Secondary somatic glioblastoma arising from a mature ovarian cystic teratoma in a patient with underlying Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

•First report of a secondary somatic glioblastoma arising from MCT-MT in a patient with underlying Li-Fraumeni syndrome.•The rarity of glioblastoma arising from MCT-MT warrants investigation for underlying genetic predisposition.•Glioblastomas arising from MCT-MT appear to exhibit wild type IDH gene status.•Advanced-stage glioblastoma arising from MCT-MT exhibits aggressive behavior and requires adjuvant therapy.•Optimal adjuvant therapy regimen for glioblastoma arising from MCT-MT remains unknown.

Mechanistic Insights on Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer.

Epithelial ovarian cancer is an aggressive disease of the female reproductive system and a leading cause of cancer death in women. Standard of care includes surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, yet patients continue to experience a high rate of recurrence and metastasis. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) treatment in highly selective patients extends overall survival by nearly 12 months. The clinical studies are highly supportive of the use of HIPEC in the treatment of ovarian cancer, though the therapeutic approach is limited to academic medical centers. The mechanism underlying HIPEC benefit remains unknown. The efficacy of HIPEC therapy is impacted by several procedural and patient/tumor factors including the timing of surgery, platinum sensitivity, and molecular profiling such as homologous recombination deficiency. The present review aims to provide insight into the mechanistic benefit of HIPEC treatment with a focus on how hyperthermia activates the immune response, induces DNA damage, impairs DNA damage repair pathways, and has a synergistic effect with chemotherapy, with the ultimate outcome of increasing chemosensitivity. Identifying the points of fragility unmasked by HIPEC may provide the key pathways that could be the basis of new therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer patients.

Modified frailty index predicts postoperative complications in women with gynecologic cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the impact of frailty on postoperative complications following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in women with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer. METHODS: An IRB-approved single-institution prospective registry was queried for women who underwent CRS with HIPEC for advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer from 1/1/2014-12/31/2020. Frailty was defined as a modified Frailty Index (mFI) score of ≥2. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of mFI upon the rate of moderate or higher (≥ grade 2) Accordion postoperative complications. RESULTS: Of 141 women, 81.6% (n = 115) were non-frail with mFI of 0-1 and 18.4% (n = 26) were frail with mFI ≥2. The incidence of ≥ grade 2 complications was 21.2% (n = 14) for mFI = 0, 26.5% (n = 13) for mFI = 1, 64.7% (n = 11) for mFI = 2 and 100.0% (n = 9) for patients with mFI ≥3. The incidence of re-operation (1.7% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.044), ICU admission (13.2% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.018), acute kidney injury (6.3% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.001), and respiratory failure (0.9% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.001) were significantly lower amongst non-frail vs. frail women. On multivariable analysis, mFI ≥2 was associated with significantly increased ≥ grade 2 complications versus mFI of 0-1 (OR 9.4, 95% CI 3.3, 26.4, p < 0.001). Age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00, 1.09, p = 0.07), surgical indication (recurrent vs. primary) (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.30, 1.7, p = 0.44) and Surgical Complexity Score of Intermediate or High vs. Low (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.67, 3.5, p = 0.31) were not associated with ≥grade 2 complications. CONCLUSIONS: Frailty, defined by the modified frailty index, is predictive of ≥grade 2 postoperative complications following CRS with HIPEC in women with gynecologic cancer. Frailty screening before CRS with HIPEC may assist patient selection and improve postoperative outcomes.

Evidence-based protocol decreases time to vaginal delivery in elective inductions.

