The diagnostic process of cervical cancer; areas of good practice, and windows of opportunity.

OBJECTIVE: Despite an extensive screening programme in The Netherlands, some cases of cervical cancer are still diagnosed in late stages of disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate which elements in the diagnostic process of cervical cancer may be improved. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 120 patients with cervical cancer diagnosed between January 1st 2008 and June 1st 2010 at the University Medical Center Utrecht. Patient charts, referral information, and pathology results were analyzed. RESULTS: 39.1% of cancer cases were screen or interval detected; the other 60.9% of patients had not been screened, either due to non-attendance or because they fell outside the age range for screening. The final diagnosis of cervical cancer was established by biopsy in 77 (64.2%) and by excision of the cervical transformation zone in 35 (29.2%) of the patients. Fifteen (43%) of these excisions could have been avoided if biopsies would have been taken at the first examination, and had shown invasive cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer screening aims at early detection of precursor lesions to decrease the incidence of cancer. This in-depth analysis suggests that improvement of quality of care is to be expected from correct recognition of cervical cancer by physicians and adjustments of the screening programme to reach younger women and non-responders.

Follow-up of women after a first episode of postmenopausal bleeding and endometrial thickness greater than 4 millimeters.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of recurrent postmenopausal bleeding among women who were diagnosed with an endometrial thickness greater than 4 mm. METHODS: We designed a prospective cohort study and included consecutive women not using hormone replacement therapy, presenting with a first episode of postmenopausal bleeding. We evaluated patients who had an endometrial thickness greater than 4 mm at transvaginal ultrasonography and benign endometrial sampling; presence of carcinoma was ruled out by office endometrial sampling, hysteroscopy, and/or dilation and curettage. Time until recurrent bleeding was measured, and diagnosis at recurrent bleeding was recorded. RESULTS: Among 318 patients who had an endometrial thickness greater than 4 mm, 222 patients had benign histology results and were available for follow-up. During follow-up, 47 (21%, 95% confidence interval 16-27%) patients had recurrent bleeding, with a median time to recurrent bleeding of 49 weeks (interquartile range 18 to 86 weeks). There was no difference with respect to recurrence rate between patients with polyp removal, patients with a normal hysteroscopy, and patients with office endometrial sampling alone at the initial workup. Two patients were diagnosed with atypical endometrial hyperplasia upon recurrent bleeding. CONCLUSION: The recurrence rate of postmenopausal bleeding in women with endometrial thickness greater than 4 mm is 20%. This recurrence rate is not related to incorporation of hysteroscopy or polyp removal at the initial workup. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Centralisation of epithelial ovarian cancer surgery: results on survival from a peripheral teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this retrospective descriptive study was to assess overall survival and disease free survival of patients treated for epithelial ovarian cancer by a gynaecologic-oncologist in a single Dutch peripheral teaching hospital and to identify independent prognostic factors. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective series of 242 patients treated for epithelial ovarian cancer between 1999 and 2011 at Meander Medical Centre was reviewed. Data on patient, tumour and treatment characteristics were collected. Outcomes were overall survival and progression free survival. Data were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 35 months (range 1-203). Staging procedures were performed in 81 patients of which 63% were complete. 61% of patients had advanced stage disease. In 46%, debulking surgery was complete. Five-year overall survival and progression free survival for all patients was 52% and 47%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified performance status [HR=1.89 and 1.92 for performance status 2, HR=7.01 and 2.69 for performance status 3], FIGO stage [HR=3.59 for stage II, HR=5.43 and 5.64 for stage III, HR=12.17 and 10.21 for stage IV] and residual disease after debulking surgery [HR=2.01 and 1.72 for incomplete debulking] as independent prognostic factors for overall survival and progression free survival respectively. CONCLUSION: Survival after surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer in this cohort is comparable to survival in centralised clinics presented in literature. Partial concentration of cancer care by recruitment of specialised gynaecologic-oncologists in teaching hospitals might be an alternative to complete centralisation of epithelial ovarian cancer treatment in larger cancer centres.