The prevalence of depressive disorder and its association in Thai cervical cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence, associated factors and quality of life associated with depressive disorder in cervical cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in a gynecologic oncology clinic of a university hospital in Northern Thailand from October 2018 to August 2019. Two-hundred cervical cancer patients were screened for depressive disorder using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and psychiatrists interviewed eligible patients to confirm diagnoses. We measured the quality of life using questionnaires from the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer: Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Cervical Cancer Module 24 (EORTC QLQ-Cx24). Associated factors, including comorbidity, fatigue, and pain, were collected using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), the eleven-item Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ 11), and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (13.5%) cervical cancer patients were diagnosed with depressive disorder by psychiatrists according to the DSM-5. Depressive disorder was related to a worse quality of life in these patients. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that depressive disorder among these patients was linked with these factors: high fatigue score (aOR: 1.35; CI: 1.18-1.53), high pain score (aOR: 1.25; CI: 1.02-1.54), no perception of social support, (aOR: 3.12; CI: 1.11-8.81), and no previous surgical treatment for cervical cancer (aOR: 2.99; CI: 1.08-8.29). CONCLUSION: The depressive disorder prevalence was 13.5% in Northern Thai cervical cancer patients. In this demographic, cervical cancer patients-who reported high fatigue or pain scores, did not perceive social support, or had no previous cervical cancer surgery- were more likely to have depressive disorder.

Outcomes of Metastatic Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia: Fourteen Year Experience from a Northern Thailand Tertiary Care Center.

Metastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is an uncommon cancer. The principal treatment consists of chemotherapy with or without surgery or radiotherapy. We here retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of metastatic GTN treated at our institute between January, 1999 and December, 2013. Sixty-three patients met the criteria. The median age was 30.0 years and almost 90% were referral cases. Nearly 40% of the studied patients presented with vaginal bleeding while 22.2% were asymptomatic. The most common antecedent pregnancy was hydatidiform mole (57.1%) followed by term pregnancy (20.6%). The median interval time from antecedent pregnancy to the development of GTN was three months and the median pretreatment B-hCG was 58,274 mIU/ ml. Stage III (74.6%) was the most common staging followed by stage IV (20.6%) and stage II (4.8%). The most frequent surgery was hysterectomy (31.7%). Thoracotomy and craniotomy were performed in three and two patients, respectively. The most common first line chemotherapy regimen was methotrexate and folinic acid (36.5%) followed by EMA (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D) (34.9%), EMACO (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, vincristine) (17.5%) with the remission rate of 66.7%. Nearly one-third of the patients were given a subsequent chemotherapy regimen after failure with the first line therapy and showed a final response rate of 73.0%. However, in stage IV, the response to first line treatment was only 38.5%. In conclusion, the outcomes of metastatic GTN were poor especially with the higher stages.

Outcome of cervical cancer patients with single-node compared with no nodal involvement treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate disease-free survival (DFS) after radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL) among early-stage cervical cancer patients with single-node involvement versus patients with no nodal involvement. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of 843 patients undergoing RHPL at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand, between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2008. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered when the operative schedule was more than 1 month after diagnosis and adjuvant chemoradiation was administered to high-risk patients. Five subgroups were defined on the basis of pelvic node involvement: group A (0 nodes; n=706), group B (1 node; n=65), group C (2 nodes; n=38), group D (3 nodes; n=13), and group E (≥4 nodes; n=21). RESULTS: The 5-year DFS was comparable for groups A and B (94.3% versus 92.1%; P=0.454). In groups C, D, and E, the 5-year DFS was 85.9%, 75.0%, and 61.8%, respectively. The survival outcomes for groups A and B were significantly different from those of the other 3 groups (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Cervical cancer patients with single-node involvement had comparable survival outcomes to those without nodal metastases; however, patients with multiple node involvement had reduced DFS.

Survival and prognostic factors comparing stage IB 1 versus stage IB 2 cervical cancer treated with primary radical hysterectomy.

