Assessment of peritoneal metastases with DW-MRI, CT, and FDG PET/CT before cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative assessment of peritoneal metastases is an important factor for treatment planning and selection of candidates for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in primary advanced stage (FIGO stages III-IV) epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The primary aim was to evaluate the efficacy of DW-MRI, CT, and FDG PET/CT used for preoperative assessment of peritoneal cancer index (PCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, 50 advanced stage EOC patients were examined with DW-MRI and FDG PET/CT with contrast enhanced CT as part of the diagnostic program. All patients were deemed amenable for upfront CRS. Imaging PCI was determined for DW-MRI, CT, and FDG PET/CT by separate readers blinded to the surgical findings. The primary outcome was agreement between the imaging PCI and PCI determined at surgical exploration (the reference standard) evaluated with Bland-Altman statistics. RESULTS: The median surgical PCI was 18 (range: 3-32). For all three imaging modalities, the imaging PCI most often underestimated the surgical PCI. The mean differences between the surgical PCI and the imaging PCI were 4.2 (95% CI: 2.6-5.8) for CT, 4.4 (95% CI: 2.9-5.8) for DW-MRI, and 5.3 (95% CI: 3.6-7.0) for FDG PET/CT, and no overall statistically significant differences were found between the imaging modalities (DW-MRI - CT, p = 0.83; DW-MRI - FDG PET/CT, p = 0.24; CT - FDG PET/CT, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Neither DW-MRI nor CT nor FDG PET/CT was superior in preoperative assessment of the surgical PCI in patients scheduled for upfront CRS for advanced stage EOC.

Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of carboplatin used for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Carboplatin is frequently used in various doses for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) although its pharmacokinetics, including focus on the perfusion time, has not been evaluated when used in modern era cytoreductive surgery (CRS). The aim was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and hematological toxicity of carboplatin used for HIPEC with a perfusion time of 90 min. METHODS: Fifteen patients with stage III-IV primary EOC received CRS and 90 min of HIPEC with carboplatin at dose 800 mg/m2. For the pharmacokinetic analysis, perfusate and blood samples were obtained during HIPEC and up to 48 h after HIPEC (blood only). Hematological toxicity within 30 days was graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Severe toxicity (grades 3-5) is reported. RESULTS: Mean maximum concentration of carboplatin was 12 times higher in perfusate than plasma (mean CmaxPF=348 µg/mL (range: 279-595 µg/mL) versus mean CmaxPL=29 µg/mL (range: 21-39 µg/mL)). Mean terminal half-life of carboplatin in perfusate was 104 min (range: 63-190 min) and mean intraperitoneal-to-plasma area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) ratio was 12.3 (range: 7.4-17.2). Two patients (13%) had grade 3 neutropenia within 30 days. No grade 4-5 hematological toxicities were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Carboplatin has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile for 90 min HIPEC administration, and the hematological toxicity was acceptable at dose 800 mg/m2. Large interindividual differences were found in the pharmacokinetic parameters, making risk of systemic exposure difficult to predict.

Morbidity after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy with carboplatin used for ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypertherm intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is increasingly used in the treatment of ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal cancer (OC). The aim was to evaluate short-term morbidity of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and carboplatin HIPEC. METHODS: Prospective feasibility study performed from January 2016 to December 2017. Twenty-five patients with primary OC (FIGO III-IV) received upfront or interval CRS combined with carboplatin HIPEC at dose 800 mg/m 2 . Primary outcome measurements: grade 3 to 5 adverse events within 30 days according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Secondary outcome measurements: reoperation rate, length of hospital stay, readmission rate, and time from surgery to systemic chemotherapy administration. RESULTS: No deaths (grade 5) or grade 4 adverse events were observed. Eleven patients (44.0%) experienced at least one grade 3 adverse event, the most common being an infection (28.0%) and neutropenia (12.0%). The reoperation rate was 8.0%. The median hospital stay was 14 days (range 9-25 days), and five patients (25.0%) were readmitted within 30 days after surgery. Median time from surgery to the administration of the first dose of systemic chemotherapy was 41 days (range 24-81 days). CONCLUSION: Our small-scale prospective study supports that CRS and carboplatin HIPEC used for primary advanced-stage OC is feasible with acceptable morbidity.

[Extrauterine pregnancy with gestagen-releasing intrauterine device in situ]. / Ekstrauterin graviditet med gestagenspiral in situ.

The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) (Mirena) is a frequently used and effective method of contraception, with a Pearl index of 0.1. The ectopic pregnancy rate is 0.02 per 100 woman-years. Special attention is needed in situations where pregnancy is detected with a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD in situ, because almost two thirds of these pregnancies are ectopic. We describe one of these rare cases of ectopic pregnancy in a woman aged 37 years, who was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding.