Veliparib with frontline chemotherapy and as maintenance in Japanese women with ovarian cancer: a subanalysis of efficacy, safety, and antiemetic use in the phase 3 VELIA trial.

BACKGROUND: The phase 3 VELIA trial evaluated veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and as maintenance in patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: Patients with previously untreated stage III-IV high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma were randomized 1:1:1 to control (placebo with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), veliparib-combination-only (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and placebo maintenance), or veliparib-throughout (veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel and veliparib maintenance). Randomization stratification factors included geographic region (Japan versus North America or rest of the world). Primary end point was investigator-assessed median progression-free survival. Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics were evaluated in a subgroup of Japanese patients. RESULTS: Seventy-eight Japanese patients were randomized to control (n = 23), veliparib-combination-only (n = 30), and veliparib-throughout (n = 25) arms. In the Japanese subgroup, median progression-free survival for veliparib-throughout versus control was 27.4 and 19.1 months (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-1.16; p = 0.1 [not significant]). In the veliparib-throughout arm, grade 3/4 leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia rates were higher for Japanese (32%/88%/32%) versus non-Japanese (17%/56%/28%) patients. Grade 3/4 anemia rates were higher in non-Japanese (65%) versus Japanese (48%) patients. Early introduction of olanzapine during veliparib monotherapy maintenance phase may help prevent premature discontinuation of veliparib, via its potent antiemetic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Median progression-free survival was numerically longer in Japanese patients in the veliparib-throughout versus control arm, consistent with results in the overall study population. Pharmacokinetics were comparable between Japanese and non-Japanese patients. Data for the subgroup of Japanese patients were not powered to show statistical significance but to guide further investigation.

Resolution of large pelvic lymphocele after incidental intracystic hemorrhage caused by percutaneous catheter drainage: Case report.

We report the case of a large pelvic lymphocele after an ovarian cancer operation, which incidentally vanished after bleeding resulting from percutaneous catheter drainage. The patient was a 74-year-old woman with stage IVB ovarian cancer who underwent surgery including pelvic lymph node dissection. Three months after surgery, computed tomography revealed a large (13-cm diameter) pelvic lymphocele with associated bilateral hydronephrosis and left femoral vein thrombosis. The lymphocele was repeatedly drained by percutaneous aspiration, and the day after the second procedure, the drainage fluid became bloody. The catheter was clamped for 3 days and then removed. The lymphocele volume gradually decreased, and it was not seen on a computed tomography scan 70 days after drainage. The lymphocele did not recur prior to her death. In this case, the intracystic hemorrhage was considered to have served as a blood patch for lymph leakage.

Serous carcinoma of the uterine cervix: Clinicopathological features differing from serous carcinomas of other female organs.

AIM: Serous carcinoma of the uterine cervix (USCC) is a very rare malignant tumor, while this histological subtype is common in the ovary, fallopian tube, uterine corpus and peritoneum. Because of its rarity, details of the clinicopathological features of USCC are largely unknown. We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of five cases of pure USCC. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records and pathological specimens of five USCC cases who were treated at the Gynecology Service of the National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center, Japan, between 2000 and 2017. The clinicopathological features were also compared with those of serous carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary who were treated during the same period. RESULTS: Five patients were treated at our hospital between 2000 and 2017. Three tumors were stage IB1, one was stage IIB, and one was stage IVB. The median follow-up time was 104 months (range 26-210). Four patients other than stage IVB were treated with radical hysterectomy and have been free of relapse. One patient with stage IVB tumor was treated with platinum-based combination chemotherapy and is currently on maintenance therapy with bevacizumab and remains free of relapse. CONCLUSION: USCC has a distinctive clinicopathological feature that differentiates it from serous carcinomas of other female organs. USCC had been thought to be a poor prognostic disease; however, it could be curable if it is not accompanied by lymph node metastasis or peritoneal dissemination. We might conquer USCC even if it is accompanied by lymph node metastasis with the use of multimodal therapy.

Reduction in HPV16/18 prevalence among young women with high-grade cervical lesions following the Japanese HPV vaccination program.