This study was undertaken to compare the survival rates of stage IB 1 versus stage IB 2 cervical cancer patients and to evaluate the prognostic factors after treatment primarily with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL). Patients with stage IB cervical cancer undergoing primary RHPL at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 2002 and December 2009 were evaluated for survival and recurrence. Clinicopathological variables were analyzed to identify the prognostic factors affecting the survival of the patients. During the study period, RHPL was performed on 570 stage IB 1 and 110 stage IB 2 cervical cancer patients. With a median follow-up of 48 months, the 5-year disease-free survivals were 98.1% and 82.8% respectively (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified four significant prognostic factors affecting survival including sub-staging, non-squamous cell carcinoma histology, lymph node metastasis and the presence of lymph-vascular space invasion. In conclusion, with a primary radical hysterectomy, stage IB 1 cervical cancer patients have a significantly better survival rate than those with stage IB 2. Significant prognostic factors for stage IB cervical cancer include tumor histology, nodal status, and the presence of lymph-vascular space invasion.

Treatment of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in an area of Thailand with a high incidence of cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To audit the treatment of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) at Chiang Mai University Hospital based on 12 standard requirements of the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme. METHODS: Records were reviewed of all women with histologically proven HSIL undergoing treatment at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 2005 and May 2009. RESULTS: Four of the standard requirements were not met: not all women underwent colposcopy before definitive treatment; the rate of specimen fragmentation was high; among women with ectocervical lesions, the rate of tissue removal to a depth of greater than 7 mm was low; and among women aged over 50 years with endocervical-margin involvement, the rate of repeat excision was low. CONCLUSION: This audit highlights four treatment practices that do not meet standard requirements and require detailed exploration. The development of guidelines for the treatment of cervical precancerous lesions in Thailand is challenging and merits further attention.

High-grade histologic lesions in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion cytology from a region of Thailand with a high incidence of cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of and predictors for underlying significant lesions in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) smears. METHODS: Records were retrospectively reviewed for 208 women with LSIL who underwent colposcopy and histological evaluation from October 2004 through April 2009. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 38.5 years. Forty-four (21.2%) women were nulliparous; 20 (9.6%) women were postmenopausal; 29 (13.9%) women tested positive for HIV. Thirty-three (15.9%) women were current users of combined oral contraceptive pills. The pathological results of initial colposcopic evaluations were: 63 (30.3%) with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2-3; 62 (29.8%) with CIN 1; 4 (1.9%) with cervical cancer; and 79 (38.0%) with no epithelial lesion. Current use of combined oral contraceptive pills, a positive HIV test, and multiparity were significant independent predictors for high-grade disease. CONCLUSION: Approximately one-third of women with LSIL in our population have underlying significant lesions. Current use of combined oral contraceptive pills, a positive HIV test, and multiparity are significant predictors for high-grade lesions.

Successfully conservative treatment of large cervical choriocarcinoma with profuse vaginal bleeding.

Primary choriocarcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare disease. The accurate diagnosis of such a disease is difficult to achieve because of its rarity. Furthermore, the majority of cases presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding that could be caused by other more common conditions including, threatened abortion, cervical polyp, cervical pregnancy, or cervical cancer. In the present report, the authors present a case of large cervical choriocarcinoma with life-threatening vaginal bleeding, which was initially misdiagnosed as a cervical cancer The active cervical bleeding was successfully controlled with selective uterine arterial embolization. Remission of cervical choriocarcinoma was accomplished with combination chemotherapy without the need of hysterectomy.

Routine prophylactic application of Monsel's solution after loop electrosurgical excision procedure of the cervix: is it necessary?

AIM: To determine the benefit of an immediate application of Monsel's solution after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) of the cervix for preventing postoperative bleeding. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Chang Mai, Thailand. Women who were scheduled for LEEP were approached for participation in the study. The primary endpoint was the duration of uncomplicated vaginal bleeding. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of persistent vaginal bleeding, and postoperative complications including severe early bleeding, severe delayed bleeding and infection. RESULTS: Between October 2004 and May 2006, 285 women with an abnormal Pap-smear, who had undergone LEEP, were randomly allocated to the Monsel's group (n = 140) or control group (n = 145). The baseline outcomes were similar between the two groups. In the Monsel's group, the duration of uncomplicated vaginal bleeding was significantly shorter (P < 0.001) and the occurrence of persistent vaginal bleeding was significantly lower (P = 0.014) than in the control group. The occurrence of severe complications that required treatment, including bleeding and infection, was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.379). CONCLUSION: An application of Monsel's solution after LEEP appears to reduce the duration of postoperative vaginal bleeding, but does not significantly prevent severe complications. Such practice may not be necessary if adequate hemostasis is achieved using electrical cauterization.

Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of node-negative cervical cancer patients with deep stromal invasion or lymphovascular space involvement following radical hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of node-negative cervical cancer patients who had deep stromal invasion (DSI) and/or lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of 150 node-negative stage IA2-IIA cervical cancer patients who had DSI and/or LVSI after RHPL from 1999 to 2004 were reviewed. RESULTS: Eighty-eight (58.4%) patients were treated with RHPL alone. Twenty-eight (18.7%), 23 (15.4%), eight (5.3%), and three (2%) patients received postoperative chemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, respectively. Overall, 11 (7.3%) patients developed recurrence. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival of the patients was 90.9%. By multivariate analysis, two factors, age of less than 35 years old and a non squamous histology, were significantly independent prognostic. Eight (5.3%) patients experienced treatment-related complications. CONCLUSION: Node-negative cervical cancer patients with DSI and/or LVSI had excellent clinical outcomes. Young age and non-squamous histology are significant independent prognostic factors.

High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion with endocervical cone margin involvement after cervical loop electrosurgical excision: what should a clinician do?

This study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence and severity of residual lesions in women featuring high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) histology with endocervical cone margin involvement after the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). The medical records of women undergoing LEEP at Chiang Mai University Hospital between October 2004 and February 2006 were retrospectively reviewed and 74 cases were identified. Nineteen women were excluded because of loss to follow-up. The remaining 4 were referred to other hospitals and 2 declined re-excision, leaving a study population of 55 women for analysis. Mean age+/-SD of the patients was 48.5+/-8.9 years. Residual lesions were noted in 26 (47.3%, 95%CI=33.7 to 61.2). Four (7.3%) had unrecognized invasive cervical carcinoma in subsequent specimens. In conclusion, approximately half of women with positive endocervical cone margins after LEEP for HSIL histology have residual disease. Repeat diagnostic excision is recommended for evaluation of lesions and severity.

Clinicopathologic analysis of women with synchronous primary carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary: 10- year experience from Chiang Mai University Hospital.

The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes of women with synchronous primary carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary that were treated at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 1995 and December 2004. During the study period, 43 women with such tumors were identified. These carcinomas accounted for 0.58% (95%CI=0.42-0.79%) of all gynecologic malignancies. Median age at diagnosis was 49 years (range: 34-60 years). Median body mass index (BMI) was 21.6 kg/m2(range: 15.5-27.7 kg/m(2)). The majority of women (65%) were premenopausal. The most common presenting symptom was abnormal uterine bleeding (42%), followed by a pelvic mass (30%). Twenty-seven (62.8%, 95%CI= 46.7-77.0%) women had concordant endometrioid carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary. Five (11.6%) women experienced tumor recurrence with median follow up 39 months (range: 1-85 months). The overall 5-year survival was 85.2%. There was no significant difference in survival outcomes among the women who had endometrioid/endometrioid histology and those who had other histological subtypes (P=0.674). In conclusion, synchronous primary carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary, although uncommon, should be considered in differential diagnosis in premenopausal women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding and ovarian tumors. The prognosis of patients with these tumors appears excellent.

Limited value of vaginal cytology in detecting recurrent disease after radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical carcinoma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of vaginal cytology in routine surveillance for recurrent cervical cancer after surgery. We reviewed the medical records of 565 patients with stage IB-IIA cervical cancer who were treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL) and attended follow- up at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 2000 and May 2006. With the median follow-up of 35 months (range 1-76 months), 23 (4%) patients developed recurrence. The interval from surgery to detection of recurrence ranged from 5-61 months with a median of 23 months. Of the total 4,376 vaginal smears, 5 (0.1%) showed abnormal cytology but only 1 had malignant cells and tumor recurrence. The sensitivity and specificity of vaginal cytology for detection of recurrence were 4.3% and 99.3%, respectively. In conclusion, vaginal cytology has limited value in detection of recurrence after RHPL for early-stage cervical cancer.

