The correlates of unemployment and its association with quality of life in cervical cancer survivors / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Little is known regarding cervical cancer survivors' employment status, which represents social integration of cancer survivors as a pivotal domain of long-term quality of life. The goal of this study was to assess the correlates of unemployment and evaluate the impact on the comprehensive quality of life in cervical cancer survivors. METHODS: We enrolled 858 cervical cancer survivors from the gynecologic oncology departments of multi-centers in Korea. Factors associated with unemployment were identified using multivariate logistic regression analyses. We assessed different health-related quality of life domains with multivariate-adjusted least-square means between cervical cancer survivors who currently work and do not. RESULTS: After diagnosis and treatment, the percentage of unemployed survivors increased from 50.6% to 72.8%. Lower income (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38 to 2.81), medical aid (aOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.38), two or more comorbidities (aOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.90), current alcohol drinkers (aOR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.54 to 3.52), and employed at the time of diagnosis (aOR, 10.72; 95% CI, 7.10 to 16.16) were significantly associated with unemployment. Non-working groups showed significant differences with respect to physical functioning, role functioning, depression, and existential well-being. CONCLUSION: The proportion of unemployed cervical cancer survivors seems to increase, with low-income status and the presence of medical aid negatively being associated with employment, in addition to other comorbidities and previous working status. Effort should be made to secure the financial status of cervical cancer survivors.

The effectiveness of levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system in the treatment of endometrial hyperplasia in Korean women / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) has been shown to treat patients with non-atypical & atypical endometrial hyperplasia (EH) successfully in many western studies. Our purpose was to examine the effectiveness of LNG-IUS in the treatment of Korean women with EH. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of 12 women diagnosed with EH and treated with LNG-IUS insertion between February 2007 and August 2009 at the Department of Gynecology of Gangnam CHA Hospital, CHA University School of Medicine. Baseline endometrial biopsies were done before insertion of LNG-IUS, and outpatient follow-up endometrial biopsies were undertaken at 3-month intervals after insertion of LNG-IUS. We investigated the regression rate and the time to regression. RESULTS: Four patients had simple hyperplasia without atypia, 7 patients complex hyperplasia without atypia, and just 1 patient complex atypical hyperplasia. Complete regression of EH was achieved in all cases (100%, 12/12), with the significant proportion (66%, 8/12) achieving it within 3 months. The mean duration to regression was 4.5 months. All cases had regression within 9 months. In the case of complex atypical hyperplasia, the regression was attained at the 9th month after insertion of LNG-IUS. The mean follow-up duration was 12 months (range, 3 to 27 months). As long as LNG-IUS was maintained, the EH did not recur. CONCLUSION: LNG-IUS appears to be as highly effective in treating Korean women with EH.

Proliferation of CD4(+)CD25(high+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T lymphocytes in ex vivo expanded ascitic fluid from primary and recurrent ovarian carcinoma / 부인종양

No abstract available.

Cellular fibroma of the ovary containing Leydig cell hyperplasia: a case report / 부인종양

Ovarian stromal tumors containing Leydig cell components are rare. Only a few cases of ovarian stromal Leydig cell tumors characterized by clusters of Leydig cells have been reported to date. Here, we present the first case report of a 65-year-old woman with a cellular fibroma of the ovary containing Leydig cell hyperplasia. Microscopic examination revealed the proliferation of spindle cells arranged in intersecting bundles with mild nuclear atypia and an average of 2-3 mitotic figures per ten high-power fields. Multifocal nests of polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and round nuclei were seen within the spindle cells. Final pathology of the tumor revealed a cellular fibroma including Leydig cell hyperplasia.

