Preoperative Hypoalbuminemia is Associated with Increased Mortality in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Gynaecologic Malignancy - A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the significance of reduced preoperative albumin levels on short-term (90-day and 1-year) mortality in patients undergoing surgery for gynaecologic malignancy in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with gynaecologic malignancies who had surgery performed at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2016, were identified. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the association between preoperative serum albumin and 90-day and 1-year mortality. Analysis was conducted with albumin initially as a continuous variable, and subsequently as a categorical variable after clinically relevant threshold levels were identified. RESULTS: A total of 2183 patients were included in our analysis. Of the study population, 51.8% had a preoperative serum albumin level of <35 g/L. Two critical inflection points in mortality rate by serum albumin level were found. Mortality was significantly highest in patients with an albumin level <20 g/L (90-day mortality 17.2%, 1-year mortality 31.9%) and next highest in patients with an albumin level of 20-25 g/L (90-day mortality 2.7%, 1-year mortality 12.0%), compared to patients with a level of >25 g/L (90-day mortality 0.9%, 1-year mortality 3.9%). In both univariable and multivariable analyses, preoperative hypoalbuminemia was significantly and independently associated with increased 90-day and 1-year mortality (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with increased mortality. Patients with gynaecologic malignancies undergoing surgery and who have a preoperative serum albumin level of <20 g/L are at a very high risk of short-term mortality.

Barriers and supports for uptake of human papillomavirus vaccination in Indigenous people globally: A systematic review.

Despite the availability of effective and safe human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines that reduce the incidence and impact of cervical cancer and other cancers, HPV vaccine coverage rates remain persistently low and the cervical cancer burden disproportionately high among Indigenous people globally. This study aimed to systematically identify, appraise, and summarize the literature on documented barriers and supports to HPV vaccination in Indigenous populations internationally. Forty-three studies were included and an inductive, qualitative, thematic synthesis was applied. We report on 10 barrier themes and 7 support themes to vaccine uptake, and provide a quantitative summary of metrics. Focusing on Indigenous perspectives reported in the literature, we propose recommendations on community-research collaboration, culturally safe intergenerational and gender-equitable community HPV vaccine education, as well as multi-level transparency to ensure informed consent is secured in the context of reciprocal relationships. Although the voices of key informant groups (e.g., HPV-vaccine eligible youth and community Elders) are underrepresented in the literature, the identification of barriers and supports to HPV vaccination in a global Indigenous context might help inform researchers and health policy makers who aim to improve HPV vaccine uptake in Indigenous populations.

Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation for patients with high-risk stage I endometrial cancer treated with curative intent surgery: impact on recurrence and survival.

BACKGROUND: Survival benefits of post-operative systemic and radiation therapy in high-risk stage I endometrial cancer are uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To compare recurrence patterns and survival outcomes of post-surgical treatment in patients with high-risk stage I endometrial cancer and to determine whether adjuvant therapy significantly improves outcomes. METHODS: High-risk stage I endometrial cancer was defined as either stage IB grade 3 endometrioid histology or myoinvasive non-endometrioid histology. Consecutive patients diagnosed between January 2000 and December 2010 in eight cancer centers were included. Patients, disease, and treatment characteristics were summarized by descriptive statistics. Overall survival, disease-specific survival, and relapse-free survival were examined using Cox's proportional hazards regression and log-rank test. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of 2317 patients with stage I endometrial cancer, 414 patients had high-risk disease. Use of chemotherapy did not improve overall survival (relative risk (RR) 0.70, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.14, p=0.13) or disease-specific survival (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.85, p=0.84). Significant improvement in recurrence-free survival was observed in patients who received chemotherapy (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.95, p=0.03). Use of radiation therapy did not improve overall survival, recurrence-free survival, or disease-specific survival. Patients who received four cycles or fewer of chemotherapy versus five to six cycles had similar overall survival, disease-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Post-operative chemotherapy or radiation in stage I high-risk endometrial cancer is not associated with improved cancer-specific or overall survival. More than four cycles of chemotherapy did not improve survival compared with four cycles or fewer.

Prognostic and Theranostic Biomarkers in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma.

In this study, we aimed to test whether prognostic biomarkers can achieve a clinically relevant stratification of patients with stage I ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) and to survey the expression of 10 selected actionable targets (theranostic biomarkers) in stage II to IV cases. From the population-based Alberta Ovarian Tumor Type study, 160 samples of OCCC were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and/or silver-enhanced in situ hybridization for the status of 5 prognostic (p53, p16, IGF2BP3, CCNE1, FOLR1) and 10 theranostic biomarkers (ALK, BRAF V600E, ERBB2, ER, MET, MMR, PR, ROS1, NTRK1-3, VEGFR2). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed. Cases with abnormal p53 or combined p16/IFG2BP3 abnormal expression identified a small subset of patients (6/54 cases) with stage I OCCC with an aggressive course (5-yr ovarian cancer-specific survival of 33.3%, compared with 91.5% in the other stage I cases). Among theranostic targets, ERBB2 amplification was present in 11/158 (7%) of OCCC, while MET was ubiquitously expressed in OCCC similar to a variety of normal control tissues. ER/PR showed a low prevalence of expression. No abnormal expression was detected for any of the other targets. We propose a combination of 3 biomarkers (p53, p16, IGF2BP3) to predict prognosis and the potential need for adjuvant therapy for patients with stage I OCCC. This finding requires replication in larger cohorts. In addition, OCCC could be tested for ERBB2 amplification for inclusion in gynecological basket trials targeting this alteration.

