Survival after secondary cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone for first recurrence in patients with platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer and no residuals after primary treatment. A registry-based study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate whether secondary cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy improved survival among patients with recurrent, platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer compared with those who received platinum-based chemotherapy alone, and to identify possible predictors for selection to secondary cytoreductive surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 397 patients who had a primary diagnosis of FIGO stage I-IV epithelial ovarian cancer recorded in the Cancer Registry of Norway between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2012, received primary surgery with no residuals followed by platinum-based chemotherapy, had first recurrence six or more months after completion of primary platinum-based chemotherapy, and received secondary treatment with either secondary cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy (secondary cytoreductive surgery+platinum-based chemotherapy group) or platinum-based chemotherapy alone (platinum-based chemotherapy group). Outcomes were progression-free survival to second recurrence or death and overall survival. Hazard ratios were estimated using multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS: There were 75 patients in the secondary cytoreductive surgery+platinum-based chemotherapy group in whom complete resection was achieved for 60 (80%), and 322 patients in the platinum-based chemotherapy group. Both progression-free survival (hazard ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.62) and overall survival (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.70) were improved in the secondary cytoreductive surgery+platinum-based chemotherapy compared with the platinum-based chemotherapy group. A survival benefit was only seen in patients with no residuals at secondary cytoreductive surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In selected epithelial ovarian cancer patients with no residuals after primary surgery and a recurrent, platinum-sensitive tumor, the complete resection of recurrent tumor at secondary cytoreductive surgery improves progression-free survival and overall survival. Our results suggest that a long treatment-free interval and non-disseminated lesions (three or fewer lesions) on radiological images could be useful predictors for complete resection at secondary cytoreductive surgery.

Pre-induction cervical ripening with 25 microg and 50 microg vaginal misoprostol in 181 nulliparous parturients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intravaginally misoprostol at start dosages of 25 microg and 50 microg when used for pre-induction cervical ripening among nulliparous parturients. METHODS: Our observational study involves all cases of partus induction consecutively registered in a Norwegian hospital between September 2002 and August 2006, with the following inclusion criteria: nulliparous, singleton pregnancies >or=37 weeks, an unfavourable cervix (Bishop score 2499 g, received misoprostol vaginally every 6 h upto four times. Seventy-six women started with 25 microg (25 microg-group) and 105 started with 50 microg (50 microg-group). All continued with 25 microg. Primary outcome was vaginal delivery within 48 h after the first misoprostol dose. Secondary outcome was caesarean section performed within 96. RESULTS: Vaginal delivery within 48 h after the initial dose occurred more often in the 25 microg-group than in the 50 microg-group (75 vs. 58%, p = 0.018). The rate of caesarean section was lower in the 25 microg-group than in the 50 microg-group (19 vs. 33%, p = 0.043). These differences remained significant after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the notion that the dose of 25 microg misoprostol is as at least as efficient as 50 microg in nulliparous parturients.

Bishop score and the outcome of labor induction with misoprostol.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to retrospectively identify possible factors for predicting the outcome of induction with misoprostol. METHODS: Fifty micrograms of misoprostol were administered intravaginally every 6 h during the first 2 days of induction, up to a maximum of 4 doses. The Bishop score, indication for induction, gestational length, maternal age, and parity were analyzed. The study involved 99 patients (47 primiparous and 52 multiparous) at term (>36 weeks of gestation) with unripe cervices. RESULTS: Forty-five per cent of the patients achieved ripening of cervix and went into labor after a single dose of misoprostol; a further 45% required 2 doses. Nine patients received more than 2 tablets. Ninety-seven per cent of all vaginal deliveries occurred within the first 2 days of induction. Ninety-five per cent of the patients delivered vaginally when the Bishop score was >3, compared with 75% of those with a Bishop score of < or =3 (p=0.003). Among factors creating the Bishop scoring system, in logistic regression analysis effacement of the cervix was the only independent, significant predictor of cesarean section (p=0.003, OR = 0.16) even after adjusting for maternal age, which also was a significant predictor in the regression analysis. Eleven patients had previously had a cesarean section; one of them had a uterine rupture with a fatal outcome for the fetus. All women with a previously scarred uterus are now excluded from misoprostol treatment. CONCLUSION: Misoprostol 50 microg administered intravaginally every 6 h according to this protocol is highly effective for inducing labor in carefully selected patients with unripe cervices.