Comparison of surgical outcomes after laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To compare the surgical outcomes between laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). METHODS: The data were collected retrospectively from hospital records. Between September 2006 and August 2007, Patients undergone with LAVH (93 cases) and TLH (142 cases) with pathologic reports of leiomyoma or adenomyosis were enrolled. The characteristics and surgical results were compared according to the operation type. The correlations among the variables were analyzed with multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Between two groups, the characteristics of patients were similar such as age, body mass index, surgical history, and pathologic findings. In the univariate analysis, the differences of operation duration and blood loss between LAVH (129.0+/-34.5 min, 385.5+/-296.1 mL) and TLH (123.6+/-40.8 min, 294.7+/-285.4 mL) were significant (P0.050). In multivariate analysis, blood loss was correlated with operation duration and specimen weight (P=0.000) but not with operation type (P=0.213). CONCLUSIONS: LAVH tends to be selected in larger uteri and results in more blood loss and longer operation duration. Operation type (LAVH or TLH) does not affect blood loss which is related with operation duration and uterine weight.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of malignant germ cell tumors of ovary / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of malignant germ cell tumors of ovary. METHODS: Thirty five patients who were dignosed as malignant germ cell tumors of ovary and treated in Cheil General Hospital from January 1995 to December 2003, were retrospectively analyzed. The age, chief complaints, histologic type, tumor marker, FIGO stage, maximal tumor diameter, management, survival and future pregnancy outcome were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age was 23.4 years (8-34) and 2 patients were premenarche. The mean follow-up period was 59.6 months (16-118). Palpable lower abdominal mass and pain were the most frequent symptoms. Preoperative CA125 were checked in 32 patients and elevated in 23 patients . The tumors were ranging from 7cm to 27cm in diameter (mean : 16.6). The site of tumors was right-sided in 17(48.6%), left-sided in 15(42.9%), and bilateral in 3(8.6%) which were dysgerminomas only. Post-surgical FIGO stage was stage I in 28 cases (80.0%), stage II in 4 cases (11.4%), and stage III in 3 cases (8.6%). Histologically, immature teratomas were found most frequently (n=14, 40.0%), followed by dysgerminoma (n=10, 28.6%), endodermal sinus tumor (n=9, 25.7%), and mixed form (n=2, 5.7%). Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed in 9, cystectomy in 4, and staging operation in 22, which included 16 patients of fertility sparing operation. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered in 30 and most were BEP except one TIP. Two patients had recurred, who were stage Ic and IIIb EST at diagnosis and expired at 59 and 16 months after first operation. Recurrence rate was 5.7% and 5-year survival rate was 94.7%. During follow-up period, 8 patients were pregnant and the results were 4 normal deliveries at term, 1 missed abortion, 1 therapeutic abortion due to acne medication, 1 H-mole and 1 current pregnant state at 20 weeks without problem. CONCLUSION: These results shows that most malignant germ cell tumors of ovary is detected in early stage and have relatively excellent survival with conservative operation and combination chemotherapy.

Detection of Sentinel Lymph Nodes in patients with Early Stage Cervical Cancer

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of identifying the sentinel lymph nodes (SNs) as well as to evaluate factors that might influence the SN detection rate in patients with cervical cancer of the uterus. Eighty nine patients underwent intracervical injection of 1% isosulfan blue dye at the time of planned radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy between January 2003 and December 2003. With the visual detection of lymph nodes that stained blue, SNs were identified and removed separately. Then all patients underwent complete pelvic lymph node dissection and/or para-aortic lymph node dissection. SNs were identified in 51 of 89 (57.3%) patients. The most common site for SN detection was the external iliac area. Metastatic nodes were detected in 21 of 89 (23.5%) patients. One false negative SN was obtained. Successful SN detection was more likely in patients younger than 50 yr (p=0.02) and with a history of preoperative conization (p=0.05). However, stage, histological type, surgical procedure and neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed no significant difference for SN detection rate. Therefore, the identification of SNs with isosulfan blue dye is feasible and safe. The SN detection rate was high in patients younger than 50 yr or with a history of preoperative conization.