Perspectives of health care providers referring patients to a newly implemented sexual health program in a Canadian cancer center.

PURPOSE: Screening and discussion about sexual health concerns within cancer care are frequently impeded by lack of access to sexual health resources and lack of fluency with sexual health topics. To address this, a multi-disciplinary sexual health program was developed and piloted in a Canadian tertiary cancer center. The aim of this study was to assess referring health care providers' perspectives on the newly implemented oncology sexual health program. METHODS: A brief online survey was administered system-wide to cancer care providers to query their perceptions of the pilot multidisciplinary sexual health program, the Oncology and Sexuality, Intimacy and Survivorship (OASIS) program. RESULTS: According to survey results, the OASIS program was perceived by health care providers as valuable, helpful for patients, and important for addressing gaps in clinical care. Additional comments indicated an ongoing need for increased access to information about the program and referral procedures. CONCLUSION: Survey results highlight the need for consistent program dissemination efforts to equip health care providers with accessible patient education materials and easily implemented referral procedures. Importantly, providers indicated that they were more likely to raise the topic of sexuality with patients because they had somewhere to refer patients who had sexual concerns. Overall, findings inform efforts to implement sexual health programming within cancer care institutions.

Implications for management of ovarian cancer in a transgender man: Impact of androgens and androgen receptor status.

A 36-year-old transgender man (assigned female at birth) on exogenous testosterone therapy was found to have stage IIA ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, and underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. Diffuse androgen receptor expression in the tumor initiated a multidisciplinary discussion regarding the safety of continuing exogenous testosterone as gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a multidisciplinary oncology sexual health clinic in a Canadian cancer care setting.

PURPOSE: Untreated cancer-related sexual health concerns cause significant distress for cancer survivors. To appropriately address the complex sexual health needs of cancer patients, we piloted a specialized, multidisciplinary oncology sexual health clinic within a tertiary cancer center. A quality assurance evaluation was conducted. METHODS: During once monthly half-day clinics, a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, advanced practice nurses, and radiation and gynecological oncologists offered specialist integrated care to oncology patients. Patients completed assessment questionnaires prior to each clinic appointment and a follow-up telephone interview approximately 4 months after their initial appointment. RESULTS: Over the 2-year pilot, 224 patients were referred to the cancer center's broader sexual health program; 100 patients were triaged to the clinic. A total of 79 new and 58 follow-up appointments were offered. Average wait time for an initial visit was 97 days. Patients' most frequent concerns included vulvovaginal atrophy, dyspareunia, reduced sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction. Self-reported sexual distress was well above the clinical cutoff at baseline (N = 77, M = 29.78, SD = 12.74). A significant reduction in sexual distress was observed at follow-up (N = 67, M = 21.90, SD = 11.34, t(66) = 7.41, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Referral rates indicate a high demand for specialized sexual health services within cancer care. Ongoing specialist care is needed to appropriately address the multifaceted sexual concerns of cancer survivors and to adequately manage high distress and symptom comorbidity. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Results inform a more comprehensive characterization of the presenting concerns of cancer survivors seeking multidisciplinary sexual health care.

Nevertheless, They Persisted: How Women Experience Gender-Based Discrimination During Postgraduate Surgical Training.

OBJECTIVE: More women than ever are pursuing surgical specialties despite historical dominance by men. The objective of this study was to examine how surgical residents experience gender-based discrimination during their residency training, including the common sources, settings, and implications of these experiences. DESIGN: A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to combine results from an initial quantitative survey of surgical residents of all genders at the University of Calgary with qualitative data derived from interviews with surgical residents who identified as women. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-seven surgical residents of all genders completed a survey. Fourteen women completed a one-to-one, semistructured interview. RESULTS: Women reported significantly more frequent experiences of gender-based discrimination than men, particularly regarding lack of respect from others, inappropriate jokes or comments, and hostile or humiliating behaviors. Nursing staff and patients were reported as prominent sources of discrimination, and the emergency and operating rooms were the most common settings. The qualitative findings highlighted the additional challenges for women during surgical residency, including navigating the relationships with nursing, having to work "twice as hard" to receive respect from patients and nurses, reports of persistent harassment and bullying, becoming desensitized to mistreatment and discrimination, and the influence of their gender on the quality of their education as well as their well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increasing number of women entering surgical specialties, women surgical residents report frequent and severe experiences of gender-based discrimination during their training, even at an academic institution where over half of residents are women.

