Laparoscopic surgical access in morbidly obese women undergoing endometrial cancer surgery: Repurposing the left upper quadrant approach.

OBJECTIVE: The study purpose was to report the outcomes of patients undergoing endometrial cancer surgical staging with laparoscopic abdominal access entry using a left upper quadrant (LUQ) access technique. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from 1 January 2013 to 1 January 2018. The setting was an academic, single institution gynecologic oncology service with a high volume of minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The patient cohort included obese (defined as BMI > 30 kg/m2) or morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2) women undergoing MIS for endometrial cancer staging. All patients underwent laparoscopic abdominal access via a 5-mm or 10-mm optical trocar system using a LUQ technique. RESULTS: In total, 317 patients were included with a median age of 54 years (range, 24-79) and median BMI 42.5 kg/m2 (range, 32-70); 60 % morbidly obese. Successful LUQ access was achieved in 98.1 %. Of those with a failed LUQ approach, two had undergone previous LUQ surgery and 4 had ≥1 previous midline vertical incisions. There was one LUQ trocar-related visceral injury (0.3 %) and no vascular injuries during the study period. CONCLUSION: A LUQ abdominal technique is a safe and reliable method of laparoscopic access in morbidly obese women undergoing MIS for endometrial cancer staging. This may be the preferred method of laparoscopic access for women with a panniculus or central adiposity, given the caudal displacement of the umbilicus and poor correlation with intraperitoneal anatomic landmarks in this setting.

Minimally invasive hysterectomy surgery rates for endometrial cancer performed at National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Centers.

OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a quality measure for endometrial cancer (EC) established by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology and the American College of Surgeons. Our study objective was to assess the proportion of EC cases performed by MIS at National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) centers and evaluate perioperative outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of women who underwent surgical treatment for EC from 2013 to 2014 was conducted at four NCCN centers. Multivariable mixed logistic regression models analyzed factors associated with failure to perform MIS and perioperative complications. RESULTS: In total 1621 patients were evaluated; 86.5% underwent MIS (robotic-assisted 72.5%, laparoscopic 20.9%, vaginal 6.6%). On multivariable analysis, factors associated with failure to undergo MIS were uterine size >12cm (Odds Ratio [OR]: 0.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.9), stage III (OR: 0.16, 95% CI 0.05-0.49) and IV disease (OR: 0.07, 95% CI 0.02-0.22). For stage I/II disease, complications occurred in 5.1% of MIS and 21.7% of laparotomy cases (p<0.01). Laparotomy was associated with increases in any complication (OR: 6.0, 95% CI 3.3-10.8), gastrointestinal (OR: 7.2, 95% CI 2.6-19.5), wound (OR: 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-9.2), respiratory (OR 37.5, 95% CI 3.9-358.0), VTE (OR 10.5, 95% CI 1.3-82.8) and 30-day readmission (OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.4-4.9) compared to MIS. CONCLUSIONS: At NCCN-designated centers, the MIS hysterectomy rate in EC is higher than the published national average, with low perioperative complications. Previously identified disparities of age, race, and BMI were not observed. A proposed MIS hysterectomy benchmark of >80% in EC care is feasible when performed at high volume centers.

Performance of ovarian cyst fluid fine-needle aspiration cytology.

