Defining the Longitudinal Risk of CIN 3+ for

OBJECTIVE: To determine the baseline and cumulative risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3 and invasive cervical cancer in participants referred to colposcopy with high-grade cytology and

Are Women with Antecedent Low-Grade Cytology and <CIN2 Findings in Colposcopy Being Overmanaged?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the baseline and cumulative risks of cervical intraepithelial lesion grade 3 (CIN3) and invasive cervical cancer in patients with <CIN2 colposcopy findings after a low-grade screening cytology finding (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion [LSIL]). METHODS: By linking administrative databases, including cytology, pathology, cancer registries, and physician billing history, a population-based cohort study was performed on participants with <CIN2 initial colposcopy results after a low-grade antecedent cytology finding, between January 2012 and December 2013. Three and 5-year risks of CIN3 and invasive cervical cancer were generated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: Among the 36 887 participants included in the study, CIN3 incidence based on referral cytology were as follows at 3 and 5 years, respectively: normal, 0.7% and 0.9%; ASCUS, 4.31% and 5.6%; and LSIL, 5.9% and 7.2%. Three- and 5-year incidence of invasive cancer were 0% and 0.02% for normal cytology, 0.08% and 0.11% for ASCUS, and 0.04% and 0.07% for LSIL, respectively. Stratifying risk by biopsy result at initial colposcopy, 3- and 5-year CIN3 incidences were 2.85% and 3.81% with a negative biopsy, 7.09% and 8.32% with an LSIL biopsy, and 4.11% and 5.2% when no biopsy was done, respectively. Three- and 5-year incidence of invasive cancer was 0% and 0.05% after a negative biopsy, 0% and 0% after LSIL biopsy, and 0.05% and 0.08% when no biopsy was done, respectively. CONCLUSION: When initial colposcopy is done after a low-grade screening cytology result and <CIN2 is identified, the risk of CIN3 and invasive cancer is low, particularly when biopsies indicate LSIL. Surveillance strategies should balance the likelihood of detecting CIN3 with the potential harms over management with too frequent screening or colposcopic interventions in low-risk patients.

Identifying Borderline Ovarian Tumor Recurrence Using Routine Ultrasound Follow-Up.

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) are non-invasive tumors frequently diagnosed in young patients. Surgical removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and omentum is considered definitive management, however fertility-sparing approach is a recognized option. Surveillance is important due to known recurrence, but there is controversy over the effectiveness of follow-up modalities. The objective is to determine the efficacy of ultrasound screening in identifying tumor recurrence. This retrospective chart review evaluated all patients consulted and/or treated surgically at our institution from January 2015 to June 2020 diagnosed with BOT. Patients were excluded if concurrently diagnosed with another gynecologic malignancy, did not have yearly ultrasound follow-up, or were lost to follow-up. This study included 56 patients, 17 of whom underwent fertility preserving surgery. The overall rate of recurrence was 10.7%; with recurrence rates of 23.5% for the fertility preserving surgery population and 5.1% for the definitive surgery population. Ultrasound first identified 5 of the 6 (83.3%) recurrences. Overall time to recurrence was 51.5 months. In conclusion, recurrences were identified on routine ultrasound screening prior to symptom onset or detection via physical exam in 83.3% of cases. While the best modality of follow-up remains controversial, this review provides evidence supporting the use of routine ultrasound follow-up for early detection of BOT recurrence.

Changes in Bone Mineral Density After Prophylactic Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy in Carriers of a BRCA Mutation.

