Laparoscopic management of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a phase II prospective multicenter non-randomized trial (the CILOVE study).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and safety of the laparoscopic approach after neoadjuvant chemotherapy among selected chemosensitive patients with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: The CILOVE study was a phase II prospective non-randomized multicenter study. It aimed to enroll 47 women with unresectable disease at the time of initial diagnosis (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IV and/or diffuse extensive carcinomatosis for advanced FIGO stage IIIC or patients unfit to withstand radical primary surgery), in response to chemotherapy and fit to undergo laparoscopy. RESULTS: Among the 48 patients enrolled in the trial, 44 (92%) patients underwent exploratory staging laparoscopy and, as a result, 41 patients were eligible for cytoreductive surgery. Among them, 32 were intended to be managed by laparoscopy and nine patients were managed by laparotomy. The conversion rate to laparotomy was 9.4% (3/32) and the reasons were multiple surgical adhesions (n=1), miliary carcinomatosis and adhesion to the intraperitoneal mesh (n=1), and poor laparoscopic evaluation of transverse colon involvement (n=1). All except one patient had optimal cytoreduction (97% complete cytoreduction, 3% incomplete cytoreduction (residual tumor <2.5 mm)). The median operative time was 267 min (range 146-415) and the median estimated blood loss was 150 mL (range 0-500). Two patients had intra-operative complications: one diaphragm rupture that was repaired during laparoscopy and one bradycardia. Six patients experienced early post-operative complications (<1 month), but there were no grade 3 and 4 complications (3 infections, 1 lymphoedema, 2 hemorrhage). After cytoreductive laparoscopy, the percentage of patients without progression at 12 months was 87.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Interval ovarian cytoreduction by a laparoscopic approach is safe and feasible for patients with a favorable response to chemotherapy. With the widespread use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of advanced ovarian cancer, a minimally invasive approach may be a potential option.

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma of the uterus: review of 10 cases.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade endometrial sarcoma is a rare gynecological tumor (0.2% of female genital tract tumors) mainly observed in women before their 50's. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors present a series of 10 patients followed in two institutions and describe the treatment administered (cytoreductive surgery, i.e. bilateral annexectomy and total hysterectomy, and medical treatments) and the follow-up. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Local recurrence occurred in 70% of cases, whereas metastasis was rare even after suboptimal surgical removal of the tumor. Adjuvant progestin therapy is currently the most effective treatment for curing and preventing local recurrence. The use of aromatase inhibitors is a promising research approach.

Patient satisfaction and acceptance of their totally implanted central venous catheter: a French prospective multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: Most cancer patients require a totally implanted central venous catheter (TIVAD) for their treatment. In a previous study, we developed and validated a questionnaire dubbed QASICC (Questionnaire for Acceptance of, and Satisfaction with, Implanted Central Venous Catheter) assessing patient satisfaction with, and acceptance of, their TIVAD. In the present study, we conducted a large, prospective, multicenter study in cancer patients aimed to analyze factors that could influence patients' acceptance of, and satisfaction with, their device. METHODS: The QASICC is composed of 22 items assessing 5 dimensions. The construction and validation of the questionnaire was achieved using validated methodology to determine its psychometric characteristics. The questionnaire was submitted to 720 patients in 11 French institutions; 567 answers were analyzed. RESULTS: Younger patients had the most difficulties in coping with their TIVAD, especially regarding daily activities and their body image and private life compared to older patients. Sex was significantly related to patient satisfaction, with worse scores in women. Breast tumor location was also correlated with low TIVAD acceptance. TIVAD on the right side also positively influenced satisfaction and acceptance of the device. CONCLUSIONS: QASICC has proved to be efficient, and to detect known issues regarding daily activities and body image. As our population was mostly composed of women with breast cancer, our results reflect specific aspects of this population. The TIVAD remains generally well-accepted and our questionnaire should help health-care workers to better address the specific needs of their patients based on the answers provided.

[Infiltrating breast cancer in women younger than 25 years: 13 cases]. / Cancer du sein infiltrant chez les femmes de moins de 25 ans. A propos de 13 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prognosis of breast cancer in woman younger than 25 years and to compare it with that of other age groups to identify prognostic and histologic factors specific to this group. METHOD: Retrospective study of all cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma treated at our hospital from January 1977 through July 2005, examining clinical, histologic, and treatment variables as well as 5-year overall survival and 5-years disease-free survival rates. RESULTS: The study included 13 women younger than 25 years at diagnosis. Their average age at diagnosis was 23.3 years (CI=1 year). Time from initial signs of disease until diagnosis averaged 6.6 months (CI=2.5). Clinically, the average tumor size was 28.78 mm (CI=6.06), with 46% classified as T1, 31% as T2 and 23% as T4d. We found 92.3% to be invasive ductal carcinoma, with 30% including an in-situ component; 53.8% were SBR grade 3 and 23% included axillary node invasion. Hormone receptors were present in 61.5% of tumors. During the follow-up period, we observed two deaths (with a 5-year overall survival rate, however, of 91%) and 6 recurrences (5-year disease-free survival: 66.5%). CONCLUSION: Prognosis appears unfavorable among young women (younger than 40 years) with breast cancer. In our series, neither prognosis nor clinical or histologic characteristics differed in the subgroup of very young women (younger than 26 years).

[Multicenter validation study of a questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction with and acceptance of totally-implanted central venous access devices]. / Validation multicentrique d'un questionnaire évaluant l'acceptation et la satisfaction des patients porteurs de chambre à cathéter implantable : le questionnaire QASICC.

OBJECTIVE: Most cancer patients require a totally-implanted central venous access device (TIVAD) for their treatment. This was a prospective, multicenter, open study to: (i) develop and validate a French-language questionnaire dubbed QASICC (Questionnaire for Acceptance of and Satisfaction with Implanted Central Venous Catheter) assessing patient's satisfaction with and acceptance of their TIVAD; (ii) develop a mean score of patient's acceptance and satisfaction; (iii) look for correlation between QASICC score and TIVAD patient/tumor pathology/device characteristics. METHODS: From 2011 November to 2012 December, the first version of the QASICC questionnaire that included 27 questions assessing seven dimensions was re-tested among 998 cancer patients in eleven French cancer hospitals (eight cancer research institutes and three university/general hospitals). The goal was: (i) to reduce the questionnaire item and dimension number (pertinency, saturation effect, item correlation); (ii) to assess its psychometric properties, demonstrate its validity and independency compared to (EORTC) QLQC30; (iii) to correlate clinical and pathological patient's/tumor's/TIVAD's parameters with the QASICC questionnaire score (the higher the overall score, the greater the acceptance and satisfaction). The questionnaire was administered to the patient 30 days (±15 days) after TIVAD's implantation. RESULTS: Among 998 questionnaires given to cancer patients, 658 were analyzed and 464 were fully assessed as there was no missing data. Time to fill-in the questionnaire was five minutes in 90% patients. Final QASICC tool included twenty-two questions assessing four homogeneous dimensions (65%