The current status of immunotherapy in the treatment of primary advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite the recent upward trends in incidence and mortality of endometrial cancer, there are still limited FDA-approved therapies for patients with primary advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer. This disparity presents the opportunity for further investigation of targeted therapies in this patient population. RECENT FINDINGS: One such area of adjuvant therapy is immunotherapy, which has shown improved progression-free survival in patients with several solid tumors, including endometrial, leading to the FDA approval of two immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, with further study of precision medicine, the current adjuvant treatment paradigms that exist based on histopathologic subtype alone may be shifting towards a new genomic-based approach. SUMMARY: This article is a snapshot of the origins of immunotherapy use in this patient population as well as a guide to its future use. The author's hope with this article is to describe the patient population as well as the history of the integration of immunotherapy use into the adjuvant treatment of endometrial cancer leading up to FDA approval of Pembrolizumab and Dostarlimab. This article also consolidates the current literature as well as ongoing clinical trials that will hopefully lead to FDA approval of more immunotherapeutic agents in the near future.

Challenges in the Contemporary Management of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in New Orleans, LA.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective review is to evaluate trends in the management of maternal and congenital syphilis (CS) in a tertiary care center in New Orleans, LA. Study Design: All cases of maternal and neonatal syphilis over a five year period at Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, LA, were identified using ICD-9/10 codes. Charts were reviewed for demographic and obstetrical variables, stage of syphilis at diagnosis, lab values, and treatment regimen. Newborn treatment and other outcomes were recorded. Results: During the study period 106 infected mother-baby pairs were identified. Of these, 73 charts are available for review. 41% (n = 30) of women received inadequate therapy according to their stage of disease. 9% of newborns (n = 6) were found to be symptomatic for CS; however, only 83.3% of these were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Only 20% (n = 6) of infants were adequately treated with an extended penicillin regimen if the mother was not adequately treated. Furthermore, only 63.0% of newborns had a nontreponemal titer performed. Conclusion: With rising rates of CS, strict adherence to the 2015 CDC guidelines for treatment of syphilis must be maintained.