Importance: Preventive surgery is strongly recommended for individuals with a BRCA mutation at a young age to prevent ovarian cancer and improve overall survival. The overall effect of early surgical menopause on various health outcomes, including bone health, has not been clearly elucidated. Objective: To evaluate the association of prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with bone mineral density (BMD) loss among individuals with a BRCA mutation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study of participants with a BRCA mutation who underwent oophorectomy through the University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, recruited participants from January 2000 to May 2013. Eligibility criteria included having a BRCA mutation, at least 1 ovary intact prior to surgery, and no history of any cancer other than breast cancer. Bone mineral density was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry before and after surgery. Data analysis began in December 2018 and finished in January 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: The annual change in BMD from baseline to follow-up was calculated for the following 3 anatomical locations: (1) lumbar spine, (2) femoral neck, and (3) total hip. Results: A total of 95 women had both a baseline and postsurgery BMD measurement with a mean (SD) follow-up period of 22.0 (12.7) months. The mean (SD) age at oophorectomy was 48.0 (7.4) years. Among women who were premenopausal at time of surgery (50 [53%]), there was a decrease in BMD from baseline to follow-up across the lumbar spine (annual change, -3.45%; 95% CI, -4.61% to -2.29%), femoral neck (annual change, -2.85%; 95% CI, -3.79% to -1.91%), and total hip (annual change, -2.24%; 95% CI, -3.11% to -1.38%). Self-reported hormone therapy use was associated with significantly less bone loss at the lumbar spine (-2.00% vs -4.69%; P = .02) and total hip (-1.38% vs -3.21; P = .04) compared with no hormone therapy use. Among postmenopausal women at time of surgery (45 [47%]), there was also a significant decrease in BMD across the lumbar spine (annual change, -0.82%; 95% CI, -1.42% to -0.23%) and femoral neck (annual change, -0.68%; 95% CI, -1.33% to -0.04%) but not total hip (annual change, -0.18%; 95% CI, -0.82% to 0.46%). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that oophorectomy was associated with postoperative bone loss, especially among women who were premenopausal at the time of surgery. Targeted management strategies should include routine BMD assessment and hormone therapy use to improve management of bone health in this population.

Impact and cost of preoperative computed tomography imaging on the management of patients diagnosed with high-grade endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cost and impact of routine preoperative computed tomography (CT) in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer, and its role in identifying extrauterine disease. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients with high-grade endometrial cancer who underwent routine CT scan prior to surgical procedure between September 1, 2005, and January 31, 2015. Cases in which CT findings led to alterations in the treatment plan were documented. Incidental findings unrelated to endometrial cancer diagnosis were captured. Cost of imaging and diagnostic procedures was based on Ontario's Physician Services-Schedule of Benefits. RESULTS: Of 179 patients included, 57 (31.9%) were diagnosed with stage 3-4 disease. CT showed evidence of metastatic disease in 30 (16.8%) patients; however, planned surgical procedure was altered in only nine (5.0%) cases. CT results showed incidental findings requiring follow-up in 78 (43.6%) cases, three of which were second malignancies. We estimate an expenditure of CAD$14 185.85 on routine imaging for every case in which surgical management was changed. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CT imaging is efficacious in identifying extrauterine disease in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer, although it seldom alters surgical management. Many of these CT scans will identify incidental findings requiring further interventions, resulting in substantial costs.

Why Do Women Get Cervical Cancer in an Organized Screening Program in Canada?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine factors associated with the development of cervical malignancy among women participating in an organized cervical screening program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A population-based retrospective cohort study was performed examining the screening histories 2 to 10 years before diagnosis of invasive cancer in Ontario women between 2011 and 2014. RESULTS: A total of 2,002 cases of cervical cancer were identified; 1,358 (68%) were squamous cell carcinomas and 644 (32%) were adenocarcinomas. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 50.3 years. More than 60% of the cohort had at least 1 cytology test within 2 to 10 years of their diagnosis. Of the women having a cytology result 24 to 36 months before diagnosis, 69% had a normal cytology whereas only 7% had a high-grade cytology result. Stage of cancer was most advanced in women who did not have cytology in the 2 to 10 years before their diagnosis. On multivariate regression, those with cervical cancer who were less likely to have undergone screening include older age, advanced stage, lower income, not having a family physician, and those diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Although nonparticipation in screening is the greatest factor associated with cervical cancer diagnosis, failure of cervical cytology to detect cytologic abnormalities in women 2 to 3 and 3 to 5 years before diagnosis is of concern. Efforts must be directed to recruitment of women for screening as well as improving the sensitivity of screening tests to detect existing abnormalities.

