutritional parameters and could be used to detect immediate postoperative change of nutritional state in surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of serum prealbumin and the validity of prealbumin in prediction and detection of postoperative complications in high risk patients with gynecologic malignancy. METHODS: 153 gynecologic malignant patients and 68 non-malignant patients operated from January 1999 to May 2003 were studied retrospectively. The serum albumin, total lymphocyte count (TLC), prealbumin were compared between the malignant and non-malignant patients, early and advanced stage cancer group, and complicated and uncomplicated group. Prealbumin was defined as the difference between preoperative and postoperative prealbumin concentrations. The correlation was statistically analyzed by Student's t-test, one way ANOVA test, and x2-test (SPSS ver. 11.0). RESULTS: There was significant difference in prealbumin between non-malignant patients and malignant patients (p=0.049). There was also significant difference in prealbumin between carcinoma in situ of uterine cervix and cervical cancer group (p=0.049). However there were no significant differences in prealbumin between early and advanced stage ovarian cancer and uterine cancer (p=0.48, p=0.67, respectively). There were no significant differneces between complicated and uncomplicated groups in prealbumin and delta prealbumin. CONCLUSION: Serum prealbumin was not useful in prediction and detection of high risk group of postoperative complications in gynecologic cancer patients.

Prognostic Value of Nuclear DNA Quantification and Cyclin A in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction (SPF), expression of cyclin A and clinical prognostic factors including stage, grade, CA-125 and residual tumor size in epithelial ovarian cancer, and to evaluate the association between DNA ploidy, SPF, expression of cyclin A and 3-year survival. METHODS: Study group consisted of 31 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, 10 of borderline ovarian tumor and 5 of benign ovarian tumor diagnosed at the department of Obstet. and Gynecol. in Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea from Feb. 2000 to Jan. 2003. All patients underwent staging-laparotomy and postoperative chemotherapy. The level of CA-125 was assessed after 6th postoperative chemotherapy with cut-off value of 35 U/mL. DNA ploidy and SPF were evaluated by flow-cytometry of fresh ovarian tissue obtained at the operative field. The expression of cyclin A was evaluated by immuno-histochemical stain. Expression of 5% was considered as positive. Statistical analysis was done by two-sample t-test, chi-square test, and Kaplan-Meier survival curve using SPSS ver 11.0 software. RESULTS: In 46 ovarian tumors aneuploidy, SPF and expression of cyclin A were significantly higher in epithelial ovarian cancer as compared with benign and borderline tumors (p=0.004, 0.001, 0.001, respectively). Number of aneuploidy, SPF and expression of cyclin A were significantly higher in patients with higher grade, more advanced stage, higher level of CA-125 (more than 35 U/mL) and more than 2 cm of residual tumor size (p=0.004, 0.009, 0.05, 0.002 in aneuploidy; p=0.06, 0.01, 0.04, 0.007 in SPF; p=0.03, 0.004, 0.06, 0.02 in cyclin A). Aneuploidy and expressions of more than 10% of SPF and cyclin A were also associated with poorer overall survival (p=0.02, 0.02, <0.0001, respectively). Significantly positive correlations were observed among these factors. CONCLUSION: Number of aneuploidy, percentage of SPF and expression of cyclin A were higher in more advanced stage, higher grade, higher CA-125 and more than 2 cm of residual tumor size and associated with poorer overall survival. Thus DNA flow-cytometry and estimation of expression of cyclin A may provide major information about prognosis of disease in epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

