Residual Microscopic Peritoneal Metastases after Macroscopic Complete Cytoreductive Surgery for Advanced High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma: A Target for Folate Receptor Targeted Photodynamic Therapy?

Despite conventional treatment combining complete macroscopic cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and systemic chemotherapy, residual microscopic peritoneal metastases (mPM) may persist as the cause of peritoneal recurrence in 60% of patients. Therefore, there is a real need to specifically target these mPM to definitively eradicate any traces of the disease and improve patient survival. Therapeutic targeting method, such as photodynamic therapy, would be a promising method for such a purpose. Folate receptor alpha (FRα), as it is specifically overexpressed by cancer cells from various origins, including ovarian cancer cells, is a good target to address photosensitizing molecules. The aim of this study was to determine FRα expression by residual mPM after complete macroscopic CRS in patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). A prospective study conducted between 1 June 2018 and 10 July 2019 in a single referent center accredited by the European Society of Gynecological Oncology for advanced EOC surgical management. Consecutive patients presenting with advanced HGSOC and eligible for complete macroscopic CRS were included. Up to 13 peritoneal biopsies were taken from macroscopically healthy peritoneum at the end of CRS and examined for the presence of mPM. In case of detection of mPM, a systematic search for RFα expression by immunohistochemistry was performed. Twenty-six patients were included and 26.9% presented mPM. In the subgroup of patients with mPM, FRα expression was positive on diagnostic biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for 67% of patients, on macroscopic peritoneal metastases for 86% of patients, and on mPM for 75% of patients. In the subgroup of patients with no mPM, FRα expression was found on diagnostic biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 29% of patients and on macroscopic peritoneal metastases in 78% of patients. FRα is well expressed by patients with or without mPM after complete macroscopic CRS in patients with advanced HGSOC. In addition to conventional cytoreductive surgery, the use of a therapeutic targeting method, such as photodynamic therapy, by addressing photosensitizing molecules that specifically target FRα may be studied.

Breast Reconstruction by Exclusive Lipofilling after Total Mastectomy for Breast Cancer: Description of the Technique and Evaluation of Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to describe the technique of exclusive lipofilling in breast reconstruction after total mastectomy, to evaluate the satisfaction and quality of life of the patients, and to explore current literature on the subject. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational multicentric study from January 2013 to April 2020. The modalities of surgery, esthetic result, and patient satisfaction were evaluated with the breast reconstruction module of BREAST-Q. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 37 patients. The mean number of sessions was 2.2 (standard deviation 1.1), spread over an average of 6.8 months (SD 6.9). The average total volume of fat transferred was 566.4 mL. The complication rate was 18.9%. No severe complication was observed (Clavien-Dindo 3/4). Two patients were diagnosed with recurrence, in a metastatic mode (5.4%). The average satisfaction rate was 68.4% (SD 24.8) for psychosocial well-being and 64.5% (SD 24.1) for sexual well-being. The satisfaction rate was 60.2% (SD 20.9) for the image of the reconstructed breast and 82.7% (SD 21.9) for locoregional comfort. CONCLUSIONS: Breast reconstruction by exclusive lipofilling after total mastectomy provides satisfactory quality of life scores. The simplicity of the surgical technique and equipment required, and the high satisfaction rate confirm that lipofilling should be included in the panel of choice of breast reconstruction techniques.

[Update regarding the management of vulvar cancer: The guidelines of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris]. / Mise à jour concernant la prise en charge du cancer de la vulve : les recommandations de l'Assistance publique­hôpitaux de Paris.

Vulvar cancer is a rare disease, which represents 4% of gynecological tumors with an incidence of 0.5 to 1.5 per 100,000 women per year in France. Vulvar cancers are induced in 30 to 69% of cases by the presence of papillomavirus (HPV), in particular HPV 16 and 18, and can also occur in an inflammatory context. The diagnosis is made by histological examination of a vulvar biopsy. The histological subtype is a squamous cell carcinoma in 90% of cases. The 5-year survival of patients with vulvar cancer ranges from 86% for localized stages (FIGO I and II) to 57% for advanced stages (FIGO III and IVA), and 17% in case of metastatic disease (FIGO IVB). The treatment of vulvar cancer is mainly surgical, but radiotherapy and chemotherapy have become more important in recent years. Management has evolved into a personalized multidisciplinary approach, where each therapeutic decision must be discussed in a multidisciplinary consultation meeting. Surgical excision with tumor- free margins is central in the management of early stages. The indication for radiotherapy and brachytherapy should be discussed in the event that the excisional margins are positive in early stages. Radiotherapy is indicated in cases of lymph node involvement or in a neoadjuvant situation if the tumor is not immediately resectable. In this situation, it can be associated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy alone is the treatment of diseases that are metastatic at the time of diagnosis.