The Feasibility of Laparoscopic Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology for Obese and Morbidly Obese Patients.

BACKGROUND: Surgical interventions are the mainstay of treatment for many gynecological cancers. Although minimally invasive surgery offers many potential advantages, performing laparoscopic pelvic surgery in obese patients remains challenging. To overcome this, many centers have shifted their practice to robotic surgery; however, the high costs associated with robotic surgery are concerning and limit its use. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the feasibility of performing laparoscopic gynecologic oncology procedures in obese and morbidly obese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated patients who underwent laparoscopic surgeries by a gynecologic oncologist from January 2012 to June 2016 at a designated gynecologic oncology center. Patients were categorized as nonobese (body mass index [BMI] < 30 kg/m), obese (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m), and morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m). Intra and postoperative complications and outcomes were recorded. Group differences were computed with Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test (continuous) or Fisher exact test (categorical). RESULTS: Of 497 patients, 288 were nonobese (58%), 162 obese (33%), and 47 morbidly obese (9%). Complex surgical procedures were performed in 57.4% of obese patients and 55.3% of morbidly obese patients. Although morbidly obese and obese patients had longer operative times (mean of 181 and 166 minutes vs 144 minutes, P = 0.014), conversion from laparoscopy to laparotomy occurred in 9.05% of all patients, with no group differences. Low intraoperative (9%-11%) and severe postoperative (2.41%) complication rates were observed overall, with no group differences. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of emergency room visits 30 days postoperation between the 3 BMI groups (P = 0.6108). Average length of postoperative stay was statistically significant (P = 0.0003) but was low overall (1-2 days). Hospital readmission rates were low, with the lowest rate among morbidly obese patients (2.13%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that laparoscopic gynecologic-oncology procedures for obese patients are feasible and safe.

Implementing a Cervical Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Program: Quality Improvement in Gynaecologic Oncology.

OBJECTIVE: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is becoming a reasonable alternative to pelvic lymphadenectomy in early-stage cervical cancer. It is therefore imperative that centres without prior experience are able to successfully implement the procedure. The objectives of the current study were to (1) describe the process of implementing an SLN biopsy program with a novel peer mentorship component and (2) assess post-program quality improvement metrics, including SLN detection rate (DR) and diagnostic parameters. METHODS: An institutional SLN biopsy protocol was developed collaboratively by gynaecologic oncology, nuclear medicine, and pathology departments at University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario. All decisions were based on the best evidence available. Newly diagnosed, early-stage cervical cancer patients undergoing primary surgery were then recruited prospectively for SLN biopsy with combined technique, followed by pelvic lymphadenectomy to evaluate key quality indicators, including SLN DR, sensitivity, and negative predictive value. Surgeons with previous SLN biopsy experience mentored surgeons unfamiliar with the technique. Interim analyses and multidisciplinary rounds were regularly carried out to identify failures of technique or protocol. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients (median age 42) were enrolled in the study between August 2010 and February 2014. The median number of SLNs and total pelvic lymph nodes removed per patient were 3 and 19, respectively. SLN DRs were 92% per patient (36/39), 88.5% per hemipelvis (69/78), and 85% bilaterally (33/39). SLN biopsy correctly identified seven of eight hemipelvises with nodal metastases, yielding a sensitivity of 88% (95% CI 0.47 to 1.00) and a false negative rate of 12% (95% CI 0 to 0.53). Surgeons undergoing peer mentorship (n = 3) performed as effectively (DR 100%) as surgeons (n = 2) with prior experience (DR 85%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a model upon which other centres can adopt and validate cervical SLN biopsy. High SLN DRs and accurate identification of lymph node metastases can be achieved by focusing on multidisciplinary collaboration, knowledge translation with creation of evidence-based protocols, peer mentorship, and ongoing quality control.

Approaches for triaging women who test positive for human papillomavirus in cervical cancer screening.

Substantial evidence exists to support the introduction of molecular testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary technology in cervical cancer screening. While HPV testing is much more sensitive than cytology for detection of high-grade precancerous lesions, it is less specific. To improve efficiency, it is therefore recommended that a specific test (like cytology) be used in triaging HPV positive women to colposcopy. A number of studies have been conducted that support the use of cytology alone or in conjunction with HPV genotyping for triage. The decision to incorporate genotyping also depends on the commercial HPV test that is selected since not all tests provide results for certain individual high-risk types. Regardless of whether policy officials decide to adopt a triage approach that incorporates genotyping, the use of liquid based cytology (LBC) may also improve screening performance by reducing diagnostic delays. With LBC, the same cell suspension from a single collection may be used for HPV testing and a smear can be immediately prepared if HPV status is positive. This was a critical lesson from a community based demonstration project in Montreal (VASCAR study), where conventional cytology exists and specimen co-collection was not permitted for ethical reasons, requiring HPV positive women to return for an additional screening visit prior to colposcopy.

Introduction of molecular HPV testing as the primary technology in cervical cancer screening: Acting on evidence to change the current paradigm.

Since being introduced in the 1940s, cervical cytology - despite its limitations - has had unequivocal success in reducing cervical cancer burden in many countries. However, we now know that infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer and there is overwhelming evidence from large-scale clinical trials, feasibility studies and real-world experience that supports the introduction of molecular testing for HPV as the primary technology in cervical cancer screening (i.e., "HPV primary screening"). While questions remain about the most appropriate age groups for screening, screening interval and triage approach, these should not be considered barriers to implementation. Many countries are in various stages of adopting HPV primary screening, whereas others have not taken any major steps towards introduction of this approach. As a group of clinical experts and researchers in cervical cancer prevention from across Canada, we have jointly authored this comprehensive examination of the evidence to implement HPV primary screening. Our intention is to create a common understanding among policy makers, agencies, clinicians, researchers and other stakeholders about the evidence concerning HPV primary screening to catalyze the adoption of this improved approach to cervical cancer prevention. With the first cohort of vaccinated girls now turning 21, the age when routine screening typically begins, there is increased urgency to introduce HPV primary screening, whose performance may be less adversely affected compared with cervical cytology as a consequence of reduced lesion prevalence post-vaccination.

The cost-utility of integrated cervical cancer prevention strategies in the Ontario setting - Can we do better?

INTRODUCTION: A universal, publicly funded, school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in grade eight girls was initiated in Ontario in 2007. We present a cost-utility analysis of integrated cervical cancer prevention programs from the healthcare payer perspective. METHODS: Our analysis was based on linked HPV transmission and disease history models. We obtained data from the literature, provincial surveys and Ontario population-based linked health administrative datasets. We modeled combinations of vaccination and screening strategies. We considered vaccination based on the Ontario experience, as well as conservative and optimistic scenarios, varying coverage, vaccine effectiveness and duration of protection. We considered 900 screening scenarios (screening start age: 21-70 years, screening interval: 3-20 years; 1-year time steps). The current schedule screens every 3 years starting at age 21 years. We examined (1) first vaccinated cohort (low herd-immunity), and (2) steady state, i.e. all cohorts were vaccinated (high herd-immunity). RESULTS: Adding vaccination to the current screening schedule was cost-effective (