The Japanese government began a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for girls aged 12-16 years in 2010 but withdrew its recommendation in 2013 because of potential adverse effects, leading to drastically reduced vaccination uptake. To evaluate population-level effects of HPV vaccination, women younger than 40 years of age newly diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1-3 (CIN1-3), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), or invasive cervical cancer (ICC) have been registered at 21 participating institutes each year since 2012. A total of 7709 women were registered during 2012-2017, of which 5045 were HPV genotyped. Declining trends in prevalence of vaccine types HPV16 and HPV18 during a 6-year period were observed in CIN1 (50.0% to 0.0%, Ptrend  < .0001) and CIN2-3/AIS (83.3% to 45.0%, Ptrend  = .07) only among women younger than 25 years of age. Overall, HPV vaccination reduced the proportion of HPV16/18-attributable CIN2-3/AIS from 47.7% to 33.0% (P = .003): from 43.5% to 12.5% as routine vaccination (P = .08) and from 47.8% to 36.7% as catch-up vaccination (P = .04). The HPV16/18 prevalence in CIN2-3/AIS cases was significantly reduced among female individuals who received their first vaccination at age 20 years or younger (P = .02). We could not evaluate vaccination effects on ICC owing to low incidence of ICC among women aged less than 25 years. We found HPV vaccination to be effective in protecting against HPV16/18-positive CIN/AIS in Japan; however, our data did not support catch-up vaccination for women older than 20 years. Older adolescents who skipped routine vaccination due to the government's suspension of its vaccine recommendation could benefit from receiving catch-up vaccination before age 20 years.

Comparison of Electrosurgical Devices for Cervical Conization: Novel Monopolar Scalpel (VIO) Versus Ultrasonic Scalpel.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes associated with the use of a novel monopolar scalpel with those associated with the use of an ultrasonic scalpel for cervical conization of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in patients treated in our institute between April 2010 and March 2017. We used either the VIO monopolar scalpel (VIO) or Harmonic ultrasonic scalpel (HS) for cervical conization. We analyzed operative outcomes, postoperative complications, and pathological findings associated with the use of the 2 devices. RESULTS: In 500 patients treated with cervical conization, VIO and HS were used in 249 and 251 patients, respectively. No significant difference in patient background was found between the groups. The mean operative time was shorter with VIO than with HS (18.2 min vs. 27.4 min). The mean estimated blood loss was greater with VIO (7.2 g vs. 3.1 g), but the postoperative bleeding rate was higher with HS (5% vs. 20%). Regarding other complications, cervical stenosis was only noted with VIO (4 cases, 1.6%). The positive margin (11% vs. 16%) and positive endocervical curettage rates (7% vs 10%) were not significantly different between the groups. No significant differences were also found in the pathological results and need for additional treatment (the rate of the additional treatment: 20% vs. 23%). CONCLUSIONS: Considering short operating time and less postoperative bleeding, VIO was preferred to HS. However, the excessive coagulation in VIO is considered to lead to cervical stenosis.

Renal function and urological complications after radical hysterectomy with postoperative radiotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy for cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to clarify renal functional changes long term and serious urological complications in women with cervical cancer who undergo radical hysterectomy followed by pelvic radiotherapy and/or platinum-based chemotherapy to treat the initial disease. METHODS: Data on 380 women who underwent radical hysterectomy at the National Kyushu Cancer Center from January 1997 to December 2013 were reviewed. Main outcome measures were the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and monitored abnormal urological findings. RESULTS: Postoperative eGFR was significantly lower than preoperative eGFR in 179 women with surgery alone and in 201 women with additional pelvic radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy (both P < 0.01). Two types of univariate analyses for eGFR reduction in women after treatment showed that older age, advanced stage, pelvic radiotherapy, and platinum-based chemotherapy were significant variables on both analyses. Two types of multivariate analyses showed that platinum-based chemotherapy or pelvic radiotherapy were associated with impaired renal function (odds ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.54 and odds ratio 2.85, 95% confidence interval 1.12-7.24, for the respective analyses). There was a higher rate of bladder wall thickening in women with pelvic radiotherapy had than those without it (17.4% vs. 2.7%, P < 0.01). One serious urological complication (intraperitoneal rupture of the bladder) occurred among women who underwent pelvic radiotherapy (0.6% vs. 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should be aware that eGFR is reduced after platinum-based chemotherapy and/or postoperative pelvic radiotherapy. Serious and life-threatening urological complications are rare, but surgeons should be aware of the possibility during the long follow-up.

