Is external cephalic version at term contraindicated in previous caesarean section? A prospective comparative cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if external cephalic version (ECV) can be performed with safety and efficacy in women with previous caesarean section. DESIGN: Prospective comparative cohort study. SETTING: Cruces University Hospital (Spain). POPULATION: Single pregnancy with breech presentation at term. METHODS: We compared 70 ECV performed in women with previous caesarean section with 387 ECV performed in multiparous women (March 2002 to June 2012). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success rate, complications of the ECV and caesarean section rate. RESULTS: The success rate of ECV in women after previous caesarean section was 67.1% versus 66.1% in multiparous women (P = 0.87). The logistic regression analysis confirmed this result (odds ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.52-1.68; P = 0.82) adjusted by the variables associated with success of ECV. There were no complications in the previous caesarean section cohort. The vaginal delivery rate in the previous caesarean section cohort was 52.8% versus 74.9% in the multiparous cohort (P < 0.01). There were no cases of uterine rupture. CONCLUSION: Based on our data, we conclude that complications are uncommon with ECV in women with previous caesarean section, with a success rate comparable to that of multiparous women. Uterine scar should not be considered a contraindication and ECV should be offered to women with previous caesarean section with breech presentation at term.

Use of the Cornier pipelle as the only means of presurgical histologic diagnosis in endometrial carcinoma: agreement between initial and final histology.

OBJECTIVE: To test the reliability of the Cornier pipelle as a diagnostic tool for submitting endometrial carcinoma patients directly to surgery, without the additional performance of dilatation and curettage. METHODS: In this prospective study, 56 consecutive patients with the presumptive diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma, based on the analysis of material sampled by means of microcurettage using the Cornier pipelle, were submitted to hysterectomy. The findings of the final pathological report were compared with those of the previous microcurettage. Both were analysed at the same Pathology laboratory throughout the study. The presence of endometrial carcinoma was confirmed intraoperatively in all cases, and, as a consequence, a staging laparotomy was completed in all of them. RESULTS: Although the initial diagnosis of carcinoma was confirmed in every case (100% sensitivity), the final pathological report revealed discordant histological subtypes in 6 out of the 56 cases (10.7%). Only two, however, represented higher histological risk than initially stated. Discrepant grading values were also found in 3 out of 41 (7.3%) cases of the endometrioid subtype for which tumor grade been established in the microcurettage specimen. Not performing dilatation and curettage under general anesthesia prior to surgery resulted in a significant saving, both in hospitalization costs and bed occupation. CONCLUSION: When endometrial sampling by means of the Cornier pipelle yields the diagnosis of carcinoma, it can be confidently relied upon. However, some high-risk cases can be missed due to discordance between initial and final histology, and this could eventually lead to the choice of an inadequate surgical strategy.

nm23 expression in advanced and borderline ovarian carcinoma.

Twenty-four advanced (surgical stage III and IV) ovarian carcinomas and 15 borderline ovarian tumours were studied for the overexpression of nm23 and HER-2/neu (c-erb-B2) by means of immunohistochemistry on sections from routinely processed, paraffin-embedded, archival tumour blocks, using the NCL-nm23 and the NCL-CB11 monoclonal antibodies and the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. Significantly more advanced ovarian carcinomas (p = 0.034) expressed high levels of nm23 when compared to borderline tumours. HER-2/neu (c-erb-B2) expression, as could be expected, was also significantly more frequent in advanced ovarian carcinomas (p = 0.006). We were not able to find the previously reported association between nm23 and HER-2/neu overexpression in our tumours. Our results on nm23 overexpression in ovarian cancer are coincident with those previously reported using nm23-mRNA measurements on fresh ovarian tissues. Thus, ovarian carcinoma seems to belong to the group of tumours, like colon carcinoma and neuroblastoma, in which nm23 overexpression is associated with a more malignant phenotype. Immunohistochemistry performed on archival samples from ovarian carcinomas seems adequate for the demonstration of nm23 overexpression in ovarian cancer. This opens the possibility for larger studies on series of patients with a closed follow-up, which could help to establish the role of this gene in this kind of tumour.

Chemotherapy-induced emesis: management of early and delayed emesis in milder emetogenic regimens.

