Do routine preoperative imaging techniques facilitate the operation in endometrial cancer?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of routine intravenous pyelography (IVP), rectoscopy and additional imaging techniques like computed tomography (CT) and abdominal ultrasonography (USG) for the evaluation of patients with endometrial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 97 women with endometrial cancer (82 endometrioid and 15 non-endometrioid type) of all stages (Stage I = 65, II = 14, III = 13, IV = 5) were included in the study. Of these, 50 women were admitted because of postmenopausal bleeding, 24 with irregular vaginal bleeding and 7 with pain and leucorrhea, whereas the others had no complaints. Only one patient had symptoms related to the gastrointestinal system, but none for the urinary system. Preoperative CT (n = 45), IVP (n = 78), rectoscopy (n = 46), and USG or colonoscopy (n = 37) were performed on our patients. All the women had total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with/without pelvic (n = 81) and paraaortic (n = 34) lymphonodectomy, and omentectomy (n = 35). RESULTS: In 39 of 45 women who had CT, it had no effect on the operation and did not facilitate the operation. In two women there were pathological findings on CT and some interventions (resection and anastomosis) were performed on the gastrointestinal tract in these patients. However, CT had overcome pathological findings related with the gastrointestinal or urinary systems in four women, who needed interventions to these systems during the operation. CT was not performed on six women who needed interventions to the gastrointestinal system during the operations. Three patients had pathological findings (fissure, external compression) in rectoscopy, but only one patient had ileo-transverstomy, in which rectoscopic finding had not predicted the necessity of that procedure. Out of 78 IVP, the only finding was external compression to the bladder in 38 patients, and this finding had no contribution to the operation. Among women who had USG or colonoscopy (n = 37) performed, five had pathological findings that contributed to the extensiveness or the mode of the operations (liver nodules, polyps in the colon). CONCLUSIONS: Routine preoperative computed tomography, intravenous pyelography, rectoscopy or abdominal USG and colonoscopy have little impact on the decision and the prediction of the extensiveness of the operation.

Breast cancer, ovarian gonadoblastoma and cervical cancer in a patient with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps and mucocutaneous pigmentation. Patients with PJS have increased risk for gastrointestinal, breast, and female genital tract cancers. CASE: Multiple genital tract cancers in a 34-year-old woman with PJS are described. The patient, who was admitted to our department with severe vaginal bleeding, was performed right salpingo-oophorectomy because of pure gonadoblastoma in 1996. In 2003, concomitant to cervical carcinoma, breast cancer was diagnosed. Patient underwent left modified radical mastectomy due to the invasive papillary carcinoma. The patient received six cycles combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy because of stage IIIB cervical cancer. CONCLUSION(S): This is the first case report presenting PJS associated with multiple genital tract tumors including ovarian gonadoblastoma in literature. The clinical significance of these tumors in PJS patients has been reviewed.

Placenta percreta diagnosed after first-trimester pregnancy termination: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Placenta percreta in early pregnancy has been documented in only a few cases. This is the first report of placenta percreta diagnosed after an extended period from pregnancy termination. CASE: A woman with a history of a previous cesarean section presented with heavy and irregular vaginal bleeding beginning immediately after pregnancy termination at 7 weeks' gestation. Failed response to hormonal treatment and curettage necessitated hysterectomy. Histologic examination revealed a placenta percreta. CONCLUSION: Although placenta percreta is an uncommon occurrence, clinicians should consider it in patients who have a uterotomy scar and complain of long-term metrorrhagia following pregnancy termination.

Ovarian dysgerminoma associated with Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome and functioning ovarian stroma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: We present the first case of an ovarian dysgerminoma complicated by pseudo-Meigs' syndrome. Furthermore, this is the fourth reported case of ovarian dysgerminoma with functioning ovarian stroma resulting elevated androgen levels preoperatively. CASE: A 25-year-old white female was referred to our department for abdominal swelling and a rapidly enlarging abdominal mass. Chest X-ray showed massive right pleural effusion. Abdominopelvic CT scan showed a left adnexal solid mass and ascites. Preoperative abnormally elevated hormone levels were as follows: free testosterone 7.7 pg/mL, androstenodione 13.6 ng/mL, and cortisol 29.4 microg/dL. Left salpingo-oophorectomy and wedge resection of the right ovary were performed. Final histopathological investigation of the left ovary was dysgerminoma associated with stromal luteinization. CONCLUSION: Dysgerminoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis in a young patient with a pelvic mass, ascites, and pleural effusion and preoperative counseling should be directed accordingly. In addition, dysgerminomas may be accompanied by ovarian stromal luteinization and steroid hormone production, which occasionally result in chemical or clinical hyperandrogenism.

Elevated serum TNF-alpha levels in normal-weight women with polycystic ovaries or the polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in nonobese women with those in women with polycystic ovaries (PCO) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and healthy controls. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-one sonographically and biochemically diagnosed women with PCOS, 19 with PCO and 14 healthy women were recruited for the study. Serum TNF-alpha levels were measured in all three groups. Insulin and glucose serum concentrations were analyzed before and after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test in all samples. The serum TNF-alpha, glucose and insulin levels were compared in PCOS, PCO and controls. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels were similar in the PCOS and PCO groups (23.67 +/- 5.58 and 13.58 +/- 1.34 pg/mL, respectively) and significantly higher than in the control group. Serum TNF-alpha levels did not significantly correlated with body mass index, serum total testosterone, LH, DHEAS, fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels or glucose and insulin area under the curve values in the three groups. CONCLUSION: We found similar TNF-alpha levels in patients with PCOS and with PCO; however, there was no correlation between the TNF-alpha and insulin, glucose and androgen levels in the study.

Maternal serum cytokine levels in women with hyperemesis gravidarum in the first trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare serum cytokine levels in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum with levels in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Clinical and academic research center. PATIENT(S): Thirty women with hyperemesis gravidarum, 30 healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy, and 30 healthy nonpregnant women. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum levels of interleukin-1beta, interleukin-2 receptor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. RESULT(S): Median serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-8 did not differ significantly among the three groups. Serum levels of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 were significantly higher in healthy pregnant women than in healthy nonpregnant women. Median TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in women with hyperemesis (25.8 pg/mL [range, 4.9-140 pg/mL]) than in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women (10.85 pg/mL [range, 4.1-35.8 pg/mL] and 12 pg/mL [4.3-68.2 pg/mL], respectively). CONCLUSION(S): Levels of TNF-alpha were significantly higher in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum than in healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women. Thus, TNF-alpha may be involved in the etiology of hyperemesis gravidarum.

Effects of oral continuous and transdermal cyclic 17-beta estradiol and norethindrone acetate replacement therapy on platelet aggregation in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of an oral continuous and transdermal cyclic 17-beta estradiol and norethindrone acetate combination on platelet aggregation in post-menopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive 17-beta estradiol and norethindrone acetate either orally continuously or transdermally cyclically and sequentially. Platelet counts and maximum platelet aggregation rates were measured before and after three months treatment. RESULTS: At three months there were no significant changes in platelet counts or in adenosine diphosphate-induced or epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation rates in either treatment group. CONCLUSION: Hormone replacement treatment with a 17-beta estradiol and norethindrone acetate combination either orally continuously or transdermally cyclically and sequentially does not affect platelet aggregation in postmenopausal women.