Defining the relationship between ovarian adult granulosa cell tumors and synchronous endometrial pathology: Does ovarian tumor size correlate with endometrial cancer?

OBJECTIVE: The main feature of adult granulosa cell tumors (AGCT) is their capacity to secrete hormones, with nearly all of them capable of synthesizing oestradiol. The primary goal of this study is to identify synchronized endometrial pathologies, particularly endometrial cancer, in AGCT patients who had undergone a hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort comprised retrospectively of 316 AGCT patients from 10 tertiary gynecological oncology centers. AGCT surgery consisted of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, hysterectomy, peritoneal cytology, omentectomy, and the excision of any suspicious lesion. The median tumor size value was used to define the relationship between tumor size and endometrial cancer. The relationship between each value and endometrial cancer was evaluated. RESULTS: Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, or hyperplasia with complex atypia, was detected in 7.3% of patients, and endometrial cancer in 3.1% of patients. Age, menopausal status, tumor size, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, ascites, and CA-125 level were not statistically significant factors to predict endometrial cancer. There was no endometrial cancer under the age of 40, and 97.8% of women diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia were over the age of 40. During the menopausal period, the endometrial cancer risk was 4.5%. Developing endometrial cancer increased to 12.1% from 3.2% when the size of the tumor was >150 mm in menopausal patients (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Endometrial hyperplasia, or cancer, occurs in approximately 30% of AGCT patients. Patients diagnosed with AGCT, especially those older than 40 years, should be evaluated for endometrial pathologies. There may be a relationship between tumor size and endometrial cancer, especially in menopausal patients.

Is adjuvant chemotherapy necessary for 2014 FIGO stage IC adult granulosa cell tumor?: Multicentric Turkish study.

AIM: The aim of our study is to examine the clinical, surgical, and pathological factors of stage 1C adult granulosa cell tumor (AGCT) patients and to investigate the effects of adjuvant therapy on recurrence and survival rates in this patient group. METHODS: Out of a total of 415 AGCT patients treated by 10 tertiary oncology centers participating in the study, 63 (15.2%) patients with 2014 FIGO stage IC constituted the study group. The FIGO 2014 system was used for staging. Patient group who received adjuvant chemotherapy was compared with patient group who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of disease-free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival. RESULTS: The 5-year DFS of the study cohort was 89%, and the 10-year DFS was 85%. Those who received adjuvant chemotherapy and those who did not were similar in terms of clinical, surgical and pathological factors, except for peritoneal cytology. In the univariate analysis, none of the clinical, surgical or pathological factors were significant for DFS. Adjuvant chemotherapy and type of treatment protocol had no impact on DFS. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with improved DFS and overall survival in stage IC AGCT. Multicentric and randomized controlled studies are needed for early stage AGCT in order to confirm these results and reach accurate conclusions.