Adjuvant chemotherapy for a primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the uterine corpus: A case report and literature review.

A primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PENT) belongs to the category of a Ewing sarcoma. A PENT of the uterus is rare and has been known to be very aggressive by nature. Owing to the rarity of the tumor, there is no optimal treatment at present. In many cases, after hysterectomy, chemotherapy or radiation therapy has been performed. However, an effective chemotherapy regimen was unclear. In the soft tissue sarcoma area, the chemotherapy approach has recently greatly improved. Vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and etoposide (VDC-IE) therapy has improved the survival rate of patients with Ewing sarcoma/PENT. Thus, VDC-IE therapy may be used for a uterine PENT. Here, we report a case of a uterine PENT in a premenopausal woman successfully treated with multimodality treatment including VDC-IE therapy and discuss the optimal chemotherapy for a uterine PENT through a literature review.

Improvement in the prognosis of ovarian cancer in the era before addition of molecular targeting therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of ovarian cancer has improved because of platinum- and taxane-containing chemotherapy. We investigated the 5-year disease-specific overall survival and prognostic factors of patients with advanced ovarian cancer to elucidate the change in clinical course of ovarian cancer with the advance of chemotherapy for patients who developed relapse in the era before the addition of molecular targeting therapy. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical course of 134 patients with advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO Stage III and IV) treated in the past 11 years (1999-2010). We classified the patients into two groups: those who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer from 1999 to 2005 (Group A) and those who had been diagnosed from 2006 to 2010 (Group B). We compared the 5-year disease-specific overall survival and median survival rates between these two groups. We also investigated the prognostic factors of 104 patients who developed relapse. RESULTS: The 5-year disease-specific overall survival rate was significantly higher in Group B than A (67.0% vs. 38.6%; P = 0.032). Chemotherapy containing pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride, non-clear cell adenocarcinoma and intestinal resection were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: The induction of new chemotherapeutic drugs and the increased variation of second- or third-line chemotherapy affected the improvement in overall survival of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Immune thrombocytopenia associated with solid cancer.

We describe a case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) associated with ovarian cancer. At the patient's first visit to hospital, high platelet-associated IgG and low platelet count (74 × 10(9)/L) were noted on blood test. She was diagnosed as having ITP complicated by ovarian cancer. Four days after surgery, the platelet count had increased to within the normal range. This is the first report of a patient with ITP complicated by ovarian cancer in which the platelet count reverted to normal soon after surgery for the ovarian cancer. We also investigated the characteristics of similar solid cancers with ITP at National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan.

[Nogitecan Hydrochloride Treatment for Patients with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer].