BACKGROUND: Although ovarian fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is not commonly used as a primary modality of diagnosis for patients with ovarian lesions, many ovarian cysts are aspirated intraoperatively and occasionally for diagnostic purposes. Therefore, the ability to interpret these specimens remains critical. Previous studies have suggested a high specificity but low sensitivity as a limitation. The objective of the current study was to further explore the use and performance of ovarian cyst FNA for diagnosing malignancy at the study institution. METHODS: The electronic database was searched from 1998 through 2016 for ovarian cyst fluid cytology specimens; any concurrent or follow-up surgical pathology; and clinical information including patient age, radiology findings, and procedure type. Test performance was calculated using the surgical pathology diagnosis as the gold standard. RESULTS: A total of 459 ovarian cyst FNA specimens had the following diagnoses: 416 (90.6%) were diagnosed as benign, 32 (7.0%) as atypical, 4 (0.9%) as suspicious, and 7 (1.5%) as malignant. Overall, 300 specimens (65.4%) had a corresponding surgical pathology specimen. On follow-up, the rate of malignancy (including borderline neoplasms) for benign FNA was 10 of 264 specimens (3.8%), that for atypical FNA was 0 of 24 specimens (0%), that for suspicious FNA was 5 of 5 specimens (100%), and that for malignant FNA was 7 of 7 specimens (100%). Test sensitivity was 54.0% and test specificity was 100%. The positive predictive value was 1.00 and the negative predictive value was 0.97, with a disease (malignancy) prevalence of 7.33%. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian cyst fluid cytology is highly specific and moderately sensitive for the detection of ovarian malignancies. A negative FNA is reassuring for patients with a low pretest probability of malignancy. Cancer Cytopathol 2018;126:112-21. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Gynecologic cancer in HIV-infected women: treatment and outcomes in a multi-institutional cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gynecologic cancer treatments in HIV-infected women for adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines and to describe survival by adherence to guidelines. DESIGN: Beyond cervical cancer, there are little data on treatment and outcomes for these women. This is a retrospective cohort study of HIV-infected women with gynecologic cancers. METHODS: HIV-infected women with gynecologic cancers from 2000 to 2015 were identified at two urban, comprehensive cancer centers. Chart reviews extracted demographic, HIV, and cancer-related variables. Cancer treatment was evaluated for adherence to NCCN guidelines. Overall survival was compared between those who received NCCN adherent and nonadherent cancer care. RESULTS: Fifty-seven women were identified; 15 vulvar (26%), 26 cervical (46%), nine ovarian (16%), and seven endometrial (12%) cancers. Median time from HIV to cancer diagnosis was 8.5 years, and 88% of women were black. Thirty patients (53%) had stage I, and 27 (47%) had stage II-IV disease. Overall, 28 women (49%) received NCCN-adherent care; 22 of 30 stage I (73%) and six of 27 stage II-IV patients (22%). Among 29 women not receiving NCCN-adherent care, 69% were due to patient-related factors or toxicity. Among women with II-IV cancers, 48-month survival was higher in women who received NCCN-adherent care than those who did not (60 versus 28%). CONCLUSION: Most HIV-infected women with advanced gynecologic cancers did not receive NCCN-adherent care and had worse survival compared to those who did. Focus on treatment-related toxicities and patient-related barriers to cancer care are necessary in this population.

Geographic disparities in the distribution of the U.S. gynecologic oncology workforce: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology study.

A recent ASCO workforce study projects a significant shortage of oncologists in the U.S. by 2020, especially in rural/underserved (R/US) areas. The current study aim was to determine the patterns of distribution of U.S. gynecologic oncologists (GO) and to identify provider-based attitudes and barriers that may prevent GOs from practicing in R/US regions. U.S. GOs (n = 743) were electronically solicited to participate in an on-line survey regarding geographic distribution and participation in outreach care. A total of 320 GOs (43%) responded; median age range was 35-45 years and 57% were male. Most practiced in an urban setting (72%) at a university hospital (43%). Only 13% of GOs practiced in an area with a population < 50,000. A desire to remain in academics and exposure to senior-level mentorship were the factors most influencing initial practice location. Approximately 50% believed geographic disparities exist in GO workforce distribution that pose access barriers to care; however, 39% "strongly agreed" that cancer patients who live in R/US regions should travel to urban cancer centers to receive care within a center of excellence model. GOs who practice within 50 miles of only 0-5 other GOs were more likely to provide R/US care compared to those practicing within 50 miles of ≥ 10 GOs (p < 0.0001). Most (39%) believed the major barriers to providing cancer care in R/US areas were volume and systems-based. Most also believed the best solution was a hybrid approach, with coordination of local and centralized cancer care services. Among GOs, a self-reported rural-urban disparity exists in the density of gynecologic oncologists. These study findings may help address barriers to providing cancer care in R/US practice environments.