Comparison of prognosis of FIGO stage IB 1 adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma who were treated primarily by surgery / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare clinical and pathologic variables and prognosis of FIGO stage IB 1 adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix who were treated primarily by surgery. METHODS: From May 1982 to October 2000, 2,209 patients with invasive cancer of the uterine cervix were diagnosed and treated at Cheil Hospital. A retrospective review was performed of 533 patients with stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma (group A) and 84 with adenocarcinoma (group B) of cervix who treated primarily by type 3 hysterectomy and pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy. RESULTS: Age, endometrial extension, lymph node metastasis and postoperative adjuvant therapy were not different between two group. There were more the lymphovascular space invasion in group A (136 patients, 25.5%) than group B (9 patients, 10.7%) (p<0.0046). 5 year survival were 95.0% vs 93.8% for group A and group B (p=0.75). Using univariate analysis, pelvic node metastasis, paraaortic metastasis, postoperative adjuvant therapy were significant for survival. Multivariate analysis of 5 year survival revealed independent prognostic factor as postoperative adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION: Prognosis of FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer patients who were treated by primarily by type 3 hysterectomy and pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was found to be same.

The Results of Postoperative Radiotherapy for Early Stage Endometrial Carcinoma / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: To determine treatment policy for early stage endometrial carcinoma, we analyzed the results of postoperative radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Oct. 1994 to Aug. 2002, 42 patients with FIGO stage I endometrial carcinoma received postoperative radiotherapy. All patients received curative surgery and pelvic lymph node dissection was done in 26 patients. Based on the FIGO staging system, 3 were at stage IA, 21 were at stage IB and 18 were at stage IC. Histologically, there were 14 grade 1, 16 grade 2, and 12 grade 3. Nineteen patients received intracavitary brachytherapy and 23 patients did whole pelvic radiotherapy. The median period of follow-up was 41 months (22 to 100 months). RESULTS: Five-year overall survival, disease-free survival, local control, and regional control rates of all patients were 86.0%, 87.9%, 100%, and 97.5%, respectively. All failures were distant metastases in 5 patients and two patients had simultaneous regional recurrences. There was no intrapelvic failure in patients who received intracavitary radiotherapy. Grade 3 chronic complications were found in 1 patient (4.3%), who received whole pelvic radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: We achieved high rates of loco-regional control and survival by curative surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. However, we need to select the type of radiotherapy based on the risk factors for recurrence to reduce the treatment-related complication.

Time Trend of Survival and Treatment Modalities of Endometrial Cancer in Korea (1990-2005) / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the overall survival and the change in treatment modalities in patients with uterine endometrial cancer in Korea. METHODS: From January 1990 to March 2005, medical records of 740 patients with endometrial cancer in nine hospitals were reviewed. The overall survival was determined supported by the death statistics of Korea National Statistical Office. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 51.5 years (range: 21-82 years). The mean gravidity and parity were 3.3 and 2.1 (range: 0-18, 0-9), respectively. The most common stage, grade and histological type at diagnosis were FIGO stage I, grade 1 and endometrioid adenocarcinoma (76.5%, 56.4% and 87.2%), respectively. The main treatment modalities was surgery on stage I (59.8%), surgery-adjuvant radiotherapy on stage II (55.1%), surgery-adjuvant radiotherapy or surgery-adjuvant chemoradiation on stage III (38.3%) and surgery-adjuvant chemotherapy on stage IV (55.6%). The preferred treatment modality was surgery only on grade 1 (69.0%) and surgery-adjuvant radiotherapy on grade 2-3 (43.4% and 53.2%). Surgery had been the most common method of therapy before 1998 but its prevalence gradually decreased. As a result, surgery-adjuvant radiotherapy and surgery-adjuvant chemotherapy were most widely performed in 2004-2005 and surgery-adjuvant chemoradiation also increased more than a twofold. The overall 5 years survival rate (5YSR) for all 740 patients was 81.3%. The overall 5YSR of stage I was 89.0%. The overall 5YSR of grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 were 96.0%, 92.0%, 80.0%. Before 1998, the survival rate was 77.0%. Since then it increased to 83-88% and in 2000-2001 it increased to 88.0%, and it was the highest survival rate. CONCLUSION: The survival rate of endometrial cancer has been improving for the past 15 years and the method of treatment is also being changed currently. In order to improve the survival rate of endometrial cancer, a close investigation including genetic and environmental factors of the pathophysiology of endometrial cancer along with the epidemiology of risk factors, should be carried out.

