Adherence to risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy guidelines among gynecologic oncologists compared to general gynecologists.

BACKGROUND: Risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy reduces mortality from high-grade serous carcinoma in patients with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer associated gene mutations. Ideal surgical management includes 5 steps outlined in 2005 by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In addition, it is recommended that pathologic examination include serial sectioning of specimens. In practice, risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy is performed by both gynecologic oncologists and general gynecologists. To ensure optimal detection of occult malignancy, standardized adherence to outlined guidelines is necessary. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the adherence to optimal surgical and pathologic examination guidelines and to compare the rate of occult malignancy at the time of surgery between 2 provider types. STUDY DESIGN: Institutional review board exemption was obtained. A retrospective review of patients undergoing risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without hysterectomy from October 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020, at 3 sites within a healthcare system was conducted. The inclusion criteria included age ≥18 years and a documented indication for surgery being a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 or a strong family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. Compliance with 5 surgical steps and pathologic specimen preparation was based on medical record documentation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine differences in adherence between provider groups and surgical and pathologic examination guidelines. A P value of <.025 was considered statistically significant for the 2 primary outcomes after Bonferroni correction was applied to adjust for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 185 patients were included. Among the 96 cases performed by gynecologic oncologists, 69 (72%) performed all 5 steps of surgery, 22 (23%) performed 4 steps, 5 (5%) performed 3 steps, and none performed 1 or 2 steps. Among the 89 cases performed by general gynecologists, 4 (5%) performed all 5 steps, 33 (37%) performed 4 steps, 38 (43%) performed 3 steps, 13 (15%) performed 2 steps, and 1 (1%) performed 1 step. Gynecologic oncologists were more likely to document adherence to all 5 recommended surgical steps in their surgical dictation (odds ratio, 54.3; 95% confidence interval, 18.1-162.7; P<.0001). Among the 96 cases documented by gynecologic oncologists, 41 (43%) had serial sectioning of all specimens performed, compared with 23 of 89 cases (26%) performed by general gynecologists. No difference in adherence to pathologic guidelines was identified between the 2 provider groups (P=.0489; note: P value of >.025). Overall, 5 patients (2.70%) had occult malignancy diagnosed at the time of risk-reducing surgery, with all surgeries performed by general gynecologists. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated greater compliance with surgical guidelines for risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in gynecologic oncologists than in general gynecologists. No considerable difference was determined between the 2 provider types in adherence to pathologic guidelines. Our findings demonstrated a need for institution-wide protocol education and implementation of standardized nomenclature to ensure provider adherence to evidence-based guidelines.

Maveropepimut-S, a DPX-Based Immune-Educating Therapy, Shows Promising and Durable Clinical Benefit in Patients with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer, a Phase II Trial.

PURPOSE: Patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer respond poorly to existing therapies. Hence there is a need for more effective treatments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The DeCidE1 trial is a multicenter, randomized, open-label, single-arm phase II study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of maveropepimut-S with cyclophosphamide in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Median follow-up for evaluable subjects was 4.4 months. Data were collected from March 2019 to June 2021. Subjects received two injections of 0.25 mL maveropepimut-S 3 weeks apart, followed by one 0.1-mL doses, every 8 weeks up to progression. Oral cyclophosphamide, 50 mg twice daily, was administered in repeating weekly on and off cycles. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were enrolled. Median age was 58 years (38-78 years). Among the evaluable population, the objective response rate (ORR) was 21% [90% confidence interval (CI), 7.5%-41.9%], with a disease control rate (DCR) of 63% (90% CI, 41.8%-81.3%), including 4 (21%) patients with partial responses, 8 (42%) stable disease, and 7 (37%) progressive disease. The ORRs were consistent across subgroups based on platinum sensitivity, and DCR was higher in the platinum-resistant subpopulation. Four SD patients maintained clinical benefit up to 25 months. Most treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were grade 1 and 2 (87% of unique events). Most common AEs were injection site reactions. Eight subjects reported grade 3 and no grade 4 AEs. Survivin-specific T-cell responses were observed in treated patients with clinical benefit. CONCLUSIONS: Maveropepimut-S with intermittent low-dose cyclophosphamide is well-tolerated, with clinical benefit for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Observed responses are irrespective of the platinum status.

