Apronectomy in combination with major gynaecological procedures.

Removal of excess abdominal fat may be necessary to facilitate major gynaecological surgery for oncology patients. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility, associated morbidity of such operation when combined with other major gynaecological procedures. This was a retrospective review of cases performed in a tertiary gynaecological oncology centre. All of the patients were diagnosed with gynaecological cancers. The results show a modest increase in operative time; however the procedure was feasible and safe with no other increased risk. This represents time saving for the patients and hospital in having two operations in one session.

The interval from surgery to chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To study the effect of the interval between surgery and the start of chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: We stratified patients according to the start of platinum-based chemotherapy in group 1 (within 4 weeks from surgery), group 2 (between 4 and 8 weeks) and group 3 (between 8 and 12 weeks). RESULTS: Three hundred and ninty-four stage III ovarian cancer patients were analysed. In the multivariate analysis there were no differences in survival according to the interval between surgery and chemotherapy among the three groups. The independent prognostic variables were type of procedure (p = 0.014), performance status (p = 0.040) and post-chemotherapy CA-125 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The interval between surgery and chemotherapy does not affect outcome.

p53 and related proteins in epithelial ovarian cancer.

We conducted a retrospective immunohistochemical evaluation of the prognostic significance of the expression of p53 and the related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, growth arrest and DNA damage (Gadd45), murine double minute 2 (Mdm2) and p21(WAF1/CIP1) in chemonaive tumours taken from 66 patients with ovarian cancer. Ki-67 expression (a marker of cell proliferation) was also evaluated immunohistochemically, while apoptosis within malignant cells was determined with the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay. The expression of each of the following proteins was significantly associated in the tumours (P < 0.05 unless otherwise stated): Bax with Bcl-2 (P < 0.01); Bax with Mdm2; p21(WAF1/CIP1) with Gadd45 (P < 0.01); p21(WAF1/CIP1) with p53; p53 with Mdm2. Univariate analysis showed that expression of p53, Bax, bulk residual disease and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetricians (FIGO) stage were all strongly correlated with response to chemotherapy (P < 0.01). Similarly, the FIGO stage and Ki-67 expression (P < 0.01), as well as pathological subtype and bulk residual disease (P < 0.05), were prognostic factors for disease progression. The FIGO stage and Ki-67 expression were significant prognostic factors for overall survival (P < 0.01), with Gadd45 expression and pathological subtype also significant (P < 0.05) in a univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis for response to chemotherapy showed that expression of p53, Bax and FIGO stage were all independent prognostic factors (P < 0.01). The FIGO stage was the most important independent prognostic factor for progression and survival on multivariate analysis (P < 0.01). However, Ki-67 expression was also an independent prognostic factor for disease progression (P < 0.05) and approached significance for survival (P = 0.055). Taken together, these data suggest that determination of Ki-67 expression could supplement established prognostic factors.

An isolated abdominal wall metastasis of ovarian carcinoma ten years after primary surgery.

This report describes the case of a woman with early stage ovarian carcinoma who developed an isolated metastasis in the anterior abdominal wall following an apparent disease-free interval of ten years. The management of the case is discussed and important factors are highlighted. Comparison is also made to the phenomenon of port-site recurrence following laparoscopy in cases of ovarian carcinoma.

Fractures of the distal phalanges.

A prospective study of 110 patients with fractures of the distal phalanx indicates that less than one in three patients with such injuries will have recovered after six months. Less than one half of distal phalangeal fractures will have united by then. Factors that carry a poor prognosis include osteolysis of fractured fragments, subungual haematomas and non-union of fractures.

Stage- and CA125-related survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated at a cancer center.

Current accepted prognostic indicators in ovarian cancer include performance status, surgical (FIGO) staging, and residual disease after operation. Here we present data from a prospective analysis of patients with ovarian cancer treated at the Christie Hospital. We confirm the independent prognostic effects of FIGO staging, performance status, and residual disease in our group of patients and furthermore show that CA125 levels at presentation to the oncology service are of independent prognostic significance (P= 0.02). We present survival data and show that the 3-year, cancer-specific survival for stage I disease is 90%. We postulate that this good survival may in part be due to the use of computed tomography scanning at presentation to allow accurate staging. Further clinical trials are needed to test whether combinations of surgical, histologic, biochemical, and radiologic parameters can be used to identify a population with such a good prognosis that adjuvant therapy is not required.

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: a continuing challenge.

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia is the platelet counterpart of the red cell disorder, haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Unlike Rhesus pregnancies, first pregnancy is commonly affected. It is a progressive disease and can cause severe fetal damage, late fetal and neonatal loss and severe handicap. No screening programme is currently available and the diagnosis is often delayed. Testing for platelet antibodies in those mothers whose babies are thrombocytopaenic is necessary for early detection of this condition.

An audit of primary surgical treatment for women with ovarian cancer referred to a cancer centre.

Ovarian cancer is the commonest cause of gynaecological cancer death in the UK, and guidelines for initial surgery and staging of this disease are widely available. We report a retrospective audit of the surgical management of patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer referred to the Christie Cancer Centre in Manchester in 1996. The aim was to assess compliance with surgical guidelines. The authors found that the majority of patients (92%) presented via an outpatient clinic and for these individuals surgery was therefore elective. This mode of presentation should allow management by a small number of dedicated gynaecologists at each hospital, but up to seven consultants in each hospital performed surgery on a relatively small number of patients. Furthermore, less than half the patients underwent the recommended surgical procedure. Although some patients may have 'inoperable' disease, these data suggest that a greater compliance with national and international guidelines are required to provide an optimal level of care.

Requirement for expert histopathological assessment of ovarian cancer and borderline tumors.

The distinction between borderline ovarian tumours (BOT) and ovarian carcinoma is made by histopathological assessment. Of 64 patients managed according to institutional BOT protocols, 27 (42%) had been referred with a diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma that was subsequently changed to BOT following histopathological review. The 70% 6-year event-free survival of the patients with a revised diagnosis was not significantly different from those who were referred with a diagnosis of BOT. This change in diagnosis is important as it avoids the need for chemotherapy for most patients and results in patients receiving appropriate information concerning prognosis. Interestingly, 24 patients (38.1%) reported a family history of epithelial cancer, a finding that has not been reported previously. Campaign

Carcinosarcoma of the ovary.

We report our experience in the management of patients with carcinosarcoma of the ovary, a rare but aggressive variant of ovarian cancer. Forty patients were treated at a single centre, which is the largest reported series. The median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range 45-86) and the median Karnofsky performance (KP) status was 70. Thirty-two patients (80%) presented with FIGO stage III or IV disease. Twenty-four had heterologous and 14 homologous carcinosarcoma on review of histopathology, but there was no significant difference in survival between these groups (P=0.28). Twenty-seven of the 40 patients had bulk residual disease present after surgery and this was associated with a worse prognosis (P=0.045). Chemotherapy was given to 32 patients (80%) of whom 26 (81%) received platinum-based regimens. Of these 32 patients, three (9.4%) achieved a complete response (CR), 10 (31%) a partial response (PR), five (16%) had stable disease, 10 (31%) had progressive disease and four were not assessable. Of the 19 patients who had a CR, PR or stable disease after chemotherapy or were unevaluable (stage Ic), the median survival was 29.6 months. Currently, seven patients are still alive although one has cancer. The overall censored median survival was 8.7 months after a median follow-up of 34 months, and the 1- and 5-year survival were 40 and 7.5%, respectively.