How to perform a laparoscopic pelvic sentinel lymph node dissection using near-infrared fluorescence with indocyanine green in gynecological cancers.

The role of pelvic sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) is increasing in oncological pelvic surgery, especially in the management of cervical and endometrial cancer.SLND using indocyanine green (ICG) is safe and effective, and its sensitivity is higher than with other detection methods. The advantages of ICG are its low toxicity, its confinement within the vascular compartment, its rapid excretion, and the rarity of allergic reaction. These advantages confer to this fluorescent dye a superiority over blue, which can cause anaphylactic reactions. Using ICG does not require advance planning involving nuclear protection and delayed surgery, as are mandatory when using 99Tc detection. ICG allows the surgeon to visualize the lymph nodes through the peritoneum and thus avoid wide dissection.According to European guidelines,1 the indications for SLND in cervical cancer are for patients with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) IA1-IA2 disease, lymphovascular space involvement - positive status, without systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy - and patients with FIGO IB1-IIA1 disease, prior to systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy. Guidelines1 2 for endometrial cancer management state that SLND is indicated in cases of low-risk endometrial cancer (FIGO IA, grade 1-2), without systematic lymphadenectomy in cases of non-detection, with the technique being preferable to systematic lymphadenectomy in cases of intermediate-risk endometrial cancer (FIGO IB, grade 1-2, or FIGO IA, grade 3).2 Our objective is to review the technique of ICG injection and the real-time detection of pelvic SLNs using near-infrared imaging by means of a step-by-step explanation of the procedure using an instructional Video 1.

Just the tip of the iceberg: difficulties in assessing and managing extreme obesity in routine clinical care.

As obesity prevalence increases worldwide, healthcare professionals are often faced with challenging cases associated with massive obesity. A 33-year-old woman (weight 342 kg, body mass index = 100 kg/m²) presented with respiratory failure, limb edema and ascites. Abdominal CT scan became feasible after initial weight loss and showed a large pelvic mass in contact with the left ovary. The surgical removal performed despite a high-risk profile led to the diagnosis of a giant mucinous borderline tumor whose growth was due to delayed care and responsible for multiple severe complications: sepsis, anemia, esophagitis, constipation, anorexia due to mechanical compression, undernutrition, sarcopenia and lower limb edema contributing to a severe disability. After 7 months under specialized care, her weight decreased to 180 kg, complications were treated and disability improved. This case, showing that, despite barriers, a multidisciplinary approach makes quality of care possible even in massively obese patients, is an educational example to reduce stigma.

Impact of radical surgery on outcome in locally advanced breast cancer patients without metastasis at the time of diagnosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: In the era of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)FDG-PET/CT), more patients are being diagnosed with N3M0 disease. The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of radical lymph node surgery (RLNS) in patients with locally advanced breast cancer classified as lymph node N3 disease according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 2002 in whom there is no known distant metastasis and in the context of multimodal therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a two-Center retrospective study that included patients with breast cancer classified as N3M0 after (18)FDG-PET/CT assessment. We reviewed the clinical characteristics, surgical treatment and oncological outcomes of those patients. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Multimodal treatment included neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (n=34), adjuvant radiotherapy (n=33), adjuvant chemotherapy (n=18) or neo- or adjuvant hormone therapy (n=17). Surgical treatment was not homogeneous. Eight patients had undergone RLNS and 31 conventional axillary lymph node dissection (CD). There was no significant difference in median overall survival between the RLNS group and the CD group (32 months (28-36) vs. 49 months (42-56) respectively (p=0.25)). The overall recurrence rate was 23%. Out of the 8 patients who had under gone RLNS, three had relapsed (two with distant metastases and one local). CONCLUSION: RLNS was not proven to be beneficial in our study. In order to guide surgical management for these patients, PET/CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be of interest, therefore a pilot study to improve reproducible surgical management would be of interest.