Comparison of concurrent chemoradiation therapy with weekly cisplatin versus monthly fluorouracil plus cisplatin in FIGO stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. Although the optimal chemotherapeutic regimen is not yet defined, previous randomized trials have demonstrated that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus cisplatin every 3 weeks and weekly cisplatin are the most popular regimens. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of weekly CCRT with cisplatin and monthly CCRT with 5-FU plus cisplatin for locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 255 patients with FIGO stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer. Patients were classified into two CCRT groups according to the concurrent chemotherapy: weekly CCRT group, consisted of CCRT with weekly cisplatin for six cycles; and monthly CCRT group, consisted of CCRT with cisplatin and 5-FU every 4 weeks for two cycles followed by additional consolidation chemotherapy for two cycles with the same regimen. RESULTS: Of 255 patients, 152 (59.6%) patients received weekly CCRT and 103 (40.4%) received monthly CCRT. The mean follow-up period was 39 months (range, 1 to 186 months). Planned CCRT was given to 130 (85.5%) patients in weekly CCRT group and 84 (81.6%) patients in monthly CCRT group, respectively. Severe adverse effects were more common in the monthly CCRT group than in the weekly CCRT group. There were no statistically significant differences in progression-free survival and overall survival between the two groups (p=0.715 and p=0.237). CONCLUSION: Both weekly CCRT and monthly CCRT seem to have similar efficacy for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, but the weekly cisplatin is better tolerated.

Comparison of concurrent chemoradiation therapy with weekly cisplatin versus monthly fluorouracil plus cisplatin in FIGO stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. Although the optimal chemotherapeutic regimen is not yet defined, previous randomized trials have demonstrated that 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus cisplatin every 3 weeks and weekly cisplatin are the most popular regimens. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of weekly CCRT with cisplatin and monthly CCRT with 5-FU plus cisplatin for locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 255 patients with FIGO stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer. Patients were classified into two CCRT groups according to the concurrent chemotherapy: weekly CCRT group, consisted of CCRT with weekly cisplatin for six cycles; and monthly CCRT group, consisted of CCRT with cisplatin and 5-FU every 4 weeks for two cycles followed by additional consolidation chemotherapy for two cycles with the same regimen. RESULTS: Of 255 patients, 152 (59.6%) patients received weekly CCRT and 103 (40.4%) received monthly CCRT. The mean follow-up period was 39 months (range, 1 to 186 months). Planned CCRT was given to 130 (85.5%) patients in weekly CCRT group and 84 (81.6%) patients in monthly CCRT group, respectively. Severe adverse effects were more common in the monthly CCRT group than in the weekly CCRT group. There were no statistically significant differences in progression-free survival and overall survival between the two groups (p=0.715 and p=0.237). CONCLUSION: Both weekly CCRT and monthly CCRT seem to have similar efficacy for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, but the weekly cisplatin is better tolerated.

Comparison of laparoscopic versus conventional open surgical staging procedure for endometrial cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic surgery and conventional laparotomy for endometrial cancer. METHODS: A total of 104 consecutive patients were non-randomly assigned to either laparoscopic surgery or laparotomy. All patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging procedures including total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy. The safety, morbidity, and survival rates of the two groups were compared, and the data was retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients received laparoscopic surgery and 70 underwent laparotomy. Operation time for the laparoscopic procedure was 227.0+/-28.8 minutes, which showed significant difference from the 208.1+/-46.4 minutes (p=0.032) of the laparotomy group. The estimated blood loss of patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery was 230.3+/-92.4 mL. This was significantly less than that of the laparotomy group (301.9+/-156.3 mL, p=0.015). The laparoscopic group had an average of 20.8 pelvic and 9.1 para-aortic nodes retrieved, as compared to 17.2 pelvic and 8.5 para-aortic nodes retrieved in the laparotomy group. There was no significant difference (p=0.062, p=0.554). The mean hospitalization duration was significantly greater in the laparotomy group than the laparoscopic group (23.3 and 16.4 days, p<0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.7% and 11.8% in the laparotomy and laparoscopic groups respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the survival rate. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgical staging operation is a safe and effective therapeutic procedure for management of endometrial cancer with an acceptable morbidity compared to the laparotomic approach, and is characterized by far less blood loss and shorter postoperative hospitalization.