Cytomorphologic comparison between rehydrated air-dried and conventional wet-fixed pap smears.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cytomorphologic quality of the cervical (Pap) smears between two fixation techniques, rehydration of air-dried smears (AD) versus wet fixation (WF). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Paired-cervical smears (AD and WF) from 172 women who underwent cervical cytology screening at Chiang Mai University Hospital between August 2004 and September 2004 were prospectively evaluated for the cytologic parameters and the staining qualities. RESULTS: The mean age of the 172 women was 41.7 years +/-2 SD 18.1), 27 women (15.7%) were postmenopausal. Absence ofred blood cells in the smear background was significantly more frequent in AD smears than in WF specimens (p = 0.0006). Air-drying artifact was more frequent in AD smears compared to those of WF (p = 0.036) but was of only mild degree in all cases. There was no significant difference between AD and WF smears in the cytoplasmic quality including distinctness of cell border (p = 0.30) and satisfactory staining (p = 0.054). For the nuclear morphology, there was no significant difference between both fixation techniques in the distinctness of nuclear border (p = 0.26) and chromatin crispness (p = 0.23) of the endocervical nuclei. In squamous nuclei, AD smears had higher frequency of indistinct nuclear border and hazy chromatin compared to WF smears (p = 0.003 each). However, these were observed in only mild degree and did not affect the cytologic interpretation. CONCLUSION: The quality of AD smears was slightly inferior to WF smears but was still satisfactory for cervical cytology. AD technique may be acceptable as an alternative to wet fixation in cytologic cervical cancer screening.

Radiologic features and treatment outcomes of pulmonary metastasis in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the radiologic patterns and treatment outcome of pulmonary metastasis in patients with gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records and chest films of GTT patients treated at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 1998 and June 2003 were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 85 GTT-patients in the study period. 32 cases (37.6%) had pulmonary metastasis diagnosed with chest X-rays. The most common radiologic pattern was well defined nodule. The radiologic features of patients who had lung metastases alone were not significantly different from those who had associated metastases in other organs. 27 patients (84.3%) received multiple chemotherapy and 6 required more than one regimen. The mean number of chemotherapy was 7 cycles (range 3-23). Adjuvant surgery consisted of hysterectomy (11), salpingo-oophorectomy (1), thoracotomy (2), and craniotomy (1). Four patients received whole brain irradiation for brain metastases. Among 10 patients with lung metastasis alone, 8 (80%) attained complete remission, the remaining 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Among 22 patients with associated multiple organ metastases, 16 (72.7%) had complete remission, 2 died from diseases, 4 were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: The most common radiologic pattern of pulmonary metastasis in GTT patients was well-defined multiple lung nodules. The radiologic features of patients who had lung metastases alone were not significantly different from those who developed metastases in other organs.

Treatment results of methotrexate and folinic acid as primary chemotherapy for nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate and folinic acid (MTX-FA) chemotherapy in patients with nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (NMGTN). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between 1997 and 2003, a total of 67 patients with NMGTN received treatment at the Chiang Mai University Hospital. Of the 67 patients, 55 were initially treated with methotrexate 1.0 mg/kg intramuscularly (IM) on day 1, 3,5, and 7 and folinic acid 0.1 mg/kg IM on day 2, 4, 6 and 8. Treatment courses were repeated every 14 days. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed RESULTS: All 55 patients with NMGTN were cured. Of the 55 patients initially treated with MTX-FA, 49 (89%) achieved complete remission. Six (11%) patients developed methotrexate resistance, 3 were cured with actinomycin D, 1 were cured with 5-fluorouracil followed by etoposide, 2 required hystertectomy to attain remission. No serious toxicity was noted CONCLUSION: Methotrexate and folinic acid chemotherapy is highly effective and well-tolerated in treating patients with nonmetastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