Nogitecan hydrochloride(topotecan)has shown efficacy in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, but has not been used widely in Japan. We evaluated the efficacy and adverse effects of topotecan in 12 patients (median age, 62 years) treated for recurrent ovarian cancer between 2000 and 2013. Four patients had relapsed after primary treatment, and 8 had relapsed at least twice. Seven patients had been treated with more than 3 prior regimens. Initial treatment of the 12 patients consisted of intravenous topotecan (1.0-1.4 mg/m2/day) for 5 consecutive days. Initial doses were based on previous chemotherapy and/ or renal function, with reduced doses administered to patients with severe adverse effects during prior courses of treatment. The 12 patients received a total of 54 courses of topotecan(range, 1-15 courses). Of these 12 patients, one achieved a partial response and 6 had stable disease. The median time to progression was 14.4 weeks. All 12 patients had grade 3-4 myelosuppression, while none had febrile neutropenia or severe non-hematologic toxicities. Patients who received higher doses or increased courses of chemotherapy had apparently more severe adverse events. These findings suggested that topotecan should be used as a second- or third-line treatment, rather than later, in patients with tumor recurrence, with its dose reduced according to the physical status of each patient. Such strategies may enhance both the efficacy and safety of topotecan in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Secondary leukemia after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for gynecologic neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Secondary leukemia is a known complication of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It was generally recognized that leukemia secondary to chemotherapy was due to the use of alkylating agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Recently, many types of chemotherapeutic agents have been used in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies in addition to ovarian cancer. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with recent onset of secondary leukemia after the treatment of gynecologic cancer to consider the diagnosis and management of secondary leukemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical charts and follow-up data of patients with gynecologic malignancies treated in the past 20 years. During this period, 2482 newly diagnosed invasive gynecologic cancers were treated in our institution. All patients with secondary leukemia were analyzed for clinical background, latency period (interval between the diagnosis of primary carcinoma and the development of leukemia), treatment, and outcome. We also reviewed the literature for secondary leukemia under gynecology using the PubMed. RESULTS: Four patients were found to have developed secondary leukemia after the treatment of gynecologic malignancies during this period. The cumulative risk of secondary leukemia was approximately 0.38%. All patients received platinum-based chemotherapy. Two patients received combination chemotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and 1 of these 2 patients lived more than 6 years but died of recurrent ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Long survival time might be expected in patients who show complete response to bone marrow transplantation and/or combination chemotherapy for secondary leukemia. In recent years, we have aggressively used various types of anticancer drugs for the treatment of not only ovarian cancer but also uterine cervical cancer and endometrial cancer. Physicians need to keep in mind the risk of secondary leukemia in the follow-up of long-term survivors after several courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The safety and efficacy of cisplatin plus gemcitabine in recurrent ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: The activity and synergy for the combination treatment of cisplatin and gemcitabine has been identified in a variety of human tumor cells, including ovarian cancer cells, and has been widely approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and biliary tract cancer. As the gastrointestinal symptoms with cisplatin therapy are commonly considered to negatively affect the quality of life of patients more than those experienced with carboplatin therapy, carboplatin is generally preferred over cisplatin in combination therapy. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of cisplatin plus gemcitabine in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. METHODS: Patients with recurrent ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer, who had failed with multiple other chemotherapy agents, including platinum, received cisplatin (30 mg/m(2)) plus gemcitabine (750 mg/m(2)) on days 1 and 8 of every 28 days for between 1 and 4 cycles. RESULTS: In total, 18 patients were treated with cisplatin and gemcitabine between 2006 and 2011. There were 1 complete and 5 partial responses, producing an overall response rate of 33.4 %. Median overall survival was 11.0 months. Grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were seen in 11.1 and 22.2 % of patients, respectively. Non-hematological toxicity was less than Grade 1. CONCLUSIONS: Non-hematological toxicity with combined cisplatin and gemcitabine therapy was considered tolerable and did not impede patient quality of life. However, this drug combination should be monitored for hematologic toxicity.

Prediction of histological types of endometrial cancer by endometrial cytology.

AIM: Few studies have examined the accuracy of preoperative endometrial cytology in diagnosing low- and high-risk histology in women with endometrial cancer (EC). This single-institutional retrospective study compared the accuracy of endometrial cytology and biopsy in preoperatively predicting low-risk and high-risk histology of EC. METHODS: Between January 2006 and March 2013, 198 women with EC were examined by endometrial cytology, endometrial biopsy and hysterectomy specimen in National Kyushu Cancer Center. Among these women, 110 had endometrial cytology samples available to compare with endometrial biopsy, and were enrolled in our study (mean age ± standard deviation: 59.57 ± 10.32 years). Single-use plastic endometrial suction curettes were used in 12 of the 110 cases and thin metallic curettes for the rest. RESULTS: For type 2 EC, which includes grade 3 endometrioid adenocarcinoma and non-endometrioid histology, biopsy was 67.6% sensitive (25/37) and 84.9% specific (62/73); whereas cytology was 70.3% sensitive (26/37) and 91.8% specific (67/73). Cytology precisely diagnosed only one of 14 cases of serous carcinoma, but it diagnosed 11 of the 14 cases as type 2 EC, and its accuracy in distinguishing EC types was not inferior to endometrial biopsy (10/14). For EC, 9.1% (10/110) were unevaluable using biopsy, significantly more than the 0% (0/110) by cytology (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Although preoperative prediction of serous carcinoma was difficult, endometrial cytology had a higher evaluable rate for EC types. Endometrial cytology may complement endometrial biopsy in preoperative women with EC.