Right middle cerebral artery stroke secondary to ovarian clear cell carcinoma in a 35-year-old: A case report.

Thromboembolic events (TEEs) can be classified into two types: venous TEEs (vTEEs), such as pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and arterial TEEs (ATEs), such as acute myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. Ovarian cancer has a high incidence of venous thromboembolism, with the clear cell subtype carrying the highest risk. However, the incidence of ATEs, especially cerebral infarction, in patients with ovarian carcinoma, of all subtypes, is much lower. This report is of a rare case of a 35-year-old Asian woman who presented with sudden onset of left hemiplegia and right gaze as the first presenting signs of an underlying ovarian malignancy. The patient had no pertinent medical history and no underlying cardiovascular risk factors. Final diagnosis was stage 2B clear cell carcinoma of the ovary without lymphovascular invasion arising from endometriosis. Patients who suffer from arterial thrombosis without known atherosclerotic risk factors should undergo further evaluations to rule out the possibility of cancer, particularly ovarian carcinoma.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Identifies PPARGC1A as a Putative Modifier of Cancer Risk in BRCA1/2 Mutation Carriers.

While BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are known to confer the largest risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, the incomplete penetrance of the mutations and the substantial variability in age at cancer onset among carriers suggest additional factors modifying the risk of cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. To identify genetic modifiers of BRCA1/2, we carried out a whole-genome sequencing study of 66 ovarian cancer patients that were enriched with BRCA carriers, followed by validation using data from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium. We found PPARGC1A, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, to be highly mutated in BRCA carriers, and patients with both PPARGC1A and BRCA1/2 mutations were diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer at significantly younger ages, while the mutation status of each gene alone did not significantly associate with age of onset. Our study suggests PPARGC1A as a possible BRCA modifier gene. Upon further validation, this finding can help improve cancer risk prediction and provide personalized preventive care for BRCA carriers.

Radiotherapy dose escalation on pelvic lymph node control in patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Data supporting dose escalation for node-positive cervical cancer are currently limited to small retrospective studies. The goal of this study was to assess whether radiation dose was associated with lymph node control or gastrointestinal toxicity in patients with node-positive cervical cancer. METHODS: A total of 390 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated between October 1997 and October 2017. Patients included in our analysis were those with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma who were node-positive, treated definitively, and with at least one follow-up visit and post-treatment imaging scan. We excluded those without follow-up and those treated with palliative intent. All patients were treated with external beam radiation to pelvic±para-aortic fields with concurrent weekly cisplatin. All lymph nodes present at the time of treatment were stratified by size as <2 cm or ≥2 cm. Acute and late gastrointestinal toxicity were recorded for all patients. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients with 206 lymph nodes were identified. Median stage at presentation was FIGO IIB. Thirteen patients underwent definitive surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiation, of which 12 were treated to doses ≤5040 (range 2700-5940) cGy. Sixty-four patients were treated with definitive chemoradiation, of which 42 (66%) received ≤5040 (range 4500-5040) cGy and 22 (34%) received >5040 (range 5300-6640) cGy. Patients with pre-chemoradiation lymph nodes ≥2 cm had inferior lymph node control compared with patients with pre-chemoradiation lymph node <2 cm at 12 months (77% vs 100%, p=0.002). Radiation dose >5040 cGy was not significantly associated with improved lymph node control compared with ≤5040 cGy when analyzing all patients (12 months, 100% vs 89%, p=0.112). In patients with pre-chemoradiation lymph nodes ≥2 cm, radiation dose >5040 cGy was associated with improved lymph node control (12 months, 100% vs 60%, p=0.020). Acute grade ≥2 gastrointestinal toxicity was not associated with radiation dose >5040 cGy (20% vs 13%, p=0.424). Two patients developed grade ≥2 late gastrointestinal toxicity, both of whom were treated to ≤5040 cGy. CONCLUSIONS: This series supports the role of dose escalation for patients with lymph nodes ≥2 cm. Dose escalation is associated with improved control in patients with larger lymph nodes, and is not associated with greater gastrointestinal toxicity.

Whole-exome sequencing of ovarian cancer families uncovers putative predisposition genes.

Despite the identification of several ovarian cancer (OC) predisposition genes, a large proportion of familial OC risk remains unexplained. We adopted a two-stage design to identify new OC predisposition genes. We first carried out a large germline whole-exome sequencing study on 158 patients from 140 families with significant OC history, but without evidence of genetic predisposition due to BRCA1/2. We then evaluated the potential candidate genes in a large case-control association study involving 381 OC cases in the Cancer Genome Atlas project and 27,173 population controls from the Exome Aggregation Consortium. Two new putative OC risk genes were identified, namely, ANKRD11, a putative tumor suppressor, and POLE, an enzyme involved in DNA repair and replication. These two genes likely confer moderate OC risk. We performed in vitro experiments and showed an ANKRD11 mutation identified in our patients markedly lowered the protein expression by compromising protein stability. Upon future validation and functional characterization, these genes may shed light on cancer etiology along with improving ascertainment power and preventive care of individuals at high risk of OC.

Management options for a patient with squamous cell carcinoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary.

OBJECTIVE: Mature cystic teratomas, also referred to as dermoid cysts, are one of the commonly occurring ovarian germ cell tumors. Malignant transformation of a germ cell tumor occurs approximately 1-2% of the time. Treatment options vary by stage and are not well outlined in the literature. Here we report a case of a perimenopausal female who presented with increasing abdominal girth and an elevated CA-125. Final pathology revealed an invasive squamous cell carcinoma, moderately to poorly differentiated, multifocal, arising in a cyst on the left ovary, possibly a teratoma. At the time of diagnosis, the patient was FIGO stage IA. The decision was made against adjuvant treatment. Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma of the ovary is rare. Treatment options are not well outlined in the literature, especially for disease less than stage II. Further research is needed to better inform the clinician on management recommendations.

Survivin-targeted immunotherapy drives robust polyfunctional T cell generation and differentiation in advanced ovarian cancer patients.

DepoVax™ is an innovative and strongly immunogenic vaccine platform. Survivin is highly expressed in many tumor types and has reported prognostic value. To generate tumor-specific immune response, a novel cancer vaccine was formulated in DepoVax platform (DPX-Survivac) using survivin HLA class I peptides. Safety and immune potency of DPX-Survivac was tested in combination with immune-modulator metronomic cyclophosphamide in ovarian cancer patients. All the patients receiving the therapy produced antigen-specific immune responses; higher dose vaccine and cyclophosphamide treatment generating significantly higher magnitude responses. Strong T cell responses were associated with differentiation of naïve T cells into central/effector memory (CM/EM) and late differentiated (LD) polyfunctional antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. This approach enabled rapid de novo activation/expansion of vaccine antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and provided a strong rationale for further testing to determine clinical benefits associated with this immune activation. These data represent vaccine-induced T cell activation in a clinical setting to a self-tumor antigen previously described only in animal models.

Endometrial cancer: a review and current management strategies: part I.

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecologic malignancy. A thorough understanding of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management strategies for this cancer allows the obstetrician-gynecologist to identify women at increased risk, contribute toward risk reduction, and facilitate early diagnosis. The Society of Gynecologic Oncology's Clinical Practice Committee has reviewed the literature and created evidence-based practice recommendations for diagnosis and treatment. This article examines: • Risk factors, including genetic predisposition • Diagnostic and metastatic evaluation • Surgical management of early and advanced cancer, including lymphadenectomy in early cancer.