Prognostic factors of adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary: a Turkish retrospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To define the clinical, histopathological features and the prognostic factors affecting survival in patients with adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary (AGCT). METHODS: A 322 patients whose final pathologic outcome was AGCT treated at nine tertiary oncology centers between 1988 and 2021 participated in the study. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 51.3±11.8 years and ranged from 21 to 82 years. According to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2014, 250 (77.6%) patients were stage I, 24 (7.5%) patients were stage II, 20 (6.2%) patients were stage III, and 3 (7.8%) were stage IV. Lymphadenectomy was added to the surgical procedure in 210 (65.2%) patients. Lymph node involvement was noted in seven (3.3%) patients. Peritoneal cytology was positive in 19 (5.9%) patients, and 13 (4%) had metastases in the omentum. Of 285 patients who underwent hysterectomy, 19 (6.7%) had complex hyperplasia with atypia/endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, and 8 (2.8%) had grade 1 endometrioid endometrial carcinoma. It was found that 93 (28.9%) patients in the study group received adjuvant treatment. Bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin was the most commonly used chemotherapy protocol. The median follow-up time of the study group was 41 months (range, 1-276 months). It was noted that 34 (10.6%) patients relapsed during this period, and 9 (2.8%) patients died because of the disease. The entire cohort had a 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 86% and a 5-year disease-specific survival of 98%. Recurrences were observed only in the pelvis in 13 patients and the extra-abdominal region in 7 patients. The recurrence rate increased 6.168-fold in patients with positive peritoneal cytology (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.914-19.878; p=0.002), 3.755-fold in stage II-IV (95% CI=1.275-11.063; p=0.016), and 2.517-fold in postmenopausal women (95% CI=1.017-6.233; p=0.046) increased. CONCLUSION: In this study, lymph node involvement was detected in 3.3% of patients with AGCT. Therefore, it was concluded that lymphadenectomy can be avoided in primary surgical treatment. Positive peritoneal cytology, stage, and menopausal status were independent prognostic predictors of DFS.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of PD-L1 expression in colon adenocarcinoma tumor budding.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the relationship between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) expression in colon adenocarcinoma tumor budding. METHODS: This study included 122 patients with colon adenocarcinomas. The largest sample of formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues was selected for analysis. Expression of membranous PD-L1 (clone 22C3) and the Combined Positive Score (CPS) in tumor tissues was calculated and graded according to the percentages of peritumoral and intratumoral tumor cells (0 %, 1 %, 1-5 %, >5 %). The effects of these factors on the prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Tumor budding was associated with adverse clinicopathological features and poor overall survival. PD-L1 (CPS%) peritumoral tumor budding (1 %/<1 %) was statistically significant in the univariate model (p = 0.004). Age, organ metastases (liver, lung, liver, lung, and peritoneum), and metastases were statistically significant in the multivariate model (p = 0.001, p = 0.004, p = 0.001, p = 0.002, p = 0.004, and p = 0.032, respectively). PD-L1 positive staining was mostly observed around the tumor and during tumor budding. PD-L1 peritumoral tumor budding rates and patients' survival rates differed significantly (log-rank = 12.07, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: We found that patients with PD-L1 (CPS%) > 1 % in tumor budding had a shortened life expectancy and demonstrated the importance of including tumor budding areas in the samples used for biomarker evaluation. We previously reported that PD-L1 expression in tumor budding is associated with more aggressive cancer biology and poor survival, although overall survival is of limited statistical significance.

Description of New Miridae and Tingidae Species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) and New Records from Southern Turkey.

In this study, Fulvius anatolicus Çerçi Gorczyca sp. n., Orthotylus (Pinocapsus) kmenti Çerçi Koçak sp. n. (Miridae) and Lasiacantha karamanensis Çerçi Koçak sp. n. (Tingidae) are described from Turkey. Dorsal habitus of each species, male and female genitalia of F. anatolicus sp. n. and male genitalia of O. (P.) kmenti sp. n. are illustrated. Differential diagnostic features between closely related species and the new species are given. Additionally, Hallodapus costae (Miridae) and Tempyra biguttula (Rhyparochromidae) are recorded from Turkey for the first time. Latter is a new alien species for the fauna of Turkey.

Is the Concentration of Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, and Selenium Related to Preterm Birth?

Environmental pollution and exposure of people to heavy metals cause many bad obstetric outcomes. Our aim is to demonstrate the role of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se) in preterm labor etiology with a case-control study. In this study, between November 2017 and April 2018, preterm delivery mothers and term delivery mothers were compared in Çorum, Turkey. All deliveries were performed with cesarean sections and there were 30 mothers in the control group and 20 in the study group. The maternal blood, maternal urine, umbilical cord blood, and heavy metal levels in the amnion fluid in both groups were studied. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the blood concentration of Cd, Pb, Hg, and Se. We found lower levels of selenium in blood and urine of preterm delivery mothers and umbilical cord and amnion fluids of preterm infants (p < 0.01). We found a statistically significant positive correlation at selenium levels between mother's blood and umbilical cord blood (r (50) = 0.896, p < 0.001) and between maternal urine and amniotic fluid (r (50) = 0.841, p < 0.001). We have not found a similar correlation between mother and fetus of other metals (p > 0.05). We found that selenium levels were lower in mothers who were preterm birth in the light of the data in our study. We could not determine the positive or negative correlation of Cd, Pb, and Hg levels in blood, urine, and amniotic fluid samples with preterm birth.