Clinical Efficacy of HPV DNA Chip test in Human papillomavirus detection of Uterine Cervix / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the efficacy of HPV DNA chip method for detection and genotyping of various human papillomavirus in the patients with intraepithelial lesions of uterine cervix. METHODS: The study subjects included two hundred patients with abnormal Pap smear from July 2004 to October 2004. After confirmed the pathological status of the cervix with colposcopic biopsy or conization, we evaluated for HPV infection and genotyping with the commercially available Hybrid-Capture II assay (HC-II) and HPV DNA chip. Then we compared the concordance rate between the two methods for the detection of HPV and analysed the HPV genotypes. RESULTS: We compared the results in HPV DNA chip with those in HC-II. In result, the concordance rate between the two methods for the detection of HPV was 85.5% (171 of 200 cases). In 111 patients confirmed the presence of lesions higher than flat condyloma in cervix by pathologc examination, sensitivities of HC-II and HPV DNA chip in detecting HPV were 91.0% and 88.3%, respectively. In HPV DNA chip, HPV-16 was the most frequent type (14.7%) in all patients, the next frequent types were HPV-58 (14.1%) and HPV-18 (9.2%). CONCLUSION: We confirmed that HPV DNA chip method was as sensitive and effective method for detecting HPV in cervical lesions as HC-II. And that it would provide useful clinical information on genotyping and multiple infections of HPV.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IB2 cervical cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study was purposed to evaluate the effects (clinico-pathologic findings and treatment outcomes) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in management of cervical carcinoma stage IB2 (tumor diameter>4 cm) METHODS: 22 surgically treated patients due to cervical cancer IB2 between January 1993 and December 2001 were abstracted. They were divided into two groups; the one group (neoadjuvant chemotherapy group) was treated with preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy [taxol-cisplatin or bleomycin, vincristin, mitomycin and cisplatin (BOMP), 2-3 cycles] and the other group was treated by primary radical hysterectomy. Clinico-pathologic factors were reviewed and statistically analyzed and compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, tumor size, and histopathologic type between two groups (p>0.05). After surgery, lymph node, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), parametrial invasion, margin involvement, and recurrence rate had no significant difference between two groups (p>0.05). But in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy was significantly less needed (p=0.0073). CONCLUSION: The needs of postoperative adjuvant treatment (chemotherapy or radiation therapy) in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group were less than in non-neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, even though there was no difference in clinico-pathologic factors and prognosis between two groups.

A Clinical Study of 25 Cases of Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) has been recognized as an aggressive tumor characterized by deep myometrial invasion and reported high recurrence and low survival rates. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinicopathologic findings and analyzed the survival rate and prognostic factors in 25 patients with UPSC who were surgically staged at the oncology department between January 1994 and December 2003. RESULTS: The mean age of the cases was 55.8 (range: 45-69) years. The most frequent presenting symptom was abnormal uterine bleeding (88%). According to FIGO staging, seven of the cases were stage I, six of the cases were stage II, eleven of the cases were stage III, and one case was stage IV. Mean follow up period is 42.7 months (range: 9-123 months). Overall survival rate was 80 percent. The recurrence was seen in 5 patients (25%). CONCLUSION: Univariate analysis showed that invasion of uterine serosa, ovarian and tubal metastasis, and positive peritoneal washing cytology were significantly associated with prediction of prognosis. In multivariate analysis, tubal metastasis was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival.

Genotyping of Human Papillomavirus Detected with the HPV DNA Chip in Cervical Cancer / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the efficacy of DNA chip method for detection and genotyping of various human papillomavirus in the patients with invasive cervical cancer in Korea. METHODS: The study subjects included 38 cases of cervical cancer for HPV detection and genotyping, and the commercially available DNA chip was used. Retrospectively cervical specimens of thirty eight patients with pathologically confirmed invasive cancer of the uterine cervix were tested for HPV typing performed by DNA chip method in Samsung Cheil Hospital from September 1999 to October 2000. RESULTS: Among 38 cervical carcinomas, histological examination revealed that 34 (89.5%) cases were squamous cell carcinoma, three (7.9%) were adenocarcinoma and one (2.6%) was small cell carcinoma. In carcinoma patients thirty two cases (84.2%) of invasive carcinoma were positive for at least one type of high risk HPV. Only two woman (5.3%) among the healthy group had HPV positive. We compared the results in HPV DNA chip with those in sequencing. The concordance rate between the two methods for the detection of HPV was 95.7% (67 of 70 cases). CONCLUSION: We confirmed that DNA chip method was a simple, convenient, and effective method for detecting HPV in cervical carcinoma and health women.