Ovarian cancer clinical trial endpoints: Society of Gynecologic Oncology white paper.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of multiple clinical endpoints in the unique setting of ovarian cancer. METHODS: A clinical trial workgroup was established by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology to develop a consensus statement via multiple conference calls, meetings and white paper drafts. RESULTS: Clinical trial endpoints have profound effects on late phase clinical trial design, result interpretation, drug development, and regulatory approval of therapeutics. Selection of the optimal clinical trial endpoint is particularly provocative in ovarian cancer where long overall survival (OS) is observed. The lack of new regulatory approvals and the lack of harmony between regulatory bodies globally for ovarian cancer therapeutics are of concern. The advantages and disadvantages of the numerous endpoints available are herein discussed within the unique context of ovarian cancer where both crossover and post-progression therapies potentially uncouple surrogacy between progression-free survival (PFS) and OS, the two most widely supported and utilized endpoints. The roles of patient reported outcomes (PRO) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) are discussed, but even these widely supported parameters are affected by the unique characteristics of ovarian cancer where a significant percentage of patients may be asymptomatic. Original data regarding the endpoint preferences of ovarian cancer advocates is presented. CONCLUSIONS: Endpoint selection in ovarian cancer clinical trials should reflect the impact on disease burden and unique characteristics of the treatment cohort while reflecting true patient benefit. Both OS and PFS have led to regulatory approvals and are clinically important. OS remains the most objective and accepted endpoint because it is least vulnerable to bias; however, the feasibility of OS in ovarian cancer is compromised by the requirement for large trial size, prolonged time-line for final analysis, and potential for unintended loss of treatment effect from active post-progression therapies. A large magnitude of effect in PFS improvement should establish benefit, and further communication with regulatory authorities to clarify acceptable endpoints should be undertaken.

Effects of 1-methyltryptophan stereoisomers on IDO2 enzyme activity and IDO2-mediated arrest of human T cell proliferation.

IDO2 is a newly discovered enzyme with 43 % similarity to classical IDO (IDO1) protein and shares the same critical catalytic residues. IDO1 catalyzes the initial and rate-limiting step in the degradation of tryptophan and is a key enzyme in mediating tumor immune tolerance via arrest of T cell proliferation. The role of IDO2 in human T cell immunity remains controversial. Here, we demonstrate that similar to IDO1, IDO2 also degrades tryptophan into kynurenine and is inhibited more efficiently by Levo-1-methyl tryptophan (L-1MT), an IDO1 competitive inhibitor, than by dextro-methyl tryptophan (D-1MT). Although IDO2 enzyme activity is weaker than IDO1, it is less sensitive to 1-MT inhibition than IDO1. Moreover, our results indicate that human CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell proliferation was inhibited by IDO2, but both L-1MT and D-1MT could not reverse IDO2-mediated arrest of cell proliferation, even at high concentrations. These data indicate that IDO2 is an inhibitory mechanism in human T cell proliferation and support efforts to develop more effective IDO1 and IDO2 inhibitors in order to overcome IDO-mediated immune tolerance.

Expression and serum immunoreactivity of developmentally restricted differentiation antigens in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Cancer-embryo antigens or developmentally restricted differentiation antigens (DRDAGs), such as PLAC1 (CT92) and developmental pluripotency associated-2 (DPPA2/CT100), are expressed in pluripotent embryonic cells. They are also recognized as cancer-testis antigens (CT) which are proteins normally expressed only in the human germ line but that are also present in a significant subset of malignant tumors. These antigens may prove to be markers of 'repopulating' cells with stem cell-like characteristics and could be critical targets for immunotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Our objective was to define the frequency of expression and immunogenicity of PLAC1 and DPPA2 in EOC and correlate expression with clinical outcome. One-step reverse transcriptase PCR was performed on 101 EOC samples and a panel of normal tissues. Expression of PLAC1 and DPPA2 in the EOC specimens was 21/101 (21%) and 31/101 (31%) respectively. In normal tissues, PLAC1 expression was restricted to the placenta while DPPA2 expression was restricted to the placenta and testis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were also performed on a subset of specimens. Humoral immunity was demonstrable in 2/12 serum samples from patients whose tumors expressed DPPA2. There was no demonstrable antibody response to PLAC1 in patients with PLAC1 positive tumors. The presence of PLAC1 and DPPA2 did not have a statistically significant effect on recurrence-free and overall survival. The tissue-restricted expression of PLAC1 and DPPA2, their expression in a significant proportion of EOC patients, and their potential to represent markers of stem cells make DRDAGs attractive targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy in EOC.

Efficacy of levo-1-methyl tryptophan and dextro-1-methyl tryptophan in reversing indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-mediated arrest of T-cell proliferation in human epithelial ovarian cancer.