Malignant Melanoma of Vulva and Vagina: A Histomorphological Review and Mutation Analysis--A Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to determine molecular characteristics and specifically, the frequency of BRAF, C-KIT, and NRAS mutations in vulvar and vaginal melanomas. METHODS: A retrospective review of all cases of vulvar and vaginal melanoma between 2002 and 2013 was performed. We reviewed the clinical and histological characteristics of all cases and performed genotyping studies on cases that had tissue available for the study, using next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: We identified 33 vulvar and 11 vaginal melanomas in women with mean ages 58 and 61 years, respectively. Next-generation sequencing analysis on 20 cases (15 vulvar and 5 vaginal) identified a BRAF mutation in 7.6%, C-KIT mutation in 27.6%, NRAS mutation in 27.6%, and TP53 mutation in 7.6% of the vulvar cases. We detected only a single TP53 mutation in the vaginal cases. We did not identify any statistically significant relationship between the mutation status and patients' outcome, depth of invasion, ulceration, stage at presentation, or lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: BRAF mutations are infrequent, whereas C-KIT and NRAS mutations are seen with higher frequency in vulvar melanomas than melanomas of other sites. These mutations can be considered as potential therapeutic targets in patients harboring them. Further studies are necessary to increase our understanding of mutational events occurring in melanoma of the lower female genital tract and their relationship with clinical parameters/outcome.

Effectiveness of the risk of malignancy index and the risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm in a cohort of women with ovarian cancer: does histotype and stage matter?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance of the Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI) and Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) by histologic subtype and stage of disease in a cohort of women with ovarian cancer. METHODS: All patients with confirmed ovarian cancer at the Princess Margaret Hospital between February 2011 and January 2013 were eligible for study inclusion. Preoperative cancer antigen 125, human epididymis protein 4, and ultrasound findings were reviewed, and the sensitivity and false-negative rates of the RMI and ROMA were determined by stage of disease and tumor histology. RESULTS: A total of 131 patients with ovarian cancer were identified. High-grade serous (HGS) histology was most frequently associated with stage III/IV disease (n = 46 [72% of stage III/IV]) vs stage I (n = 5 [11% of stage I]; P < 0.0001). Clear cell (CC) and endometrioid (EC) histology presented most commonly with stage I disease (n = 9 [20%] and n = 13 [29% of stage I cases], respectively). Median cancer antigen 125 and human epididymis protein 4 values were significantly higher for HGS than for EC or CC histology. Risk of Malignancy Index II demonstrated the highest sensitivity of the 3 RMI algorithms. All RMIs and ROMA were significantly more sensitive in predicting malignancy in patients with HGS than EC or CC histology. Risk of Malignancy Index II (n = 38) and ROMA (n = 35) exhibited sensitivities of 68% and 54% and false-negative rates of 32% and 46%, respectively, for patients with stage I disease vs sensitivities of 94% and 93% and false-negative rates of 6% and 7% for patients with stage III/IV disease. CONCLUSION: Both RMI and ROMA performed well for the detection of advanced ovarian cancer and HGS histology. These triaging algorithms do not perform well in patients with stage I disease where EC and CC histologies predominate. Clinicians should be cautious using RMI or ROMA scoring tools to triage isolated adnexal masses because many patients with stage I malignancies would be missed.

All in the Family: Barriers and Motivators to the Use of Cancer Family History Questionnaires and the Impact on Attendance Rates.

Data has demonstrated that family history questionnaires (FHQs) are an invaluable tool for assessing familial cancer risk and triaging patients for genetic counseling services. Despite their benefits, return rates of mailed FHQs from newly referred patients remain low, suggesting potential barriers to their use. To investigate this, a total of 461 participants, 239 who completed a FHQ (responders) and 222 who did not (non-responders), were surveyed at a subsequent appointment regarding potential barriers and motivators to using the FHQ. With respective rates of 51 and 56 %, there was no significant difference in the proportion of responders and non-responders who reported difficulty in completing the FHQ; however, for both groups factors related to family dynamics (large family size, lack of contact with relatives, and lack of knowledge of family history) were reported as major variables confounding completion of the FHQ. Responders were also significantly more likely to have a personal diagnosis of cancer (p = 0.02) and to report that their physician had discussed the reason for the appointment with them (p = 0.01). Overall, 19 % of non-responders returned their FHQ after being mailed an appointment letter and 67 % attended their scheduled genetic counseling appointment. These findings demonstrate that difficulty completing the FHQ is not inherent to its design but due to difficulty accessing one's family history, and that mailed appointment letters are a highly successful way to increase attendance rates in the non-responder population. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the important role that referring physicians play in the utilization of genetic counseling services.