Extent of lymphovascular space invasion and risk of pelvic lymph node metastases in stage IB1 cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the extent of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) is a risk factor for pelvic lymph node metastases in stage IBI cervical cancer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The clinicopathological data of 397 patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer undergoing radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL) at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 1998 and December 2002 were analyzed. The histology, tumor grade, depth of stromal invasion, uterine corpus involvement, parametrial invasion and LVSI were analyzed for their association with pelvic node metastases. The extent of LVSI was classified as negative, minimal (< 10 LVSI/cervical specimen), and extensive (> or = 10 LVSI/cervical specimen). RESULTS: Of the 397 patients, 146 (36.8%) had tumors containing LVSI, 82 (20.7%) and 64 (16.1%) had minimal and extensive LVSI, respectively. Fifty nine (14.9%) patients had pelvic node metastases. Using multivariable analysis, LVSI (p < 0.001), depth of stromal invasion (p < 0.001), tumor grade (p < 0.001), and parametrial invasion (p < 0.001) were significant predictors of pelvic node metastases. The extent of LVSI either minimal or extensive degree significantly influenced pelvic node metastases. CONCLUSION: The presence of LVSI especially extensive involvement was significantly associated with the risk of pelvic node metastases in stage IB1 cervical cancer.

Radical surgery for T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva through separate incisions.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to retrospectively evaluate treatment results in patients with T1 and T2 vulvar carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of 46 patients with T1 and T2 SCC of the vulva undergoing radical excision of the tumor and groin node dissection at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 1998 and December 2004 were reviewed. The tumor size, histologic grade, nodal status, lymph-vascular space invasion, lesion location, surgical marginal status, complications, recurrence and survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of the 46 patients (T1 = 15, T2 = 31) was 59 years with a range of 34-84 years. The incidence of lymph node metastases for T1 lesions was 13% compared to 35% for T2 lesions. Twenty nine patients (63%) experienced surgical complications, the most common one was lymphedema (16) while wound breakdown was noted in only 1 patient. With a median follow-up of 15 months, 14 patients (30%) developed recurrence, 3 (20%) and 11 (35%) in patients with T1 and T2 lesions respectively. The overall 5-year disease-free survival and 5-year survival were 37% and 40%, respectively. The 5-year survival of patients with T1 lesion was significantly higher than that of patients with T2 lesion (64% vs 31%, P = 0.04). Patients with negative nodes had significantly better survival than those with positive nodes (56% vs 18%, P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, only the status of groin node remained as independent prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSION: Radical excision and groin node dissection through separate incision for T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva in this study has a less favorable survival outcome compared with the literature.

Concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation and adjuvant hysterectomy for bulky stage IB-IIA cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcomes and adverse effects of concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation and adjuvant hysterectomy for bulky stage IB-IIA cervical cancer MATERIAL AND METHOD: All eligible, thirty-four patients with bulky stage IB-IIA cervical cancer were assigned to receive weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2 for 6 cycles concurrently with radiation followed by extrafascial hysterectomy 6 weeks after completion of radiation. RESULTS: Estimated 5-year progression-free and disease-free survival rates of 80% were observed after a median follow-up of 42 months. The overall recurrent rate was 18%. Grade 3 neutropenia and anemia were noted in only 5.9% and 2.9%, respectively. All acute toxicities were transient and were manageable. There were no treatment-related deaths or late toxicities. CONCLUSION: For appropriately selected patients with bulky stage IB-IIA cervical cancer, concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation followed by adjuvant hysterectomy offers an effective treatment option with acceptable toxicity.

A "See and Treat" approach for high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cervical cytology.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the final histologic findings as well as to correlate colposcopic and histologic findings in patients who had a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) on the Pap smear and underwent colposcopy followed by LEEP on the "See and Treat" basis without intervening colposcopically directed biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of patients with HGSIL on cytology who underwent LEEP without prior cervical biopsy at Chiang Mai University Hospital over a 5-month period were reviewed. The authors summarized the final LEEP histologic results and correlated colposcopic and histologic findings in these patients. RESULTS: Of 55 patients who had a see-and-treat LEEP, 53 patients (96%) had a high-grade intraepithelial lesion or higher. There were 11 patients (20%) who had invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Of 4 patients with a low-grade lesion on colposcopic examination, all had a high-grade lesion or higher on final histology. Forty-four patients (96%) with high-grade impression on colposcopy had high-grade or more severe lesion on the final histologic diagnosis. CONCLUSION: For patients with a high-grade lesion on the Pap smear, LEEP according to the "See and Treat" approach appeared to be a reasonable alternative to conventional colposcopically directed biopsy, especially in low resource settings.