It has been reported that levo-1-methyl tryptophan (L-1MT) can block indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expressed by human dendritic cells (DC), whereas dextro-1-methyl tryptophan (D-1MT) is inefficient. However, whether L-1MT or D-1MT can efficiently reverse IDO-induced arrest of human T-cell proliferation has not been clarified. Here, we show a marked immunosuppressive effect of IDO derived from INDO-transfected 293 cell, IDO+ ovarian cancer cells, and monocyte-derived DCs on CD4+ Th1 cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells derived from peripheral blood, ascites, and tumors of ovarian cancer patients. We found that, whereas L-1MT and D/L-1MT can restore proliferation of tumor-derived and peripheral blood T-cell subsets, D-1MT does not effectively restore IDO-induced arrest of T-cell proliferation. Although D-1MT inhibited kynurenine production at high concentrations, L-1MT was more effective in abrogating kynurenine generation and tryptophan depletion, whereas tryptophan was completely depleted by IDO even in the presence of high amounts of D-1MT. Together, the results indicate that, whereas the generation of tryptophan metabolites (kynurenines) by IDO is important in mediating suppression of T-cell proliferation, the degree to which tryptophan depletion is restored by 1MT is also critical in overcoming IDO-induced arrest of T-cell proliferation.

Vaccination with an NY-ESO-1 peptide of HLA class I/II specificities induces integrated humoral and T cell responses in ovarian cancer.

NY-ESO-1 is a "cancer-testis" antigen expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and is among the most immunogenic tumor antigens defined to date. The NY-ESO-1 peptide epitope, ESO(157-170), is recognized by HLA-DP4-restricted CD4+ T cells and HLA-A2- and A24-restricted CD8+ T cells. To test whether providing cognate helper CD4+ T cells would enhance the antitumor immune response, we conducted a phase I clinical trial of immunization with ESO(157-170) mixed with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (Montanide ISA51) in 18 HLA-DP4+ EOC patients with minimal disease burden. NY-ESO-1-specific Ab responses and/or specific HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ and HLA-DP4-restricted CD4+ T cell responses were induced by a course of at least five vaccinations at three weekly intervals in a high proportion of patients. There were no serious vaccine-related adverse events. Vaccine-induced CD8+ and CD4+ T cell clones were shown to recognize NY-ESO-1-expressing tumor targets. T cell receptor analysis indicated that tumor-recognizing CD4+ T cell clones were structurally distinct from non-tumor-recognizing clones. Long-lived and functional vaccine-elicited CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were detectable in some patients up to 12 months after immunization. These results confirm the paradigm that the provision of cognate CD4+ T cell help is important for cancer vaccine design and provides the rationale for a phase II study design using ESO(157-170) epitope or the full-length NY-ESO-1 protein for immunotherapy in patients with EOC.

Clinical and pathological predictive factors in women with adult-type granulosa cell tumor of the ovary.

Granulosa cell tumor (GCT) is a rare neoplasm hallmarked by a very indolent course and late recurrences. Although numerous clinical and pathological parameters have been implicated as prognostic factors for GCT, their role remains controversial. We performed a retrospective study at our institution where we identified 48 patients with GCT from our tumor registry. Demographic and clinical course information was recorded from the medical record. Twenty of 48 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks were retrieved from archived specimens. Pathological parameters such as nuclear atypia, mitotic count, Ki-67 index using immunohistochemistry, and quantitative DNA ploidy were performed. DNA aneuploidy by quantitative method was associated with patients' overall survival. The degree of nuclear atypia, mitotic count, Ki-67 index, and DNA aneuploidy was not predictive of tumor recurrence. Multi-institutional collaboration is imperative to create a comprehensive national database for investigation into ways that may better indicate prognosis in these patients.

Role of prophylactic hysterectomy in patients at high risk for hereditary cancers.