Pulmonary recurrence in patients with endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: In this article, we aimed to define the clinical, pathological, and surgical factors predicting pulmonary recurrence (PR) and determining survival after PR in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Thirty-six (2.7%) patients were analyzed who suffered pulmonary failure in the first recurrence out of 1345 patients who had at least extrafascial hysterectomy plus bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for endometrial cancer between January 1993 and May 2013. The recurrence was designated as an isolated PR in cases of the presence of recurrence only in the lung, while it was called a synchronized PR if the patient had extrapulmonary recurrence in addition to PR. RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis in the entire cohort, only International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was an independent prognostic factor for PR. Two-year overall survival (OS) was 52% in patients with PR. In the univariate analysis, early International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, absence of lymphatic metastasis, negative lymphovascular space invasion, absence of cervical invasion, negative adnexal spread, negative peritoneal cytology, negative omental metastasis, adjuvant radiotherapy after initial surgery, isolated PR, and chemotherapy upon recurrence were associated with improved OS after PR. The OS was 54 months for patients with isolated PR, while it was 10 months for patients who had synchronized PR. Furthermore, OS was 43 months and 13 months for the patients who took chemotherapy and radiotherapy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Advanced stage is associated with PR. If recurrence is only in the lung, survival is better. Systemic treatment after PR is associated with improved survival. However, multi-center studies are required to standardize the treatment for PR.

Salvage Cytoreductive Surgery for Recurrent Endometrial Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of salvage cytoreductive surgery (SCS) on overall survival (OS) among patients with recurrent endometrial cancer and if there is any predictor for residual tumor status. METHODS: Between January 1993 and May 2013, data of 34 patients who had SCS for recurrent endometrial cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Overall survival was determined from SCS to last follow-up. RESULTS: The surgical procedure was local excision without laparotomy in 12 patients, and optimal cytoreduction (no visible disease) was achieved in 24 of 34 patients. There were no perioperative deaths. None of the factors was associated with achievement of optimal cytoreduction. Five-year OS rates were 37% and 27% for the entire cohort and for the laparotomy group, respectively. For the entire cohort, disease-free interval (from initial surgery to recurrence), adjuvant therapy after initial surgery, CA-125 level at recurrence, multiplicity of recurrence, surgical procedure, and optimal cytoreduction and for the laparotomy group adjuvant treatment and optimal cytoreduction were associated with OS. In the laparotomy group, OS rates were 53 and 9 months in the patients who did and did not have optimal SCS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Significant survival benefit can be achieved with optimal resection. Prospective studies should be designed to define optimal cytoreduction and to determine the predictors of optimal cytoreduction achievement.

Effect of body mass index on latency periods after history-indicated cervical cerclage.

BACKGROUND: The impact of maternal body mass index (BMI) on cervical cerclage outcomes is not clear in the literature. AIM: We sought to investigate the impact of BMI on history-indicated cervical cerclage outcomes in our unit. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 196 history-indicated cervical cerclage procedures. The results were analysed according to the BMI groups <25, 25-30 and ≥30 kg/m(2) . RESULTS: A total of 122 cases were available for the final analysis. Thirty-two (26.1%) of the women had normal BMI (BMI < 25), 69 (56.5%) were overweight (BMI = 25-30) and 21 (17.4%) were obese (BMI ≥ 30). The mean gestational age of delivery according to BMI groups <25, 25-30 and ≥30 were 37.2 ± 3.1, 36.0 ± 5.3 and 36.0 ± 4.9 weeks (P = 0.591), respectively. The mean latency periods according to BMI groups <25, 25-30 and ≥30 were 24.3 ± 3.2, 21.1 ± 5.1 and 21.4 ± 4.9 weeks (P = 0.171), respectively. We found no correlation between the BMI and latency periods (Spearman's rho = -0.252). The multivariable logistic regression model found no variable to affect preterm birth rates. CONCLUSIONS: The BMI has no impact on history-indicated cervical cerclage procedure outcomes. Normal weight, overweight and obese women had similar latency periods after history-indicated cervical cerclage. This high percentage of preterm birth risk necessitates close surveillance of these women for preterm birth.