Outcomes Associated With a Five-Point Surgical Site Infection Prevention Bundle in Women Undergoing Surgery for Ovarian Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for surgical site infection and to define rates associated with cytoreductive surgery before and after implementation of an infection prevention bundle. METHODS: We conducted a prospective quality improvement study. Patients who underwent ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer cytoreductive surgery at an academic tertiary care center from April 2014 to April 2016 were prospectively enrolled. Patient demographics, surgical variables, and surgical site infection rates were compared with a historical cohort after introduction of a 5-point infection prevention bundle, including: 1) preoperative and intraoperative skin preparation with 4% chlorhexidine and intraoperative vaginal preparation with 4% chlorhexidine; 2) preoperative use of oral antibiotics and mechanical bowel preparation; 3) appropriate timing of intraoperative antibiotics; 4) adoption of enhanced sterile surgical techniques for colon procedures and incisional closure; and 5) perioperative incision management. RESULTS: During the study period, 219 women underwent surgery: 91 prebundle and 128 treated in the postbundle period. Stage, body mass index, proportion of patients undergoing colon or upper abdominal surgery, and estimated blood loss were not different between the cohorts. Overall, the surgical site infection rate prebundle was 18 (20%); this was reduced to four (3%) postbundle (odds ratio [OR] 0.13, 95% CI 0.037-0.53; P<.001). Patients who underwent a colon resection prebundle had an infection rate of 14 (33%) compared with three (7%) in the postbundle group (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.037-0.53; P<.001). Additionally, rates of surgical site infection-related hospital readmission were also lower in the postbundle (4/128 [3%]) compared with the prebundle group (12/91 [13%]; P=.005). CONCLUSION: Infection is common after ovarian cancer cytoreductive surgery. Implementation of a 5-point surgical site infection prevention bundle in women undergoing ovarian cancer operations was associated with dramatically decreased infection rates and lower hospital readmission rates.

Primary cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant hormonal monotherapy in women with advanced low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: Reducing overtreatment without compromising survival?

OBJECTIVES: Women with advanced-stage, low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSC) have low chemotherapy response rates and poor overall survival. Most LGSC tumors overexpress hormone receptors, which represent a potential treatment target. Our study objective was to determine the outcomes of patients with advanced-stage LGSC treated with primary cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hormone therapy (HT). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at two academic cancer centers. Patients with Stage II-IV LGSC underwent either primary or interval CRS followed by adjuvant HT between 2004 and 2016. Gynecologic pathologists reviewed all cases. Two-year progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were studied; primary CRS followed by HT were administered in 26, while 1 patient had neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by CRS and HT. The median patient age was 47.5, and patients had Stage II (n=2), Stage IIIA (n=6), Stage IIIC (n=18), and Stage IV (n=1) disease. Optimal cytoreduction to no gross residual was achieved in 85.2%. Ninety six percent of tumors expressed estrogen receptors, while only 32% expressed progesterone receptors. Letrozole was administered post operatively in 55.5% cases, anastrozole in 37.1% and tamoxifen in 7.4%. After a median follow up of 41months, only 6 patients (22.2%) have developed a tumor recurrence and two patients have died of disease. Median PFS and OS have not yet been reached, but 2-year PFS and OS were 82.8% and 96.3%, respectively, and 3-year PFS and OS were 79.0% and 92.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our series describes the initial experience with cytoreductive surgery and hormonal monotherapy for women with Stage II-IV primary ovarian LGSC. While surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, chemotherapy may not be necessary in patients with advanced-stage disease who receive adjuvant hormonal therapy. A cooperative group, Phase III trial is planned to define the optimal therapy for women with this ovarian carcinoma subtype.

Unplanned 30-day hospital readmission as a quality measure in gynecologic oncology.

OBJECTIVES: Thirty-day readmission is used as a quality measure for patient care and Medicare-based hospital reimbursement. The primary study objective was to describe the 30-day readmission rate to an academic gynecologic oncology service. Secondary objectives were to identify risk factors and costs related to readmission. METHODS: This was a retrospective, concurrent cohort study of all surgical admissions to an academic, high volume gynecologic oncology service during a two-year period (2013-2014). Data were collected on patient demographics, medical comorbidities, psychosocial risk factors, and results from a hospital discharge screening survey. Mixed logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with 30-day readmission and costs of readmission were assessed. RESULTS: During the two-year study period, 1605 women underwent an index surgical admission. Among this population, a total of 177 readmissions (11.0%) in 135 unique patients occurred. In a surgical subpopulation with >1 night stay, a readmission rate of 20.9% was observed. The mean interval to readmission was 11.8days (SD 10.7) and mean length of readmission stay was 5.1days (SD 5.0). Factors associated with readmission included radical surgery for ovarian cancer (OR 2.87) or cervical cancer (OR 4.33), creation of an ostomy (OR 11.44), a Charlson score of ≥5 (OR 2.15), a language barrier (OR 3.36), a median household income in the lowest quartile (OR 6.49), and a positive discharge screen (OR 2.85). The mean cost per readmission was $25,416 (SD $26,736), with the highest costs associated with gastrointestinal complications at $32,432 (SD $32,148). The total readmission-related costs during the study period were $4,523,959. CONCLUSIONS: Readmissions to a high volume gynecologic oncology service were costly and related to radical surgery for ovarian and cervical cancer as well as to medical, socioeconomic and psychosocial patient variables. These data may inform interventional studies aimed at decreasing unplanned readmissions in gynecologic oncology surgical populations.

Disparities in Surgical Care Among Women With Endometrial Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze contemporary U.S. use of minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of endometrial cancer and associated inpatient complications and costs. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the National Inpatient Sample database was analyzed in patients with nonmetastatic endometrial cancer who underwent hysterectomy during 2012-2013. Hierarchical multiple logistic regression and propensity score matching were used to compare complications among patients treated with open compared with minimally invasive hysterectomy surgery. Cost of care was also compared using generalized linear modeling. RESULTS: We identified 9,799 patients; 52.4% underwent open and 47.6% minimally invasive hysterectomy. Many patients (43.4%) were treated at low-volume hospitals (less than 10 endometrial cancer cases annually). Patients were less likely to undergo open surgery in high-volume compared with low-volume hospitals (51.8% compared with 58.1%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-0.94) and more likely to undergo open surgery in rural compared with urban teaching hospitals (75.6% compared with 51.1%, respectively; adjusted OR 14.34, 95% CI 9.66-21.27), government compared with nonprofit hospitals (61.3% compared with 51.1%, respectively; adjusted OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.15-2.39), and in patients of black (67.9%; OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.30-1.65) and "other" race (60.5%; adjusted OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.99-2.87) compared with white race (49.2%, referent). Open surgery was associated with increased perioperative complications (adjusted OR 2.80, 95% CI 2.48-3.17) and a $1,243 increase in cost per case compared with minimally invasive approaches (P<.001). Using minimally invasive surgery for 80% of study patients may have averted 2,733 complications and saved approximately $19 million. CONCLUSION: Most U.S. women with endometrial cancer continue to be treated with open hysterectomy surgery despite increased complication rates and financial costs associated with this approach. A disparity in endometrial cancer surgical care exists that is affected by patient race and hospital geography and cancer volumes.

Preventing Cervical Cancer in the United States: Barriers and Resolutions for HPV Vaccination.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates for preadolescent and adolescent girls in the United States are far behind those of other developed nations. These rates differ substantially by region and state, socioeconomic status, and insurance status. In parents and young women, a lack of awareness and a misperception of the risk of this vaccine drive low vaccination rates. In physicians, lack of comfort with discussion of sexuality and the perception that the vaccine should be delayed to a later age contribute to low vaccination rates. Patient- and physician-targeted educational campaigns, systems-based interventions, and school-based vaccine clinics offer a variety of ways to address the barriers to HPV vaccination. A diverse and culturally appropriate approach to promoting vaccine uptake has the potential to significantly improve vaccination rates in order to reach the Healthy People 2020 goal of over 80% vaccination in adolescent girls. This article reviews the disparities in HPV vaccination rates in girls in the United States, the influences of patients', physicians', and parents' attitudes on vaccine uptake, and the proposed interventions that may help the United States reach its goal for vaccine coverage.

Intimate Partner Violence and Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening: A Gynecologic Oncology Fellow Research Network Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to examine barriers to cervical cancer screening among women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and accessed domestic violence shelters, to compare barriers among those up-to-date (UTD) and not UTD on screening, and to evaluate acceptability of human papillomavirus self-sampling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey in which domestic violence shelters in Ohio were identified and women completed an anonymous survey assessing UTD screening status, barriers related to screening, history of IPV, intention to follow up on abnormal screening, and acceptability of self-sampling. Characteristics of UTD and not UTD women were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: A total of 142 women from 11 shelters completed the survey. Twenty-three percent of women were not UTD. Women who were not UTD reported more access-related barriers (mean = 2.2 vs 1.8; p = .006). There was no difference in reported IPV-related barriers between women who were not UTD and those who are UTD (mean = 2.51 in not UTD vs 2.24 in UTD; p = .13). Regarding future screening, of the women who expressed a preference, more women not UTD preferred self-sampling than UTD women (32% vs 14%; p = .05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, access-related barriers were more commonly reported among women not UTD with screening. Addressing these barriers at domestic violence shelters may improve screening among not UTD women. Self-sampling may also be one feasible approach to support screening in this population.