BACKGROUND: Labor induction accounts for over 1 in 5 births in the United States. There is large variability in practices of induction of labor. Standardizing aspects of induction of labor has been shown to have beneficial maternal and fetal effects. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the implementation of an evidence-based labor induction protocol on maternal and neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: In February 2018, a contemporary labor induction protocol composed of standardized cervical ripening and early amniotomy was implemented in the labor and delivery unit at a large academic center along with comprehensive training of staff. Maternal and fetal outcomes were compared between patients undergoing induction over a 9 month period following the implementation of the protocol and those undergoing induction 9 months earlier, excluding a 2 week washout period while training occurred. RESULTS: We studied 887 patients who underwent induction of labor of a live singleton at >24 weeks' gestation during our study period (387 patients before the implementation of the protocol and 500 patients after the implementation of the protocol). Baseline characteristics of maternal age, previous vaginal deliveries, and birthweight were similar in patients before and after the implementation of the protocol. There was a significant increase in the number of elective inductions occurring after the implementation of the protocol. There was a significant decrease in time from start of induction to rupture of membranes in all women under the protocol (13.3 hours before the implementation of the protocol vs 10.4 hours after the implementation of the protocol; P≤.001) and decrease in time from start of induction to delivery (21.2 hours before the implementation of the protocol vs 19.7 hours after the implementation of the protocol; P=.04). When the analysis was stratified by elective and nonelective inductions of labor, we found that time from induction of labor initiation to vaginal delivery was shortened after the implementation of the protocol for those undergoing elective induction (18.5 hours vs 14.6 hours; P=.03). There was no difference in cesarean delivery rate (P=.7), chorioamnionitis (P=.3), postpartum hemorrhage (P=.7), or newborn intensive care unit admission (P=.3). CONCLUSION: The implementation of an evidence-based labor induction protocol was associated with decreased time to delivery, primarily driven by decreased time to vaginal delivery among those undergoing elective inductions of labor, without compromise of maternal or neonatal outcomes.

Genetically Related Choriocarcinoma Developing 5 Yr After a Complete Hydatidiform Mole and Simulating a Cornual Ectopic Pregnancy.

Persistent gestational trophoblastic disease can arise from any type of antecedent pregnancy, including molar and tubal pregnancies. While most cases of persistent gestational trophoblastic disease present within the first year following initial diagnosis, recurrence has rarely been reported many years after initial diagnosis. Distinguishing recurrence from a new independent lesion is clinically important. A 25-yr-old woman presented with a mass in the right uterine cornu that was discontiguous with the endometrial cavity and was associated with an elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin level. She had a history of an invasive complete hydatidiform mole with lung involvement treated with chemotherapy 5 yr prior. Wedge resection of the right cornu was performed due to concern for a cornual ectopic pregnancy. Pathologic evaluation demonstrated a choriocarcinoma. Molecular genotyping confirmed the tumor as recurrent disease genetically related to the prior complete hydatidiform mole. She completed 4 cycles of EMA-CO therapy, and has been disease-free with undetectable serum human chorionic gonadotropin level for 2 yr.

Patient-centered outcomes research in appendicitis in children: Bridging the knowledge gap.

PURPOSE: Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) aims to give patients a better understanding of the treatment options to enable optimal decision-making. As nonoperative alternatives are now being evaluated in children for acute appendicitis, we surveyed patients and their families regarding their knowledge of appendicitis and evaluated whether providing basic medical information would affect their perception of the disease and allow them to more rationally consider the treatment alternatives. METHODS: Families of children aged 5-18 presenting to the Emergency Department with suspected appendicitis were recruited for a tablet-based interactive educational survey. One hundred subjects (caregivers and patients ≥ 15 years) were questioned before and after an education session about their understanding of appendicitis, including questions on three hypothetical treatment options: urgent appendectomy, antibiotics alone, or initial antibiotics followed by elective appendectomy. Subjects were clearly informed that urgent appendectomy is currently the standard of care. RESULTS: Only 14% of respondents correctly identified the mortality rate of appendicitis (17 deaths/year according to the 2010 US census) when compared with other extremely rare causes of death. Fifty-four and 31% thought it was more common than death from lightning (40/year) and hunting-associated deaths (44/year), respectively. Eighty-two percent of respondents believed it "likely" or "very likely" that the appendix would rupture if operation was at all delayed, and 81% believed that rupture of the appendix would rapidly lead to severe complications and death. In univariate analysis, this perception was significantly more prevalent for mothers (odds ratio, (OR) 5.19, confidence interval (CI) 1.33-21.15), and subjects who knew at least one friend or relative who had a negative experience with appendicitis (OR 5.53, CI 1.40-25.47). Following education, these perceptions changed significantly (53% still believed that immediate operation was necessary, and 47% believed perforation led to great morbidity and potential mortality, P<0.001). In a survey of potential appendicitis treatment options, urgent appendectomy was considered a "good" or "very good" option by 74% of subjects, compared with 68% for antibiotics only without appendectomy and 49% for initial antibiotic therapy followed by elective outpatient appendectomy. CONCLUSION: There was a striking knowledge gap in the participant perception of appendicitis. Appropriate education can correct anecdotally supported misconceptions. Adequate education may empower patients to make better-informed decisions about their medical care and may be important for future studies in alternative treatments for appendicitis in children.