The effect of calmodulin antagonists on experimental scoliosis: a pinealectomized chicken model.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Tamoxifen (TMX) and trifluoperozine (TFP) on pinealectomized chicken scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pinealectomized chicken develops scoliosis probably due to the lack of melatonin. In addition to other functions, melatonin also acts as a calmodulin antagonist. We postulate that loss of this antagonistic effect may be the cause of scoliosis in this model. TMX and TFP are known calmodulin antagonists, which may alter the incidence and severity of scoliosis. METHODS: Seventy-two newly hatched chicken that underwent surgical pinealectomy within 72 hours of hatching were divided into 3 groups of 24 animals in each as group I (control), group II (TMX), and group III (TFP). TMX and TFP were given to groups II and III, respectively, for 10 weeks with the dose of 0.1 mg/kg/d, whereas the control group received no medication. AP scoliosis radiographs were obtained at seventh and 10th week to evaluate coronal spinal alignment. RESULTS: Three chickens in group I, 2 chickens in group II, and 1 chicken in group III died in the first postoperative week. Scoliosis incidences and magnitudes were similar among groups at seventh and 10th week. TMX and TFP groups showed decreases of incidence of upper cervical, lower cervical, lower cervical-thoracic-lumbar curves at 10th week compared with seventh week. TMX group showed a decline in thoracic region mean Cobb angle, whereas control group showed an increase (P = 0.048). TMX group showed a more prominent decline in cervicothoracic region mean Cobb angle compared with control group (P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: The incidence and magnitude of scoliosis in pinealectomized chicken may be decreased by the administration of TMX, presumably because of this drugs' calmodulin antagonism. Further studies on higher animals and dosage and timing are required.

Evaluation of shoulder balance in the normal adolescent population and its correlation with radiological parameters.

A descriptive clinical study in healthy adolescents was done to evaluate the clinical shoulder balance and analyze the correlation between clinical and radiological parameters which are currently used to evaluate shoulder balance. In addition to trunk shift and rib hump, shoulder balance is one of the criteria that are used to evaluate the outcomes in spinal deformity surgery. Several methods have been proposed to evaluate the shoulder balance in scoliotic patients; however, there is no uniformity to these methods in the current literature. Patients who applied to pediatric clinic without musculoskeletal pathology formed the patient population. Volunteers were asked to fill out a questionnaire assessing shoulder balance perception and had their clinical photograph taken simultaneously with a P-A chest X-ray. The clinical shoulder balance was evaluated through analysis of the clinical photograph. The X-rays were used to evaluate the radiological shoulder balance. The evaluated parameters included coracoid height difference (CHD), clavicular angle (CA), the clavicle-rib cage intersection difference (CRID), clavicular tilt angle difference (CTAD), and T1-tilt. The study group was composed of 48 male and 43 female patients with an average age of 13.6 +/- 2.1 (10-18) years. In the questionnaire, all patients stated that their shoulders were level. The digital photographs revealed that only 17(18.7%) adolescents had absolutely level shoulders. The average height difference between shoulders was 7.5 +/- 5.8 mm. The average CHD was 6.9 +/- 5.8 mm, average CA was 2.2 +/- 1.7 degrees , average CRID was 4.8 +/- 3.6 mm, average CTAD was 4 +/- 3.2 degrees , and average T1-tilt was 1.3 +/- 1.4 degrees . CHD, CA, and CRID demonstrated high correlation with clinical pictures, whereas CTAD demonstrated moderate and T1-tilt demonstrated only mild correlation. The radiological parameters used to evaluate the shoulder balance correlate with the clinical appearance. Contrary to popular belief, shoulder balance in healthy adolescents often does not exist.