Evaluation of obesity as a potential risk factor for cervical cancer / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is considered a potential cause of several malignancies including endometrical cancer and breast cancer. We analyzed the relationship between obesity and cervical cancer to examine the role of obesity in developing cervical cancer and to prevent the cervical cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 203 cervical carcinomas including 87 cervical adenocarcinoma and 116 cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients and as control group, 279 patients visiting severance hospital for PAP smear in the period 1994-2003. We analyzed medical records for patient characteristics and body mass index. The obtained data were analyzed using t-test, chi square test and logistic regression analysis by SPSS. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant risk factor in patient characteristics including body mass index between adenocarcinoma and control group. Between cervical squamous cell carcinoma and control group, patients age (odds ratio=0.952, p=0.06) and menopause status (odds ratio=2.420, p=0.02) were statistically significant risk factors. Body mass index was not significantly different among three groups (adenocarcinoma vs. control group, 23.0 +/- 3.4 vs. 22.4 +/- 3.2; squamous cell carcinoma vs. control group, 23.9 +/- 3.5 vs. 22.4 +/- 3.2). CONCLUSION: Our results were consistent with the concept that obesity was not a risk factor for cervical carcinoma. However menopause might be a potential risk factor in developing squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

A Case of Metastasis to Lung of Benign Metastasizing Leiomyoma / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Leiomyoma of the uterus is the most common benign uterine tumor affecting 40-50% of women older than 40 years of age. The pathogenesis of uterine leiomyoma is unknown, but several studies have suggested that each leiomyoma arises from a single neoplastic cell within the smooth muscle of the myometrium. Uterine leiomyoma can be extended outside the uterus growing into the pelvic veins, and in exceptional cases, even into the lung. Even if this was first reported more than 90 years ago, the pathogenesis and treatment of benign metastasizing leiomyoma was not still established. We experienced a case of benign metastasizing leiomyoma and report with a brief review of literature.

Clinical efficacy of Early Postoperative Oral Feeding in Gynecologic Patients Undergoing Intra - abdominal Surgery / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerance of early postoperative oral feeding in gynecologic patients who have underwent intra-abdominal surgery. Thus, we investigated the clinical efficacy of early postoperative oral feeding in gynecologic patients, prospectively. METHODS: From September 1998 to March 1999, we studied 80 gynecologic patients undergoing laparotomy at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, prospectively. After surgery, the patients were grouped into two arms; the first early oral feeding group began a clear liquid diet on the first postoperative day and advanced to regular diet as tolerated. the second control group received nothing by mouth until return of bowel function. RESULTS: Although more patients in the study group developed nausea, the incidence of vomiting and abdominal distension were comparable in both groups. Time to development of bowel sound and flatus were significantly shorter in study group. Postoperative complications including pneumonia, atelectasis, wound complications, and febrile morbidity occurred insignificantly in both group. Postoperative changes in hematologic indices and electrolytes were comparable in both group. CONCLUSION: Early postoperative oral feeding in gynecologic patients undergoing intra-abdominal surgery is safe, well tolerated. We believe that re-evaluation of postoperative surgical care may increase our knowledge and better serve our patients.

The Role of Clinical and Biololgical Parameters to Predict Malignant Gestational Trophoblastic Tumor in Patients with Hydatidiform Mole / 대한부인종양콜포스코피학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to reevaluate the prognostic factors by investigating the clinical and biological parameters concerned malignant gestational trophoblastic tumor in patients with hydatidiform mole. METHODS: From March 1995 to February 2000, 41 patients admitted to department of the Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine who were diagnosed with pathologically-proven gestational trophoblastic disease were selected. Parameters such as age, gravida, parity, presence of theca lutein cyst, ratio of uterine size to gestational age, hCG level, DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction were compared between malignant gestational trophoblastic tumor group and spontaneous remission group. RESULTS: Considering the clinical prognostic factors, the patients were divided into two age groups; the first group consisted of those older than 40 years of age and the second control group consisted of those under 40. The number of patients older than 40 in the spontaneous remission group and malignant gestational trophoblastic tumor group were 4(15.4%) and 7(46.7%), respectively, showing a significantly higher number in the group over 40years. Other parameters such as gravida, parity, presence of theca lutein cyst, ratio of uterine size to gestational age, hCG level, DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The progression rate from hydatidiform mole to malignant gestational trophoblastic tumor was significantly higher in patients over 40 years of age. Therefore, more aggressive therapeutic approach should be considered in such patients.