The impacts of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and of debulking surgery on survival from advanced ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Women with advanced ovarian cancer are treated with chemotherapy either before (neoadjuvant) or after surgery (primary debulking). The goal is to leave no residual disease post-surgery; for women treated with primary debulking surgery this has been associated with an improvement in survival. It has not been shown that the survival advantage conferred by having no residual disease post-surgery is present for women who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 326 women with stage IIIc or IV serous ovarian cancer. We determined if they received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or primary debulking surgery and we measured the extent of residual disease post-surgery. We estimated seven-year survival rates for women after various treatments. RESULTS: Women who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to have no residual disease than women who had primary debulking surgery (50.1% versus 41.5%; p=0.03) but they experienced inferior seven-year survival (8.6% versus 41%; p<0.0001). Among women who had primary debulking surgery, those with no residual disease had much better seven-year survival than women who had any residual disease (73.6% versus 21.0%; p<0.0001). Women who had no residual disease after debulking surgery and who received intraperitoneal chemotherapy had a seven-year survival of 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be reserved for ovarian cancer patients who are not candidates for primary debulking surgery. Among women with no residual disease after primary debulking surgery, intraperitoneal chemotherapy extends survival.

Impact of oophorectomy on cancer incidence and mortality in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to estimate the reduction in risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation after oophorectomy, by age of oophorectomy; to estimate the impact of prophylactic oophorectomy on all-cause mortality; and to estimate 5-year survival associated with clinically detected ovarian, occult, and peritoneal cancers diagnosed in the cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were identified from an international registry; 5,783 women completed a baseline questionnaire and ≥ one follow-up questionnaires. Women were observed until either diagnosis of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer, death, or date of most recent follow-up. Hazard ratios (HRs) for cancer incidence and all-cause mortality associated with oophorectomy were evaluated using time-dependent survival analyses. RESULTS: After an average follow-up period of 5.6 years, 186 women developed either ovarian (n = 132), fallopian (n = 22), or peritoneal (n = 32) cancer, of whom 68 have died. HR for ovarian, fallopian, or peritoneal cancer associated with bilateral oophorectomy was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.30; P < .001). Among women who had no history of cancer at baseline, HR for all-cause mortality to age 70 years associated with an oophorectomy was 0.23 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.39; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Preventive oophorectomy was associated with an 80% reduction in the risk of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers and a 77% reduction in all-cause mortality.

The impact of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy on quality of life and psychological distress in women with a BRCA mutation.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to measure the impact of prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy on health-related quality of life and psychological distress in women. METHODS: Women who underwent prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy between August 20, 2003 and June 26, 2008 because of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were invited to participate. Participants completed three questionnaires (SF-12(®) Health Survey, Brief Symptom Inventory and the Impact of Events Scale) before prophylactic surgery and again 1 year after surgery. Measures of health-related quality of life, of general psychological distress and of ovarian cancer worry before and after surgery were compared. RESULTS: Few women who underwent salpingo-oophorectomy experienced a worsening in physical or mental health functioning after salpingo-oophorectomy. On average, women experienced less ovarian cancer-specific worry after surgery; 34.3% experienced moderate to severe ovarian cancer-specific distress before surgery, compared with 18.6% after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: For most women, physical and mental health-related quality of life did not deteriorate after prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy, and they were less worried about ovarian cancer. A subset of women continued to experience moderate to severe cancer-specific distress. Identification of these women is important in order to provide continued counseling and support.

