QS ENDO Pilot - A Study by the Stiftung Endometrioseforschung (SEF) on the Quality of Care Provided to Patients with Endometriosis in Certified Endometriosis Centers in the DACH Region.

Introduction Endometriosis significantly reduces patients' quality of life and is additionally a burden on healthcare and social security systems. There are currently no quality indicators for the treatment of endometriosis. The care of patients with endometriosis must be considered inadequate. QS ENDO aims to record the quality of care available in the DACH region and to introduce quality indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis as part of providing quality assurance in endometriosis care. The first phase, QS ENDO Real, recorded the reality of current care using a questionnaire. The second phase, QS ENDO Pilot, investigated the treatment of 435 patients who underwent surgical treatment within a defined one month period in certified endometriosis centers. Material and Methods An online tool was used to gather information about 9 points which covered both prior patient history and the process of clinical diagnosis. Surgery reports were reviewed to obtain information about the surgical approach, the investigated sites, findings of any histological examinations, the use of classification systems, and information about resection status. Results 85.3% of patients were asked all 4 questions about their prior medical history. All 5 diagnostic steps were carried out in 34.5% of patients. The 3 areas needed to describe potential sites of disease were recorded in 67.1% of patients. Samples for histological examination were taken in 84.1% of patients. The endometriosis stage was classified in 94.7% of surgeries. A combination of the rASRM and the ENZIAN classifications, which is needed for complex cases, was used in 46.1% of patients. Complete resection was achieved in 81.6% of surgical procedures. Conclusion For the first time, the quality of care in certified endometriosis centers has been recorded using QS ENDO Pilot. Despite the high certification standards, a substantial number of required indicators were omitted.

Preoperative application of the Enzian classification for endometriosis (The cEnzian Study): A prospective international multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic performance of preoperative application of the Enzian classification (cEnzian) using surgical findings as reference standard. DESIGN: A prospective international non-interventional study. SETTING: Twelve endometriosis centres in four European countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Czech Republic). POPULATION: 1062 women with endometriosis surgery. METHODS: Extent of endometriosis was preoperatively classified using the cEnzian classification based on gynaecological examination and/or transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After subsequent surgery, the surgeon classified the intraoperative findings using the Enzian classification. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+ , LR- and accuracy were calculated. Conditional frequencies of intraoperative Enzian codings and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed for each preoperative coding and visualised in plots. RESULTS: Although overall consistency of cEnzian and Enzian was poor (35.14%, 95% confidence interval 32.26-38.03), high specificities and negative predictive values (NPVs) of the cEnzian compartments could be demonstrated. Looking at the individual parts of the Enzian classification, the poorest diagnostic performance was detected for compartment B and the highest PPVs were found for category 3 lesions (>3 cm), independent of the compartment. CONCLUSIONS: Using the Enzian classification in a non-invasive setting is a useful tool providing us with an 'at a glance' summary of the diagnostic workup regarding deep endometriosis with high specificities and NPVs. An attempt to merge the two new endometriosis classification systems (#Enzian and AAGL 2021) seems reasonable taking into consideration the respective advantages of each other.

QS ENDO Real - A Study by the German Endometriosis Research Foundation (SEF) on the Reality of Care for Patients with Endometriosis in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Endometriosis affects a significant number of young premenopausal women. Quite apart from the medical challenges, endometriosis is a relevant burden for healthcare and social security systems. Standardized quality indicators for the treatment of endometriosis have not previously been systematically verified. The three-stage study QS ENDO was initiated to record and improve the reality and quality of care. One of its aims is to create quality indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. For the first stage of QS ENDO Real, letters were sent to all 1014 gynecological departments in the German-speaking area of Europe (the DACH region) which included a questionnaire as a means of surveying the current state of care. A total of 296 (29.2%) of the centers which received the questionnaire participated in the survey. The subsequent evaluation of the completed questionnaires showed that the majority of patients with endometriosis (around 60%, based on estimates from the data) are not treated in hospitals which have been certified by the SEF. The guidelines recommend the use of specific classification systems (rASRM, ENZIAN) but, depending on the level of care offered by the hospital, only around 44.4 to 66.4% of departments used the rASRM score and only 27% of hospitals used the ENZIAN classification system to describe deep-infiltrating endometriosis. When taking patients' medical history, some centers (6.6 - 17.9%) considered questions about leading symptoms such as dyschezia, dysuria and dyspareunia to be unimportant. QS ENDO Real has made it possible, for the first time, to get an overview of the reality of care provided to patients with endometriosis in the German-speaking areas of Europe. The findings indicate that several of the measures recommended in international guidelines as the gold standard of care are only used to treat some of the patients. In this respect, more efforts will be needed to provide more advanced training. The approach used for treatment must be guideline-based, also in not-certified centers, to improve the quality of care in the treatment of patients with endometriosis.