Premenopausal early-stage endometrial carcinoma patients with low CA-125 levels and low tumor grade may undergo ovary-saving surgery / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the possible predicting factors of coexisting adnexal malignancies, and to evaluate the safety of ovary-saving surgery for early-stage endometrial carcinoma in premenopausal patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of 107 patients with endometrial carcinoma who underwent surgical treatment at our institution was conducted. All patients were younger than 50 years of age and premenopausal status. Statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients, 78 patients had stage I to II disease and both preoperative CA-125 levels were measured and tumor grades evaluated. On multivariate analysis, preoperative CA-125 levels (p=0.018) and preoperative tumor grade (p=0.029) were independent predicting factors of adnexal diseases. The risk of coexisting ovarian malignancy was 1.8% in patients with preoperative CA-125 levels less than or equal to 34.5 U/ml and preoperative tumor grade 1 or 2. The risk increases to 20% for low CA-125 and grade 3, 13.3% for high CA-125 and grade 1 or 2, and 100% for high CA-125 and grade 3. Between patients who underwent unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and those who underwent bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of BMI, preoperative CA-125 levels, FIGO stage, histology, tumor grade, lymphadenectomy, and adjuvant treatment. CONCLUSION: Ovary-saving surgery for premenopausal, early-stage endometrial cancer patients may be considered as a treatment option in those with low preoperative CA-125 and low tumor grade.

Uterine Leiomyosarcoma : 14-year Two-center Experience of 31 Cases / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and possible prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 31 patients with histologically proven LMS at Samsung Medical Center and Ajou University Hospital between 1994 and 2007. The medical records and available histological slides were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The median age was 46 years (range, 32~63). The most common symptom was vaginal bleeding (11 patients, 35.5%). There were 23 patients with stage I, one patient with stage III, seven patients with stage IV disease. The median follow up time was 29 months (range, 1~94). The most common recurrence site was lung (5 case), followed by pelvis and upper abdomen (2 case). Nine patients died of disease with a 5-year overall survival rate of 63%. Early tumor stage and mitotic count were the prognostic factor in univariate analysis (p10HPF) had a trend for disease recurrence in early stage LMS (p=0.0859). CONCLUSION: Mitotic count less than 15/HPF in early stage may be related with longer progression-free interval, but we could not reach the conclusion that adjuvant therapy in early stage LMS be effective.

Significance of postoperative CA-125 decline after cytoreductive surgery in stage IIIC/IV ovarian cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the decline in serum CA-125 levels following primary cytoreductive surgery prior to starting adjuvant chemotherapy has a prognostic value in patients with stage IIIC/IV ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with stage IIIC/IV ovarian carcinoma who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy from 1994 to 2007. Demographic, pathologic, treatment, and survival data were collected. Patients were included if serum CA-125 levels were drawn preoperatively and within one week prior to their first chemotherapy cycle, and whose postoperative CA-125 level declined. Percentage decline was calculated, and was compared with standard statistical tests in groups by 25% declination intervals. RESULTS: Of the 112 stage IIIC/IV patients, 81 (72.3%) met the above inclusion criteria. The median time from surgery to postoperative CA-125 sampling was 16 days (range: 7-42). A > or =75% decline was associated with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 25 months (95% CI=0-63). This was significantly longer when compared with each of the other 25% interval groups. After multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors included a > or =75% decline in CA-125 levels after surgery and the presence of residual tumor. Age, grade, histology, and preoperative CA-125 levels were not statistically significant factors. CONCLUSION: A > or =75% decline in serum CA-125 serum levels from primary cytoreductive surgery to the start of adjuvant chemotherapy has independent prognostic value for PFS in patients with stage IIIC/IV ovarian carcinoma.