Lymphopenia and its association with survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between lymphopenia and survival in women with cervical cancer treated with primary chemoradiation. METHODS: A single institution, retrospective analysis of patients with stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer who received upfront chemoradiation from 1998 to 2013 was performed. Complete blood counts from pre-treatment to 36 months post-treatment were analyzed. Lymphopenia and known prognostic factors were evaluated for an association with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Seventy-one patients met study criteria for whom 47 (66%) had a documented total lymphocyte count (TLC) two months after initiating chemoradiation. FIGO stage distribution was 6% Stage I, 46% Stage II, 45% Stage III and 3% Stage IV. Pre-treatment TLC was abnormal (<1000 cells/mm3) in 15% of patients. The mean reduction in TLC was 70% two months after initiating chemoradiation. Severe post-treatment lymphopenia (TLC <500 cells/mm3) was observed in 53% of patients; they experienced inferior median OS (21.2 vs. 45.0 months, P=0.03) and similar 25th percentile PFS (6.3 vs. 7.7 months, P=0.06) compared to patients without severe lymphopenia. Multivariate analysis demonstrated pre-treatment TLC ≥1000 cells/mm3 and post-treatment TLC >500 cells/mm3 had a 77% (HR: 0.23; 95% CI 0.05-1.03; P=0.053) and 58% decrease in hazards of death (HR: 0.42; 95%CI 0.12-1.46; P=0.17) respectively. CONCLUSION: More than half of cervical cancer patients treated with chemoradiation experienced severe and prolonged lymphopenia. Although statistical significance was not reached, the findings suggest that pre- and post-treatment lymphopenia may be associated with decreased survival. Further research is warranted, given that lymphopenia could be a reversible prognostic factor.

Factors associated with successful bilateral sentinel lymph node mapping in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: As our understanding of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for endometrial cancer (EC) evolves, tailoring the technique to individual patients at high risk for failed mapping may result in a higher rate of successful bilateral mapping (SBM). The study objective is to identify patient, tumor, and surgeon factors associated with successful SBM in patients with EC and complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH). METHODS: From September 2012 to November 2014, women with EC or CAH underwent SLN mapping via cervical injection followed by robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy (RA-TLH) at a tertiary care academic center. Completion lymphadenectomy and ultrastaging were performed according to an institutional protocol. Patient demographics, tumor and surgeon/intraoperative variables were prospectively collected and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed evaluating factors known or hypothesized to impact the rate of successful lymphatic mapping. RESULTS: RA-TLH and SLN mapping was performed in 111 women; 93 had EC and 18 had CAH. Eighty women had low grade and 31 had high grade disease. Overall, at least one SLN was identified in 85.6% of patients with SBM in 62.2% of patients. Dye choice (indocyanine green versus isosulfan blue), odds ratio (OR: 4.5), body mass index (OR: 0.95), and clinically enlarged lymph nodes (OR: 0.24) were associated with SBM rate on multivariate analyses. The use of indocyanine green dye was particularly beneficial in patients with a body mass index greater than 30. CONCLUSION: Injection dye, BMI, and clinically enlarged lymph nodes are important considerations when performing sentinel lymph node mapping for EC.

Concordance of Expert Consultation Diagnoses in the Review of Pelvic Washing Specimens.

OBJECTIVES: Cytologic specimens are routinely collected as part of gynecologic oncology surgery. Consultation cases often include cytology specimens. Outside diagnosis was compared to consultation diagnosis for cytopathology specimens that were part of larger oncologic cases. STUDY DESIGN: Gynecologic pathology consultation cases containing pelvic washing (PW) material were queried. Cases had major discordance if the diagnosis changed from negative to positive or vice versa, and minor discordance if an atypical diagnosis was changed to positive or negative or vice versa. RESULTS: Of 237 cases, 9 showed major discordance (4%), 29 showed minor discordance (12%) and the remaining 199 no discordance (84%). The 9 major discordance cases involved PWs from cases that were performed for ovarian pathology. Treatment would have changed in only 2 of the cases with major discordance. Of the minor discordance cases, 21/29 (72%) involved PW from ovarian cases and 8/29 (28%) were PW from uterine cases. CONCLUSIONS: Only a few cases showed major or minor discordance, and of those that were discordant, most involved ovarian specimens. Major discordance between original and consulting diagnoses would have changed treatment in only 2 cases.