The objective of the present study was to examine the problem of the control of nausea and vomiting induced by non-cisplatin containing cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer patients. This was randomized, double-blind, parallel-group and placebo-controlled study comparing the efficacy of three antiemetic therapeutic regimens (ondansetron for 3 days, ondasetron plus metoclopramide, and ondansetron given in a single dose) in breast cancer patients receiving cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy regimens on an outpatient basis. Both the primary and the secondary efficacy were measured. The primary efficacy variable was the number of emetic episodes (considering early and delayed emesis). The secondary efficacy variable measured was the quality of life. Two-by-two tables using the chi-square test and relative-risk concept were elaborated for statistical analysis. There was no difference between high-dose ondansetron and ondansetron plus metoclopramide among patients given CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil). The single-dose ondansetron regimen showed the worst results. In patients given an FEC regimen (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil) the antiemetic efficacy was best for the high-dose ondansetron regimen, followed by the ondansetron plus metoclopramide regimen, and was worst for single-dose ondansetron administration. Despite the use of different antiemetic schedules, nausea and emesis are significant problems in patients receiving cyclophosphamide-based chemotherapy. Their adequate control should be the aim of any antiemetic approach.

Angiosarcoma of the breast and pregnancy: a new therapeutic approach.

A case of angiosarcoma of the breast managed primarily by a chemotherapeutic approach is referred. A 29-year-old patient presented complaining of a painful mass in her right breast. An incisional biopsy carried out under general anesthesia showed a moderately-differentiated angiosarcoma surrounded by fibrofatty tissue. Ruled out distant metastases, a decision was made to initiate neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, vincristine and dactinimycin. After 2 courses of chemotherapy the tumor volume was reduced by 50% and the histologic examination of the mastectomy specimen revealed a well-differentiated angiosarcoma with widespread areas of necrosis probably produced by previous chemotherapic treatment. The patient is clinically free of disease after 24 months of follow-up. Although this is a single case report, and by no means can be considered a guideline for future treatments, we nevertheless feel that the result obtained with the chemotherapeutic approach with this patient is encouraging.

Negative second-look laparotomy does not preclude recurrence in stage I ovarian carcinoma of any histological variety.

Between January 1980 and June 1991, 56 patients with Stage I ovarian carcinoma of different histological varieties were submitted to a second-look laparotomy (SLL) at the University Clinic (Hospital de Cruces) of Bilbao, Spain. The operation was performed upon all patients one year after initial surgery, after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, or after one year of observation in those cases that were not treated postoperatively. The SLL was negative in 55 of cases and positive in one. The median follow-up after SLL was 59 months. Of the 55 negative cases, four (7.3%) have had a recurrence of their tumor during their long-term follow-up. Three had epithelial tumors and had received complete postoperative chemotherapy, and the fourth was a dysgerminoma. The three patients with epithelial tumors have died under second-line chemotherapy, whereas the dysgerminoma patient is responding well to rescue polychemotherapy. In view of these results, it is useless and probably unethical to perform second-look laparotomy in Stage I ovarian carcinoma if the initial staging was properly performed.

High rate of expression of multidrug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein in human endometrial carcinoma and normal endometrial tissue.

The overexpression of P-glycoprotein was studied in 10 normal endometrial controls (five from the proliferative and five from the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle) and in 23 endometrial carcinomas of different histological varieties, using the C219 and JSB-1 monoclonal antibodies. Three of the tumours had been previously treated with combination chemotherapy containing doxorubicin. All endometrial carcinomas, whether treated or untreated, as well as the normal endometrial controls from both the proliferative and the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, overexpressed P-glycoprotein. This puts endometrial carcinoma into the same category as other tumours arising in organs which normally overexpress P-glycoprotein, all of which tend to be intrinsically resistant to chemotherapy.

Pure theca cell tumors. A clinicopathologic study of 29 cases.

From 1976 to 1989, 29 cases of ovarian theca cell tumors were diagnosed at the Pathology Department of our Hospital. Their clinical and histologic features were reviewed. The main presenting symptom in postmenopausal patients was uterine bleeding, whereas in premenopausal women, abdominal swelling and the findings of ultrasonographic examination were the diagnostic keys. Different surgical procedures were the cornestone of treatment, although in 12 cases the indication for surgery was not apparently related to an adnexal condition.