Does pretreatment HPV viral load correlate with prognosis in patients with early stage cervical carcinoma? / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Recent data suggest that pretreatment HPV (Human papillomavirus) viral load is useful to predict the severity of intraepithelial lesions of the uterine cervix and formulate a treatment plan. However, the relationship between initial HPV viral load and prognosis of cervical cancer patients has not yet been clearly defined. The objective of this study was to determine whether HPV viral load has prognostic significance in patients with early stage cervical carcinoma treated by surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients with early stage cervical carcinoma who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at our institution from August 2003 to December 2007 was conducted. Patients were included only if they had pretreatment Hybrid Capture II test for HPV DNA detection. RESULTS: We identified 34 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Two groups were identified: patients who had low HPV viral load (100 RLU). There were no differences in age, FIGO stage, histology, pathologic risk factors - tumor size, deep stromal invasion, lymph-vascular space invasion, parametrial extensions, vaginal margin involvement, and lymph node metastasis - and adjuvant CCRT. There was no significant difference of disease-free survival regard to pretreatment HPV viral load (p=0.7756). CONCLUSION: In our study, survival was not significantly different between early stage cervical cancer patients who had low and high pretreatment HPV viral load. It seems that pretreatment HPV viral load may not be of help to predict disease prognosis.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of granulosa cell tumor of the ovary / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was evaluate the clinicopathologic prognostic factors of granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) of the ovary. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records retrospectively of 15 patients of GCT who confirmed GCT pathologically after surgery from June, 1994 to December, 2006. Initial symptom, age, size of tumors, FIGO stage, treamtment modality and mitotic index were investigated from medical records. RESULTS: The median age of the patients were 47 (range 22-78). Distribution of patients by FIGO stage were stage I 80% (12/15), stage III 20% (3/15). Complete surgical staging was performed in 5 patients. Other patients were performed total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral or unilateral salpingo-ophorectomy, bilateral or unilateral salpingo-ophorectomy 5 patients were given adjuvant chemotherapy. Recurrence were founded in 3 patients. Two patients were FIGO sage III and one was stage I with large tumor size. The mitotic index was 13, 11 and one patients was not described about that. Eight year survial rate of all patients was 62.5%. CONCLUSION: There was recurrence in high FIGO stage. Mitotic index was related with FIGO stage. Mitotic index and tumor size are the probable prognostic factors and need to study the relationship with recurrence in stage I.

Prognostic factors in recurrent cervical cancer patients with pulmonary metastasis / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To characterize prognostic factors in patients with pulmonary metastasis in recurrent cervical cancer. METHODS: The records of 2,042 patients treated for cervical cancer from 1994 to 2004 at two institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-five (1.04%) patients had pulmonary lesions consistent with metastatic cervical cancer. The data were analyzed retrospectively and reviewed for patient characteristics. RESULTS: Patients were treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy only, chemoradiotherapy, surgery, and conservative treatment. There were no significant differences in survival rates between each treatment method (p=0.3410). Mean survival after treatment of pulmonary metestasis was 23 months. Histologic type, lymph node metastasis, other organ metastasis, and pretreatment SCC level were not significant prognostic factors, but FIGO stage (p=0.039) and disease-free interval (p=0.033) were significant factors. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that FIGO stage and disease-free interval were independent prognostic factors of pulmonary metestasis in recurrent cervical cancer.

Simplified prognostic factor scoring system in patients with lymph node-negative stage IB-IIA cervical cancer / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to apply a prognostic factor scoring system in patients with lymph node-negative stage IB - IIA cervical cancer. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-one stage IB - IIA cervical cancer patients were enrolled in this retrospective study from 1994 to 2005 in our gynecologic department. All patients were treated by radical abdominal hysterectomy with lymph node dissection, and there were no patients with involvement of lymph nodes or parametrial invasion. Statistical analysis comprised of clinical characteristics, pathology result, post-operative adjuvant therapy, and recurrence rate. RESULTS: Among the 191 patients, recurrence occurred in 9 patients (4.7%), while no recurrence was observed in the remaining 182 patients (95.3%). No significant difference was found between the two study groups in terms of average age, weight, parity, FIGO stage, and postoperative adjuvant therapy. After univariate analysis, tumor size and deep stromal invasion were factors found to be statistically significant for risk of recurrence. Cell type, close surgical margin, lymphovascular permeation were not significant factors. Multivariate analysis demonstrated deep stromal invasion was the only significant prognostic factor (RR=11.7, p=0.028). The scoring system was applied to tumor size, close surgical margin, and deep stromal invasion, 1, 1, and 2 points given for each factor, respectively. Using the ROC curve, based on 2 points as the cut-off level, the recurrence rate was significantly higher (p<0.0025). CONCLUSION: Deep stromal invasion was the most important prognostic factor in patients with early stage cervical cancer in the absence of lymph node metastasis. Herein, the scoring system may be applied to predict disease outcome.

