Disparities in Vulvar Cancer Reported by the National Cancer Database: Influence of Sociodemographic Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is an association of patient sociodemographic factors with stage at diagnosis, treatment, and overall survival in patients with vulvar cancer in the National Cancer Database. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with primary squamous vulvar carcinoma identified from the National Cancer Database (1998-2004). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine risk factors associated with advanced-stage (stage III or IV) disease at diagnosis. Multivariable Cox regression models were performed to explore risk factors associated with 5-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 11,153 patients, 42.3% (n=4,713) were diagnosed with stage I disease, 24.6% (n=2,745) stage II, 22.9% (n=2,556) stage III, and 10.2% (n=1,139) stage IV. Advanced stage was significantly associated with older age, nonprivate insurance, and treatment at a lower case volume center (P<.01). Of note, roughly 30% of patients with advanced-stage disease did not receive radiation therapy. Within the advanced stages, age 60 years or older and insurance type were associated with decreased survival (P<.01). In stage III disease, only black race and treatment at a community hospital were associated with a lower risk of death (P<.01). CONCLUSION: Patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics are significantly associated with vulvar cancer stage presentation, treatment, and survival. Unfortunately, within this disease, surgical approaches and adjuvant radiation do not appear consistent. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Cognitive impairment in gynecologic cancers: a systematic review of current approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

PURPOSE: To review the etiology and assessment of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). To explore current treatment and prevention strategies for CRCI and propose future research goals in the field of gynecologic oncology. METHODS: Computerized searches in PubMed of cognitive impairment in cancer between 2000 and 2012 were conducted. The inclusion criteria were randomized control trials evaluating treatment of CRCI and search terms 'cognitive function, cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, chemobrain, chemofog, and cancer'. RESULTS: To date, numerous modalities have been utilized for assessing CRCI in patients undergoing therapy. It has been proposed to move towards web-based assessment modalities as a possible standard. Few studies have aimed to elucidate possible treatment and prevention options for CRCI; even less in the field of gynecologic oncology. Only seven of these studies were subjected to randomized control trials. Only one of these studies looked at treatment in patients with gynecologic cancers. CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of CRCI is multi-factorial. Following from this, there is no consensus on the best way to assess CRCI although objective measures are more reliable. One must extrapolate data from the non-gynecologic cancer literature, even venturing to non-cancer literature, to explore the treatment and prevention of CRCI. The methods found in these areas of research have not yet been applied to CRCI in gynecologic oncology.

Extensive cutaneous metastases of ovarian cancer after prolonged response to liposomal doxorubicin.

•Cutaneous metastases are rare and clinically challenging to manage. When present, they often represent end-stage disease.•Treatments for cutaneous metastases are limited, and primarily palliative in nature.