Feasibility and perioperative outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer: a multi-institutional study.

OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer is generally not performed. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and surgical outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery in the management of recurrent ovarian cancer. METHODS: Eligible patients included those with confirmed recurrent ovarian cancer amenable to surgical resection and in which a complete resection was thought to be feasible with the use of the robotic platform. Patients with evidence of carcinomatosis were not considered for a robotic approach. Clinical and pathologic data were abstracted from the medical records. Appropriate statistical tests were performed using SPSS statistical software program (SPSS 20.0 Inc., Chicago, IL). RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were identified. Thirty-six (75%) patients had a recurrent mass or masses isolated to one anatomic region (pelvis or abdomen). Conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 4 (8.3%) cases. In cases not requiring conversion to laparotomy, the median operative time, EBL, and length of stay were 179.5 min, 50 cc, and 1 day, respectively. An optimal debulking was achieved in 36 (82%) cases. Complications occurred in 6 (13.6%) cases. The median operative time, EBL, length of stay, and complications were all statistically significantly lower in the cases not converted to laparotomy compared to those that were (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that select patients with recurrent ovarian cancer in the absence of carcinomatosis may be candidates for secondary surgical cytoreduction via a robotic approach. Surgical and postoperative outcomes appear to be favorable compared to reports of laparotomy in recurrent ovarian cancer.

The Peru Cervical Cancer Screening Study (PERCAPS): the design and implementation of a mother/daughter screen, treat, and vaccinate program in the Peruvian jungle.

Peru struggles to prevent cervical cancer (CC). In the jungle, prevention programs suffer from significant barriers although technology exists to detect CC precursors. This study used community based participatory research (CBPR) methods to overcome barriers. The objective was to evaluate the utility of CBPR techniques in a mother-child screen/treat and vaccinate program for CC prevention in the Peruvian jungle. The CC prevention program used self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) for screening, cryotherapy for treatment and the HPV vaccine Gardasil for vaccination. Community health leaders (HL) from around Iquitos participated in a two half day educational course. The HLs then decided how to implement interventions in their villages or urban sectors. The success of the program was measured by: (1) ability of the HLs to determine an implementation plan, (2) proper use of research forms, (3) participation and retention rates, and (4) participants' satisfaction. HLs successfully registered 320 women at soup kitchens, schools, and health posts. Screening, treatment, and vaccination were successfully carried out using forms for registration, consent, and results with minimum error. In the screen/treat intervention 100% of participants gave an HPV sample and 99.7% reported high satisfaction; 81% of HPV + women were treated, and 57% returned for 6-month followup. Vaccine intervention: 98% of girls received the 1st vaccine, 88% of those received the 2nd, and 65% the 3rd. CBPR techniques successfully helped implement a screen/treat and vaccinate CC prevention program around Iquitos, Peru. These techniques may be appropriate for large-scale preventive health-care interventions.

Evolving technologies in robotic surgery for minimally invasive treatment of gynecologic cancers.

Since the introduction of robotic technology, there have been significant changes to the field of gynecologic oncology. The number of minimally invasive procedures has drastically increased, with robotic procedures rising remarkably. With recent evidence suggesting that minimally invasive techniques should be the standard of care for early endometrial and cervical cancers, the push for new technology and advancements has continued. Several emerging robotic technologies have significant potential in the field of gynecologic oncology. The single-site robotic platform enables robotic surgery through a single incision; the Firefly camera detects the fluorescent dye indocyanine green, which may improve sensitivity in sentinel lymph node biopsy; and a robotic vessel-sealing device and stapler will continue to improve efficiency of the robotic surgeon.

Feasibility and optimal dosage of indocyanine green fluorescence for sentinel lymph node detection using robotic single-site instrumentation: preclinical study.