The clinical efficacy of the low dose aspirin and corticosteroid treatment in patients with endometriosis who underwent in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of low-dose aspirin and corticosteroid in IVF-ET patients with endometriosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 infertile patients with endometriosis underwent 59 consecutive IVF-ET cycles. In the treatment group, 18 patients (23 cycles) underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and received daily doses of 80 mg of aspirin and 15 mg of prednisone, starting on 3rd day of COH. In the control group, 27 patients (36 cycles) underwent COH without treatment. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, fertilization rates, good quality embryo ratio and pregnancy rates between these two groups. RESULTS: There was no difference between groups in clinical characteristics (mean age, parity, LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone), fertilization rates, and good embryo ratio. However, implantation rates were significantly different (29.81% vs. 11.06%, p=0.019). Furthermore, hCG positive rates (60.89% vs. 41.67%), clinical pregnancy rates (56.52% vs. 33.33%), and on going pregnancy rates (>20weeks) (47.83% vs. 27.78%) were increased in the study group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment of low dose aspirin and prednisone improved pregnancy rates and implantation rates in IVF-ET patients with endometriosis. This results confirm the hypothesis that autoantibodies subsequently react with endometrial antigen leading to implantation failure and that we need to further research to the relationship of endometriosis with the immunologic aspect of implantation.

The value of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of loco-regionally advanced cervical cancer / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemor- adiotherapy (CCRT) in loco-regionally advanced cervical cancer patients. METHODS: The medical records of 24 patients were retrospectively reviewed who underwent CCRT' and 62 patients who had underwent radiation therapy alone at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ajou University Hospital from September, 1994 to August 2000 for loco-regionally advanced cervical cancer (stage IIb-IVa and Ib-IIa with bulky tumor mass or pelvic lymph node involvement detected by magnetic resonance imaging). Radiotherapy was performed for 7 weeks during which the patients underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy concomitantly. Chemotherapeutic regimen consisted of cisplatin (75 mg/m2 on day 1, 4) and 5-FU (1000 mg/m2 on day 2-5, 30-33). The toxicity was assessed according to the GOG toxicity criteria. RESULTS: In the CCRT group, 2 of 18 patients (11.1%) had recurrent disease. Of the 22 patients who were followed up, the overall survival rate was 83.3%, and the relapse-free survival rate was 89.9%. In the radiotherapy alone group, 19 of 61 patients (32.3%) had recurrent disease. Of the 62 patients who were followed up, the overall survival rate was 75.4% and the relapsed-free survival rate was 67.7%. Relative risk reduction rate of the death rate in the CCRT group was 66% (RR 0.34), and 32% (RR 0.68) in the recurrence rate. Acute toxicities in the CCRT group were enteritis grade 3:3 (12.5%), leukopenia grade 3:2 (8.3%), anemia grade 3:1 (4.1%) and grade 4:2 (8.3%). The acute toxicities in the radiation therapy alone group were enteritis grade 3:7 (11.3%), rectal bleeding grade 3:1 (1%). Increased acute toxicities developed in the CCRT group. CONCLUSION: This study shows improved overall survival rates and relapse-free survival rates but some increase in acute toxicity. It is suggested that CCRT be the standard treatment of loco-regionally advanced cervical cancer. Due to small size sample and short duration of follow up, further study of a large group of patients and the long term survival rate are necessary.

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the vulva / 대한부인종양콜포스코피학회잡지

Malignant lymphomas of the female genital tract are rare. When it involves the female genital tract, information in the literature regarding the classification, treatment and diagnosis of malignant lymphoma are few. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) of the female genital tract occurs primarily in the ovary (49%), uterus (11%), vagina (7%), and vulva (4%). The vulva as the primary location is a very rare occurrence. However, autopsy studies have shown that about 40% of women who die of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had involvement of the uterus or ovaries. There have been many cases of high-stage lymphomas presenting as secondary involvement of the female genital tract, but when the primary involvement site is the vulva, the stage of lymphoma was most commonly stage IE or IIE. Therefore, physicians should keep in mind the possibility of the presence of a malignant neoplasm when the suspected Bartholin's gland tumor does not respond to treatment. The authors propose that thorough gynecological evaluation should be conducted as a routine screening method in female patients with suspected lymphoma. We represent a case of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patient who was relatively young in age and who was consequently determined to be of a high stage.