Study of Factors that Influence Sentinel Lymph Node Identification and Detection Rate in Cervical Cancer of Uterus / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SN) identification and to evaluate the factors that influence the sentinel node detection rate in patients with cervical cancer of the uterus. METHODS: Forty three patients underwent intracervical injection of 1% isosulfan blue dye at the time of planned radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy between January 2003 and July 2003. With visual detection of blue nodes, SNs were identified and separately removed. And then all patients underwent complete pelvic lymph nodes dissection and/or para-aortic lymph nodes dissection. If frozen sections of the lymph nodes were negative, radical hysterectomy was performed. Tumor characteristics, surgical findings, specific locations of SN and final pathologic results were recorded and correlated with final pathologic results. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 49.3 years (30-78). SNs were identified in 23 of 43 (53%) patients. About 48.7% of SNs were found in the external iliac region, 31.7% in the obturator region, 17.0% in the internal iliac region and 2.4% in the common iliac region. Metastatic nodes were detected in 11 of 43 (26%) patients. Among 23 patients whose SNs were detected, 5 patients had metastatic nodes while among 20 patients whose SNs were not detected, 8 patients had metastatic nodes. No false negative SN results were obtained. Successful SN detection was more likely performed in patients with preoperative conization (P=0.0156). However, age, stage, histologic type, operation type, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not show any significant differences in SN detection rate. CONCLUSION: The identification of the SN with isosulfan blue dye is feasible and safe. SN detection rate was high in patients with preoperative conization. But low detection rate should be further investigated.

Carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix in pregnancy / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the uterine cervix in pregnancy alters in the postpartum period and to evaluate the factors associated with this alteration. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we found 30 pregnant women with CIS of the uterine cervix between 1999 and 2003. All women had the diagnosis of CIS made on cervical biopsy performed during pregnancy at Samsung Cheil Hospital. All pathologic reports of initial cytology and biopsy were reviewed and compared to the same evaluations postpartum. Postpartum alteration of CIS was analyzed with respect to the mode of delivery, gravidity and parity. RESULTS: The incidence of CIS in pregnancy was 0.6 per 1000 pregnancies (30/44,807) in this study. The mean age was 31.2 years (20-40), the mean gravidity was 2.7 (1-6) and the mean parity was 0.3 (0-2). The prenatal cytology that initiated the referral to our colposcopy center was commonly discordant with the histologic diagnosis of CIS. Five (16.7%) had cytology of ASCUS, 3 (10.0%) had LSIL, and 22 (73.3%) had HSIL. The overall postpartum persistence and regression rates of CIS were 73.3% and 26.7% respectively. No lesion progressed to invasive carcinoma. There was no statistically difference in regression or persistence rates according to the delivery mode, gravidity and parity. CONCLUSION: According to the result of this study, postpartum persistence rate of CIS was high but progression rate was low. The mode of delivery, gravidity and parity did not influence the regression or persistence rates of CIS in pregnancy.

A clinical study of 15 cases of primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to determine the clinical characteristics and management of primary fallopian tube malignancies together with the results there unto that had been diagnosed and treated in Samsung Cheil Hospital oncology department retrospectively. METHODS: The fifteen cases of fallopian tube malignancies, of a total of 3495 gynecologic malignancies (0.043%) that has been diagnosed in or referred to our hospital between January 1993 and December 2004 were evaluated retrospectively. We investigate the clinicopathologic findings and analyze the survival period for 15 patients with primary fallpian tube malignancies who were surgically operated. RESULTS: The mean age of patients is 53.47 years. Most frequent application symptoms of the cases are pelvic mass (46.7%) and abnormal uterine bleeding (40%). The staging laparotomy was done in 12 patients. According to FIGO staging, seven of the cases are stage I, six of the cases are stage III, and one of the cases is borderline malignancy. Adjuvant chemotherapy was applied 13 cases and adjuvant radiotherapy was applied one case. Mean follow up period of the cases is 27.8 months. CONCLUSION: Primary fallopian tube malignancies are very rare malignancies. Diagnosis can be made generally peri or postoperatively. More extensive clinical research must be performed in order to have definite etiologic diagnostic management modalities and prognostic markers.