BACKGROUND: Current surgical recommendations for ovarian cancer prophylaxis in women at high risk of developing ovarian cancer include bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO)). The role of hysterectomy is unclear. We sought to determine outcomes following prophylactic surgery in high-risk women. METHODS: We surveyed unaffected members of the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry who had undergone oophorectomy from 1981 to 2002. Data were collected and analyzed for statistical significance by the Fisher's Exact Test. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty women were surveyed, and 154 (55%) responded; 97% were Caucasian and 14% reported being Jewish. The median age of the respondents was 51 years (range 29-79); median age at oophorectomy was 41 years (range 15-68). Fifty-eight patients (38%) reported a laparoscopic procedure. One hundred five patients (68%) had a simultaneous hysterectomy, and 4 (3%) had a prior hysterectomy. Forty-four patients (29%) underwent BSO only. Of these 44 patients, 40 (91%) did not require a subsequent hysterectomy. Of the 4 who did, 2 were for leiomyomas, one for menorrhagia and the other was unknown. While not statistically significant, of the 3 patients who developed a subsequent gynecologic malignancy, all had undergone a hysterectomy. There was a statistically significant difference in whether or not the uterus was removed as part of the procedure by time period, whereby women treated prior to 1990 had a higher likelihood of having a hysterectomy (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The women in our study did not require hysterectomy for prevention of malignancy. We conclude that one should screen for benign gynecological indications for hysterectomy when planning a prophylactic BSO for prevention of ovarian cancer. Other potential risk factors for endometrial cancer, including the role of UPSC in HBOC, remain to be elucidated.

Regular analgesic use and risk of endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Analgesic use has been implicated in the chemoprevention of a number of solid tumors, but thus far, no previous research has focused on the role of aspirin in endometrial cancer etiology. METHODS: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study of 427 women with primary, incident endometrial cancer, and 427 age- and residence-matched controls without benign or malignant neoplasms. All participants received medical services at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, and completed a comprehensive epidemiologic questionnaire. Women who reported analgesic use at least once a week for at least 6 months were classified as regular users and served as the reference group throughout the analyses. We used unconditional logistic regression analyses to compute crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Compared with nonusers, regular aspirin users were not at reduced risk of endometrial cancer (adjusted OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.66-1.26), nor were women with the highest frequency, duration, or cumulative lifetime aspirin use. When the sample was divided by body mass index status, regular aspirin use was not associated with risk among women classified as normal weight or overweight, but a significant risk reduction was seen for obese women (adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.92). Significant decreases in risk were also observed for obese women with the greatest frequency, duration, and cumulative aspirin use. No significant associations in the overall sample or among obese women were noted for acetaminophen use. CONCLUSION: We observed no evidence of an overall chemoprotective effect of aspirin on endometrial cancer risk, but the significant risk reductions among obese women warrant further investigation.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix in sisters with review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric embryonal heterologous rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix is a rare tumor. METHODS: We present an interesting clinico-pathologic situation of two sisters presenting with pediatric embryonal heterologous rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix. RESULTS: Pediatric embryonal heterologous rhabdomyosarcomas of the cervix are relatively uncommon. After a Pubmed search from 1952 to present, to our knowledge, this is the only report involving sisters presenting with this disease. Treatment has been extrapolated from collaborative groups such as Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) Group so that optimal management may be achieved. CONCLUSIONS: We urge continued reporting of these rare tumors to enhance understanding if there may be a genetic component associated with them.

Optimising treatment of elderly patients with ovarian cancer : improving their enrollment in clinical trials.

The aging population is the fastest growing segment of our population. Over the last century, the average life expectancy has increased by 25 years. The incidence of ovarian carcinoma, seen primarily in postmenopausal women, is, therefore, expected to increase. The current standard treatment of ovarian cancer has been determined on the basis of prospective, randomised clinical trials carried out by cooperative groups. Sixty-one percent of new cancer cases occur in women >65 years of age. Despite this fact, enrollment in clinical trials has been exceedingly low. In turn, this causes suboptimal treatment for a very fatal disease. The aetiology of this is multifactorial, and strategies for improvement are lacking. Elderly patients may be barred from participation based on physician biases alone. Elderly patients may have limited access to academic centres where clinical trials are conducted or be excluded on the basis of unrealistic inclusion criteria. As physicians, it is our duty to understand the elderly patient and the comorbidities in this age group that may influence the tolerability and toxicity of conventional therapies. Therefore, it is imperative that we make a conscious effort to examine ways in which we may improve enrollment of elderly women with ovarian cancer in clinical trials.