The present study was performed to determine the optimal dosage of indocyanine green (ICG) to accurately differentiate the sentinel node from surrounding tissue and then to test this dosage using novel single-port robotic instrumentation. The study was performed in healthy female pigs. After induction of anesthesia, all pigs underwent exploratory laparotomy, dissection of the bladder, and colpotomy to reveal the cervical os. With use of a 21-gauge needle, 0.5 mL normal saline solution was injected at the 3- and 9-o'clock positions as control. Four concentrations of ICG were constituted for doses of 1000, 500, 250, and 175 µg per 0.5 mL. ICG was then injected at the 3- and 9-o'clock positions on the cervix. The SPY camera was used to track ICG into the sentinel nodes and to quantify the intensity of light emitted. SPY technology uses an intensity scale of 1 to 256; this scale was used to determine the difference in intensity between the sentinel node and surrounding tissues. The optimal dosage was tested using single-port robotic instrumentation with the same injection techniques. A sentinel node was identified at all doses except 175 µg, at which ICG stayed in the cervix and vasculature only. For both the 500- and 250-µg doses, the sentinel node was identified before reaching maximum intensity. At maximum intensity, the difference between the surrounding tissue and the node was 207 (251 vs 44) for the 500-µg dose and 159 (251 vs 92) for the 250-µg dose. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was successfully performed using single-port robotic technology with both the 250- and 500-µg doses. For SLN detection, the dose of ICG is related to the ability to differentiate the sentinel node from the surrounding tissue. An ICG dose of 250 to 500 µg enables identification of a SLN with more distinction from the surrounding tissues, and this procedure is feasible using single-port robotics instrumentation.

Is sentinel lymph node dissection an appropriate standard of care for low-stage endometrial cancers? A review of the literature.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To review the literature and compare detection rates, false negative (FN) rates, and negative predictive values (NPVs) of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in endometrial cancer to those in breast and vulvar cancer. Secondary objectives were to evaluate techniques of SLN biopsy in endometrial cancer. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched for applicable scientific articles. Detection rates, FN rates, and NPVs were calculated for all studies. Studies were stratified by techniques and compared. RESULTS: Nineteen articles met criteria for this review. The overall detection rates ranged from 62 to 100%, the FN rate ranged from 0 to 50%, and the NPVs ranged from 95 to 100%. There is no technique that is definitively superior to any other with regard to surgical modality, injectant used, injection site, or pathologic techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Studies on SLN biopsy in endometrial cancer have a large range of detection rates and FN rates, and larger studies including more patients with metastatic disease are needed for comparison with breast and vulvar cancers. While no techniques are definitively superior to others, minimally invasive surgery, cervical injection, and pathologic analysis utilizing HE staining, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastaging may be clinically advantageous.

Prevalence and prognostic impact of lymphadenectomy and lymph node metastasis in clinically early-stage ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and prognostic impact of lymphadenectomy and lymph node involvement in patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) grossly confined to the ovary. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of OCCC grossly confined to the ovary were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program from 1988 to 2007. Only surgically treated patients were included. Statistical analysis using Student t test, Kaplan-Meier survival methods, and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed. RESULTS: One thousand eight hundred ninety-seven patients with OCCC who have undergone surgical treatment and deemed at time of the surgery to have disease grossly confined to the ovary were included: 538 (28.3%) had no lymphadenectomy (LND -1), and 1359 (71.7%) had lymphadenectomy. Of the 1359 patients who had lymphadenectomy, 1298 (95.5%) were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) surgical stage I (LND +1), and 61 (4.5%) were upstaged to FIGO stage IIIC due to nodal metastasis (LND +3C). The 5-year disease-specific survival was 84.9% for LND -1, 88.0% for LND +1, and 65.0% for LND +3C (P < 0.001). Among those with histologically negative lymph nodes, the 5-year disease-specific survival was 85% for patients with 1 to 10 nodes removed, and 91% for those with more than 10 nodes removed (P = 0.054). On multivariate analysis after controlling for stage, age, and race, lymph node metastasis was an independent predictor of poor disease-specific survival (hazard ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.86-5.28; P < 0.001). On other hand, there was a trend toward an improved survival when more extensive lymphadenectomy is performed in patients with histologically negative nodes (1-10 vs >10 nodes), but it did not reach statistical significance (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-1.02; P = 0.064). CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node metastasis was uncommon in patients diagnosed with OCCC grossly confined to the ovary; however, patients with positive nodes were more likely to die compared to those with negative nodes. More extensive lymphadenectomy plays an important role in providing accurate staging and prognostic information.