Radical Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Cancer of Uterine Cervix / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the treatment results, prognostic factors and complication rates in patients with locally advanced cancer of uterine cervix after radiotherapy with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with a locally advanced (stages IIB~IVA according to FIGO classification) carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated with radiotherapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center between September 1994 and December 2001. The median age of the patients was 61 years (range 29 to 81). Sixty-one, 56 and 3 patients had FIGO stage IIB, III, and IV diseases, respectively. All patients were given external beam radiotherapy over the whole pelvis (median 50.4 Gy) and HDR intracavitary brachytherapy, with a median of 4 Gy per fraction, to point A. Twenty-one patients received chemotherapy, of which 13 and 21 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy, respectively, during the first and fourth weeks of external beam radiotherapy. The chemotherapy was not randomly assigned and the median follow-up time was 28.5 months (range: 6~100 months). RESULTS: The three- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 64.4 and 57.0%, and 63.7 and 60.2%, respectively. The 5-year OS and DFS rates of the patients at stages IIB, III and IV were 602, 57.9 and 33.3%, and 57.4, 65.4 and 33.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the FIGO stage, overall treatment time (OTT) and treatment response were significant variables for the OS (p=0.035, p=0.0649 and p=0.0009) and of the DFS (p=0.0009, p=0.0359 and p=0.0363). Multivariate analysis showed that the treatment response was the only significant variable for the OS (p=0.0018) and OTT for the DFS (p=0.0360). The overall incidence of late complications in the rectum and bladder were 11.7 and 6.7%, respectively. In addition, insufficiency fractures were observed in 7 patients (5.8%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that radical radiotherapy with HDR brachytherapy was appropriate for the treatment of locally advanced uterine cervix cancer. Also, the response after treatment and OTT are significant prognostic factors.

Intramural Pregnancy after in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer / 대한불임학회지

Intramural pregnancy is an unusual ectopic gestation located within the uterine wall, completely surrounded by myometrium and separate from the uterine cavity, fallopian tube, or round ligament. It is known to be difficult to diagnose, and associated with a high rate of uterine rupture. We report a case of intramural pregnancy in which early diagnosis was made and successful treatment was done by dilatation and curettage. Diagnostic laparoscopy confirmed the absence of uterine rupture during the procedure. Therefore, conservation of fertility can be possible with early diagnosis of intramural pregnancy. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of intramural pregnancy following IVF-ET in Korea.

Clinical Outcomes of Patients treated for Cervical Pregnancy with or without Methotrexate

The objective of this study is to describe the clinical outcomes of patients treated for cervical pregnancy with or without methotrexate (MTX) and to evaluate the effects of MTX in the treatment of cervical pregnancy. Between January 1993 and February 2000, 31 patients were diagnosed with cervical pregnancy. Twenty-two patients were treated with MTX chemotherapy and nine patients were treated with surgical procedures without MTX treatment. In the non-MTX treatment group, three patients underwent total abdominal hysterectomy, five required adjuvant procedures to control the bleeding during dilatation and curettage (D&C) and only one patient was treated with a simple D&C. In the MTX treatment group, fourteen (63.6%) patients were treated with only MTX and eight (36.4%) cases underwent concomitant procedures (simple curettage, curettage and Foley catheter tamponade, cer-vical cerclage, ligation of the descending branches of uterine arteries, or ligation of hypogastric arteries). The uterus was preserved in all cases and three women delivered healthy babies in their subsequent pregnancy. In conclusion, early diagnosis, appropriate MTX regimen in combination of necessary adjuvant conservative procedures could contribute to successful treatment with preservation of the uterus and future reproductive ability.