HPV testing in primary cervical screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Previous findings from cross-sectional studies have shown human papillomavirus (HPV) testing to be more sensitive than cytology testing for primary cervical screening. This systematic review aims to assess whether the increase in baseline detection with HPV testing corresponds to lower rates in subsequent screening rounds. METHODS: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (published from 2005 to 2010) comparing HPV-based and cytology-based cervical screening. Primary outcomes of interest were relative rates of higher grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive cervical cancer. Secondary outcomes included test performance characteristics and colposcopy referral rates. Results were pooled where possible using a random effects model. RESULTS: Seven randomized trials were identified. Across studies, HPV testing was more accurate than conventional cytology and detected significantly more CIN3+ in the first screening round (Mantel-Haenszel [M-H] risk ratio 1.67; 95% CI 1.27 to 2.19) and significantly less in the second screening round (M-H RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.66). There were no differences in pooled rates of CIN2+ (M-H RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.94 to 1.50) and CIN3+ (M-H RR 1.09; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.42), but there was a higher pooled rate of CIN2 (M-H RR 1.37; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.68) over two screening rounds. A trend towards lower rates of invasive cervical cancer was observed. CONCLUSION: Organized screening programs in higher resource settings should consider adopting HPV testing as the primary screening test for women 30 or 35 years of age and older. Further research is needed to determine optimal screening strategies for younger women.

Cervical screening: a guideline for clinical practice in Ontario.

OBJECTIVE: To develop guidelines to inform the Ontario Cervical Screening Program's invitations to women in the target population, provide evidence-based clinical practice guidance for practitioners, and inform policy decisions. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted of relevant websites, the Medline and EMBASE databases (2005 to November 2010), and the Cochrane Library (2005 to 2010). No guidelines or systematic reviews were located that addressed the topics of interest. The evidence base consisted of seven randomized controlled trials, three case-control studies, one cohort study, and one review article. A methodologist performed data identification and extraction. Review of the data and quality assessment was carried out by the authors, who have expertise in methodology, gynaecologic oncology, pathology, and family medicine. The systematic review methods and resulting recommendations were reviewed by an internal panel with clinical, methodological, and oncology expertise. External review was provided by Ontario clinicians and other experts. CONCLUSIONS: The guideline development process led to recommendations for the optimal primary cervical screening method, screening interval, and age of screening cessation for Ontario women in the target population. There was insufficient evidence to provide a recommendation for age of initiation of cervical screening with HPV testing. The creation of an organized screening program in the province will allow the implementation of evidence-based recommendations. We provide interim recommendations for cervical screening until HPV testing has been funded.

Surgical outcome of robotic surgery in morbidly obese patient with endometrial cancer compared to laparotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Before the introduction of robotic surgery at our institution, most obese women of class 2 or greater (body mass index [BMI] >35) underwent a laparotomy for the management of endometrial cancer. Since November 2008, we have performed most of these cases in a robotic fashion. This manuscript presents the outcome of these women in comparison with a historical cohort of women treated with laparotomy. METHODS: Women with clinical stage I or II endometrial cancer and a BMI greater than 35 kg/m treated with robotic surgery at our institution between November 2008 and November 2010 were compared with a historical cohort of similar patients who underwent laparotomy. Patients' characteristics, operating room time, type of surgery, length of hospital stay, and incidence of perioperative complications were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 86 women were analyzed in this study (robotic surgery, 45; laparotomy, 41). The overall intraoperative complication rate is 5.8%. There is no statistical difference in age, number of comorbidities, BMI, prior abdominal surgery, and operative complications between the women who underwent robotic surgery versus laparotomy. Postoperative complication rates are higher in the laparotomy group (44% vs 17.7%; P = 0.007), and hospital length of stay is also higher in the laparotomy group (4 vs 2 days; P < 0.001). There is no difference in rates of (pelvic) lymph node dissection; however, para-aortic node dissection is more common in the robotic surgery group. CONCLUSION: Robotic surgery for the surgical management of the morbidly obese patient is shown to be safe and have less perioperative complications compared with open surgery.