Potential impact of combined high- and low-risk human papillomavirus infection on the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2.

AIM: Few studies have examined the effect of combined low-risk human papillomavirus (LR-HPV) and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection on the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2 to CIN3. This multi-institutional prospective cohort study investigated the risk of progression of CIN2 with various combinations of HR-HPV and LR-HPV infection. METHODS: Between January 2007 and May 2008, 122 women with CIN2 (aged 20-50 years) from 24 hospitals throughout Japan were enrolled in the study. Ninety-three women were analyzed after a 2-year follow-up with cytology, colposcopy, HR-HPV testing and HPV genotyping. Colposcopy-directed biopsy was performed at entry and the end of this study, or when disease progression was suspected. RESULTS: Among 93 women with CIN2, 87 (93.5%) had HR-HPV infection. Among these 87 cases, 24 (27.6%) progressed to CIN3 and 49 (56.3%) regressed. None of the six women with CIN2 without HR-HPV infection progressed. The progression rate was significantly lower in women with combined HR-HPV and LR-HPV infection (3/28, 10.7%) than in those with HR-HPV infection only (21/59, 35.6%; P = 0.016). Multivariate analyses showed that CIN2 progression in women with HR-HPV infection was negatively associated with LR-HPV co-infection (hazard ratio = 0.152; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.042-0.553). CIN2 regression was positively associated with LR-HPV co-infection (odds ratio = 4.553; 95% CI = 1.378-15.039). CONCLUSION: The risk of CIN2 progression is low in women with combined infection of HR-HPV and LR-HPV. The finding may be useful for management of women diagnosed with CIN2.

Discrepancies in pathological diagnosis of endometrial stromal sarcoma: a multi-institutional retrospective study from the Japanese clinical oncology group.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare uterine malignancy that requires accurate pathological diagnosis for proper treatment. This study aimed to clarify the discrepancies in the pathological diagnosis of ESS and obtain practical clues to improve diagnostic accuracy. Between 2002 and 2015, 148 patients with low-grade ESS (LGESS), high-grade ESS (HGESS), undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma (UES), or undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (UUS) diagnosed at 31 institutions were included. We performed immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction for JAZF1-SUZ12 and YWHAE-NUTM2A/B, and break-apart fluorescent in situ hybridization for JAZF1, PHF1, and YWHAE. Central pathology review (CPR) was performed by six pathologists. After CPR, LGESS, HGESS, UES/UUS, and other diagnoses were confirmed in 72, 25, 16, and 31 cases, respectively. Diagnostic discrepancies were observed in 19.6% (18/92) of LGESS and 34% (18/53) of HGESS or UUS/UES. Adenosarcomas, endometrial carcinomas, carcinosarcomas, and leiomyosarcomas were common diagnostic pitfalls. JAZF1-SUZ12 transcript, PHF1 split signal, and YWHAE-NUTM2A/B transcript were mutually exclusively detected in 23 LGESS, 3 LGESS, and 1 LGESS plus 3 HGESS, respectively. JAZF1-SUZ12 and YWHAE-NUTM2A/B transcripts were detected only in cases with CPR diagnosis of LGESS or HGESS. The CPR diagnosis of LGESS, HGESS, and UUS was a significant prognosticator, and patients with LGESS depicted a favorable prognosis, while those with UUS showed the worst prognosis. Pathological diagnosis of ESS is often challenging and certain tumors should be carefully considered. The accurate pathological diagnosis with the aid of molecular testing is essential for prognostic prediction and treatment selection.