Systematic analysis and validation of differential gene expression in ovarian serous adenocarcinomas and normal ovary.

PURPOSE: Cancer of the ovary confers the worst prognosis among women with gynecological malignancies, primarily because most ovarian cancers are diagnosed at late stage. Hence, there is a substantial need to develop new diagnostic biomarkers to enable detection of ovarian cancer at earlier stages, which would confer better prognosis. In addition, the identification of druggable targets is of substantial interest to find new therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer. METHODS: The expression of 22,500 genes in a series of 67 serous papillary carcinomas was compared with 9 crudely enriched normal ovarian tissue samples by RNA hybridization on oligonucleotide microarrays. Multiple genes with near-uniformly expression were elevated in carcinomas of varying grade and malignant potential, including several previously described genes (e.g., MUC-1, CD9, CD24, claudin 3, and mesothelin). We performed immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against several of the proteins encoded by differentially expressed genes in an independent cohort of 71 cases of paraffin-embedded ovarian cancer samples. RESULTS: We found striking differences in EpCAM (p < 0.005), CD9 (p < 0.001), MUC-1 (p < 0.001), and claudin 3 proteins (p < 0.001) but not for mesothelin (p > 0.05) using the Mann-Whitney U test. CONCLUSIONS: Protein expression of a majority of the differentially expressed genes tested was found to be elevated in ovarian carcinomas and, as such, define potential new biomarkers or targets.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with vulvar cancer.

BACKGROUND: The anticarcinogenic potential of vitamin D 25(OH)D has been attributed to the inhibition of proliferation of cells from different carcinomas. Reduced serum levels of 25(OH)D are associated with an increased incidence of various types of cancer. The influence of serum 25(OH)D on the incidence and outcome of patients with vulvar cancer is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum 25(OH)D levels in 24 patients with vulvar cancer and 24 age-matched cancer-free patients was investigated. The blood samples were collected between October 2009 and September 2010 and time of blood collection of each patient and control was matched to avoid seasonal variations between the pairs. RESULTS: The median 25(OH)D serum levels in the under 50 year old group of patients were significantly lower in the vulvar cancer group than the controls. The younger cancer group also had an age-related trend of lower median serum level than the older population. In the control population the trend was vice versa, yet this finding was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Serum 25(OH)D has a possible role in the pathogenesis and progression of vulvar cancer, but further investigations of the association of vitamin D and vulvar cancer as well as regarding its influence on patient survival and quality of life are warranted in the future.

Vitamin D receptor expression in patients with vulvar cancer.

The anticarcinogenic potential of vitamin D is attributed to antiproliferative and prodifferentiative effects on cells for a wide variety of carcinomas. The biological effects of 1,25(OH)(2)D (calcitriol) are mediated through a soluble receptor protein termed vitamin D receptor (VDR). However, thus far there have been no studies evaluating the association between VDR expression and vulvar cancer. Using immunohistochemical analysis, VDR expression was evaluated separately in the nucleus, cytoplasm and membrane, in vulvar cancer samples and adjacent non-pathological vulvar tissue from 48 squamous cell carcinoma patients with no prior therapy, and the association between VDR and overall survival was investigated. Overall, among the 48 vulvar cancer cases, nuclear and cytoplasmic VDR expression was present in 47 (97.9%) and 23 (47.9%) cases respectively. The median nuclear VDR expression was significantly higher as compared to the cytoplasmic VDR in the vulvar cancer tissue. No significant correlation between VDR values and the age of the patients was detected. Nuclear and cytoplasmatic VDR in the vulvar cancer tissue were also compared according to the tumor size, and no significant association between mean tumor VDR and tumor size was detected. There was no association between cytoplasmatic VDR expression and OS, but better OS was observed in patients with reduced nuclear VDR expression as compared to those with high VDR expression. VDR may be considered as a useful pathological marker.

Influence of calcitriol on prostaglandin- and vitamin D-metabolising enzymes in benign and malignant breast cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a potential molecular prognostic factor for breast cancer, and calcitriol [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)], the biologically active form of vitamin D, is a promising target in breast cancer therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influence of calcitriol on the proliferation and the effects of calcitriol on the expression of prostaglandin- and vitamin D-metabolising enzymes were examined in benign and malignant breast cells. RESULTS: Calcitriol inhibited the proliferation of MCF-10F and MCF-7 cells but not of invasive MDA-MB-231 cells and reduced the expression of COX-2 and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) in the benign breast cell line MCF-10F. Furthermore, dysregulation in vitamin D-metabolising proteins was detected, especially in MDA-MB-231 cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest dysregulation of vitamin D metabolism and a lack of a possible influence of calcitriol on the metabolism of prostaglandins in the malignant breast cell lines.