Reassessment of the utility of frozen sections in endometrial cancer surgery using tumor diameter as an additional factor.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to improve the reliability of frozen section with the use of tumor diameter (TD) as an additional factor and intraoperatively to identify a subgroup of early endometrial cancers that would not require lymphadenectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Data for 228 patients who underwent surgery with frozen section were analyzed retrospectively. Lymphadenectomy was performed in 86% of patients; the nodes were positive in 8%. RESULTS: The accuracy of frozen section for myometrial invasion, grade, and low-risk prediction significantly increased with decreasing TD (P = .036) and was 98%, 95%, and 95%, respectively, when the TD was ≤3 cm. Patients with a TD of ≤2 cm and patients with a TD of 2-3 cm who had low-risk predictors had no nodal metastasis; patients with a TD of 2-3 cm who had intermediate-high risk predictors and a TD of >3 cm with any level of risk predictors were at risk of nodal metastases. CONCLUSION: When the TD was ≤3 cm, the low-risk group that is defined by frozen section can be predicted accurately and safely to remain lymph-node metastasis free.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary: a case report and review of the literature.

Malignant transformation of a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary is rare, occurring in approximately 2% of all cases. The most common malignancy arising in mature cystic teratoma is squamous cell carcinoma. Much less frequently, the malignant transformation is represented by sarcomas. Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma usually develops in bone. There has been no case of a dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma arising in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary since the establishment of this diagnostic entity. This is a report of a definitive dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary, presenting clinicopathologic features.

Prognosis of bulky pTIIB cervical cancer treated by radical hysterectomy comparing adenocarcinoma with squamous cell carcinoma using propensity score matching.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether radical hysterectomy (RAH) can effectively treat true Stage IIB (pTIIB) cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) because FIGO (clinical) Stage IIB cervical cancer is rarely treated with RAH and radiotherapy has unfavorable effects on AC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data for 82 patients with Stage pTIIB cervical cancer who underwent RAH at our institution between January 1997 and December 2017. The end points were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) among squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n = 60) and AC (n = 22) patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with and without propensity score matching was conducted to identify the impact of RAH. RESULTS: Para-aortic lymph node metastasis and tumor diameter were significant factors for recurrence, and adjuvant chemotherapy prevented recurrence on multivariate analysis. After propensity score matching, there was no significant difference in DFS and OS between the groups. Five-year DFS and OS of the SCC group were 0.505 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.268-0.702) and 0.619 (95% CI 0.351-0.803), respectively, and those of the AC group were 0.444 (95% CI 0.232-0.638) and 0.602 (95% CI 0.351-0.782), respectively. CONCLUSION: Bulky Stage pTIIB cervical cancer is hard to cure, but RAH plus adjuvant therapy might be an option for radio-resistant pTIIB cervical AC.

Characteristics and outcomes of women with adenocarcinoma versus squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: A Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

OBJECTIVE: Studies on vulvar adenocarcinoma are lacking. Thus, we aimed to compare the characteristics and survival outcomes between vulvar adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: This was a preplanned sub-analysis of a previously organized nationwide retrospective observational study in Japan conducted between 2001 and 2010 (JGOG-1075S). Surgically treated women with stage I-IV vulvar invasive adenocarcinoma were compared to those with SCC. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify patient and tumor characteristics related to adenocarcinoma. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance the background differences, and a Cox proportional hazards regression model was fitted to estimate the effect of the histological type on survival. RESULTS: Forty-eight women with adenocarcinoma were compared with 537 women with SCC. On multivariable analysis, women with adenocarcinoma were younger (median age, 64.5 vs. 70 years, adjusted odds ratio [OR] per age 0.975, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.955-0.995, P = 0.016) and had higher positive surgical margin rates (31.2% vs. 18.4%, adjusted OR 2.376, 95% CI 1.188-4.754, P = 0.014) than those with SCC. However, according to the weighted model, the survival outcomes were comparable (hazard ratio for progression-free survival, 1.088, 95% CI 0.740-1.601, P = 0.667 and hazard ratio for overall survival, 1.008, 95% CI 0.646-1.573, P = 0.973). Similar associations were observed when the cohort was stratified by age (≤70 or >70 years), stage (I-II or III-IV), and surgical margin (negative or positive) (all, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Vulvar adenocarcinoma is characterized by a younger age at diagnosis and higher positive surgical margin rates than SCC, but the survival outcomes are comparable.