Expression of prostaglandin- and vitamin D-metabolising enzymes in benign and malignant breast cells.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a crucial role in prognosis of malignancy and has been associated with carcinogenesis, particularly neoangiogenesis and tumor progression. 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is described as a tumour suppressor in cancer. The antiproliferative effects of calcitriol [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] mediated via the vitamin D receptor (VDR) render vitamin D a promising target in breast cancer therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of prostaglandin (PG)-metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D-metabolising enzymes and VDR were determined in benign and malignant breast cell lines using western blot analysis. RESULTS: We detected an inverse correlation between the two types of metabolism, a reduced VDR expression in the malignant breast cell lines, and therefore an insufficient induction of 24-hydroxylase in the malignant cells. CONCLUSION: We suggest the possibility of dysregulation of vitamin D-metabolizing enzymes in malignant breast cell lines.

Contralateral metastasis of parotid gland in advanced breast cancer with peripheral facial paralysis.

PURPOSE: Malignant tumors of the parotid gland are very rare. Until now there have only been a few reported cases of patients with distant metastasis of breast cancer in the parotid gland. This case shows the rarity of the disease. METHODS: This case is about a 74-year-old woman with an invasive lobular carcinoma of the left breast. The initial diagnosis was made four years ago. The operation which was done was a quadrantectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. It was followed by radiotherapy of the breast. The recommended chemotherapy was declined by the patient. RESULTS: Three years after the initial diagnosis of lobular invasive breast cancer a nodular change in the cicatrice of the mastectomy occurred. The patient also had a contralateral peripheral facial paralysis, caused by a distant metastasis in the right parotid gland. CONCLUSIONS: When there is a tumor in the parotid gland and a histological classified adenocarcinoma is found, the differential diagnosis of breast cancer metastasis should be considered.

Vitamin D, calcidiol and calcitriol regulate vitamin D metabolizing enzymes in cervical and ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: The vitamin D metabolizing enzymes 25-, 1α- and 24-hydroxylase are expressed in malignant cells of the cervix and the ovaries. The aim of this study was to obtain further information about the regulation of the aforementioned enzymes by vitamin D, calcidiol and calcitriol in cervical and ovarian cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line HeLa and the human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line OVCAR-3 were incubated with vitamin D, calcidiol and calcitriol. The influence of vitamin D and its metabolites on the expression of 25-, 1α- and 24-hydroxylase was assessed by real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: Calcitriol significantly increased the 24-hydroxylase mRNA levels in HeLa and OVCAR-3 cells. The expression of 25- and 1α-hydroxylase was not regulated in a statistically significant manner. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in HeLa as well as OVCAR-3 cell lines, the metabolism of vitamin D is regulated via the expression of the catabolizing 24-hydroxylase.

Immunhistochemical analysis for expression of calpain 1, calpain 2 and calpastatin in endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Calpains (CAPN) are intracellular, non-lysosomal cytoplasmic cysteine endopeptidases and they are expressed ubiquitously. Their endogenous specific inhibitor is calpastatin. When calcium is present, calpastatin and calpain attach to each other, inhibiting the protease. The calpain system plays an important role in many processes including apoptosis, necrosis, ischaemia and exocytosis. The role of calpains in pathogenesis or further tumour progression has been proved in related studies. This study focused on the expression of the enzymes calpain 1, calpain 2 and the inhibitor calpastatin in normal and malignant endometrial tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical stainings were performed on paraffin slices and staining intensity, percentage of positive cells and international ratio score were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The endometrial carcinoma showed a higher expression of calpastatin than benign endometrial tissue.

Prostaglandin metabolising enzymes and PGE2 are inversely correlated with vitamin D receptor and 25(OH)2D3 in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is associated with inflammatory processes based on an up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. The antiproliferative effects of calcitriol (1,25(OH)(2)D(3)) mediated via the vitamin D receptor (VDR) render vitamin D a promising target in breast cancer therapy. First data suggest a correlation between vitamin D and prostaglandin metabolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined the expression of VDR, COX-2, 15-PGDH and the prostaglandin receptors EP(2)/EP(4) in normal and malignant breast tissue by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, as well as 25(OH)(2)D(3) and PGE(2) plasma levels from healthy and breast cancer patients. RESULTS: Significantly higher COX-2, lower VDR and lower EP(2) and EP(4) receptor protein levels in the malignant tissue and a significantly lower 15-PGDH protein level in normal breast tissue were detected. Breast cancer patients older than 45 years, diagnosed and sampled in the winter time had significantly lower 25(OH)(2)D(3) and higher PGE(2) serum levels. CONCLUSION: The inverse correlation between VDR and both COX-2 and 15-PGDH, as well as between PGE(2) and 25(OH)(2)D(3) levels, suggests a possible link between VDR-associated target genes and prostaglandin metabolism.

Expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) in benign and malignant ovarian tissue and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH2)D3) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) serum level in ovarian cancer patients.

Ovarian carcinomas are associated with increased inflammation which is based upon an up-regulation of inducible cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Moreover, based on our previous published data, the extra-renal vitamin D metabolism seems to be dysregulated in comparison to healthy tissue. In order to gain further insight into the prostaglandin (PG)- and vitamin D-metabolism in ovarian carcinomas, the study aimed to evaluate the expression of the PG metabolising enzymes COX-2 and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) compared to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in benign and malignant ovarian tissues. Additionally, we determined the 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH2)D3) serum levels. Expression of VDR, COX-2 and 15-PGDH was determined by Western blot analysis. Serum levels of 25(OH2)D3 and PGE2 were measured by chemiluminescence-based and colorimetric immunoassay. We detected significantly higher expressions of the PG metabolising enzymes 15-PGDH and COX-2 in malignant tissue and PGE2 serum levels were 2-fold higher in tumour patients. Furthermore, we found an inverse correlation to the VDR-expression which was 62.1% lower in malignant tissues compared to that in benign tissues. Surprisingly, we could not detect any differences between the 25(OH2)D3 serum levels in either group (n=20). These data suggest a correlation between PG- and vitamin D-metabolism in ovarian carcinomas.

Immunohistochemistry of DNA mismatch repair enzyme MSH2 is not correlated with prognostic data from endometrial carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The human Mut-S-homolog-2 (MSH2) is part of the DNA mismatch repair system (MMR). Mutations in genes of the MMR are a predisposition to hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). In women, MMR gene mutations may lead to primary endometrial cancer (EC). The important function of the MMR for the integrity of the DNA during replication makes it probable that the MMR might also be involved in the development and the course of sporadic carcinomas. Insufficient MMR activity or expression levels could be prognostic markers of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of MSH2 was performed in 86 tumor samples from patients with EC. RESULTS: Compared to known tumor markers, namely estrogen and progesterone receptors, histopathological grading, TNM stage and FIGO classification, no significant correlation between MSH2 immunoreactivity and EC was found. CONCLUSION: MSH2 immunohistochemical analysis is not of prognostic value for endometrial carcinoma.

Expression of prostaglandin metabolising enzymes COX-2 and 15-PGDH and VDR in human granulosa cells.

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandins (PGs) within the periovulatory follicle are essential for various female reproductive functions such as follicular development and maturation. In animal models, granulosa cells express the PG synthesizing enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the PG inactivating enzyme 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH). First references suggest a correlation between vitamin D and prostaglandin metabolism through the impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 (calcitriol) on the expression of COX-2 and 15-PGDH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of COX-2, 15-PGDH and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in human granulosa cells (COV434, hGC and HGL5), which were originally isolated from different stages of follicular maturation, was determined by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: A positive correlation of COX-2 and VDR protein was found in the COV434 and HGL5 cells and an inverse correlation of 15-PGDH and VDR protein levels in all the investigated cell types. CONCLUSION: There may be a link between VDR, associated target genes and prostaglandin metabolism in human follicular maturation and luteolysis.

Prostaglandin metabolizing enzymes in correlation with vitamin D receptor in benign and malignant breast cell lines.

BACKGROUND: The antiproliferative effects of calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D3) mediated via the vitamin D receptor (VDR), render the biologically active form of vitamin D a promising target in breast cancer therapy. Furthermore, breast cancer is associated with inflammatory processes based on an up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesizing enzyme. The PGE2 metabolizing enzyme, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is described as a tumor suppressor in cancer. First references suggest a correlation between vitamin D and prostaglandin metabolism through the impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the expression of COX-2 and 15-PGDH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of VDR, COX-2 and 15-PGDH in benign MCF-10F and malignant MCF-7 breast cells was determined by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Although the RT-PCR data were divergent from those obtained from the Western blot analysis, the COX-2 protein expression was MCF-7 2-fold higher in the MCF-7 compared to the MCF-10F cells. Moreover, a correlation of 15-PGDH to VDR by RT-PCR was found in both cell lines. The VDR protein levels were inversely correlated to the 15-PGDH protein levels and revealed that the MCF-10F cells had the highest VDR expression. CONCLUSION: A possible link between VDR-associated target genes and prostaglandin metabolism is suggested.