The Oncology and Sexuality, Intimacy, and Survivorship Program Model: An Integrated, Multi-disciplinary Model of Sexual Health Care within Oncology.

Cancer-related sexual dysfunction is documented as one of the most distressing and long-lasting survivorship concerns of cancer patients. Canadian cancer patients routinely report sexuality concerns and difficulty getting help. In response to this gap in care, clinical practice guidelines were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. A sweeping trend is the creation of specialized clinics for patients' sexual health concerns. However, this much-needed attempt to address this service gap can be difficult to sustain without addressing the cancer care system from a broader perspective. Herein, we describe the implementation of a tiered systemic model of cancer-related sexual health programming in a tertiary cancer center. This program follows the Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model, used previously for guiding individual practitioners. Visually, the model resembles a pyramid. The top 2 levels, corresponding to Intensive Therapy and Specific Suggestions, are comprised of group-based interventions for common cancer-related sexual concerns and a multi-disciplinary clinic for patients with complex concerns. The bottom 2 levels, corresponding to Permission and Limited Information, consist of patient education and provider education and consultation services. We describe lessons learned during the development and implementation of this program, including the necessity for group-based services to prevent inundation of referrals to the specialized clinic, and the observation that creating specialized resources also increased the likelihood that providers would inquire about patients' sexual concerns. Such lessons suggest that successful sexual health programming requires services from a systemic approach to increase sustainability.

Low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC): A Canadian multicenter review of practice patterns and patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with advanced low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC) have poor long-term survival rates. As a rare histotype, there are uncertainties regarding the use of current therapies. Thus, we studied practice patterns and treatment outcomes as part of a national initiative to better understand and improve the care of women with advanced LGSC. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 5 Canadian referral institutions from 2000 to 2016. Data collection and pathology reporting were standardized. Outcome measures included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), progression-free intervals (PFI), and time to next treatment (TTNT). Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of clinical and pathologic factors on outcomes and prognosis. RESULTS: There were 134 patients (stage II-IV) with a median follow-up of 32.4 months (range 1.6-228). Four primary treatments were compared across institutions: 1) surgery followed by chemotherapy (56%), 2) neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery (27%), 3) surgery alone (9%), and 4) surgery followed by anti-hormone therapy (4%). Primary platinum/paclitaxel chemotherapy was used in 81%. Patients treated with NACT had worse PFS. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified lesser residual disease, younger age, and primary peritoneal origin as variables significantly associated with better OS/PFS (p < 0.03). One institution had significantly better PFS than the others (p = 0.025), but this finding could be related to a higher frequency of primary peritoneal LGSC. PFI and TTNT intervals in patients with relapsed disease were not significantly different after the first relapse irrespective of treatment type. CONCLUSIONS: There are notable differences in practice patterns across Canada. This underscores the need for ongoing strategies to measure, evaluate and achieve optimal patient outcomes for women with advanced LGSC.

Resident Perspectives on Competency-By-Design Curriculum.

OBJECTIVE: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is implementing a competency-by-design (CBD) curriculum for residency training across Canada. Although praise and criticism have been published regarding competency-based residency training, little has been published from the resident perspective. The University of Calgary obstetrics and gynaecology residents were surveyed to gather information on their viewpoints and allow their expectations and concerns to be incorporated into the design and implementation process for the curriculum. METHODS: An anonymous survey was administered to residents from the University of Calgary obstetrics and gynaecology program. The survey contained a mixture of Likert-scale responses, multiple-choice questions, and free-text response questions. Summary statistics were used to analyze the Likert-scale and multiple-choice responses, and thematic analysis was performed on free-text responses (Canadian Task Force Classification Level III). RESULTS: The survey respondents identified several anticipated benefits and challenges regarding the CBD curriculum. Overall, resident respondents seemed optimistic about the curriculum redesign; however, many residents identified concerns, including potential impacts on work relationships, challenges with operating room and call scheduling given the less rigid structure of CBD, and the amount of time and effort that evaluation will require. CONCLUSION: Residents offer a valuable perspective on CBD curriculum redesign and implementation. Gathering their input and including it in the curriculum redesign and implementation process will only strengthen the new curriculum and resident buy-in.

Impact of transversus abdominis plane blocks versus non-steroidal anti-inflammatory on post-operative opioid use in ERAS ovarian cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of ovarian cancer often requires extensive surgical resection. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been utilized in benign gynecologic surgery to decrease post-operative pain and opioid use. We hypothesized that TAP blocks would decrease total opioid use in the first 24 hours and decrease length of stay following staging and cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer compared with either no local anesthetic or local wound infiltration alone. METHODS: All patients undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer from November 2016 to June 2017 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Median opioid use at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-operatively, as well as length of stay, were assessed. Multivariate median regression analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounders: post-operative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) usage, pre-operative opioid consumption, and extent of cytoreductive surgery. Length of stay was compared using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: One-hundred-and-twenty patients were included in the analysis. Eighty-two patients had a TAP block, while 38 did not. After adjusting for potential confounders there was no difference in median 24 hours opioid consumption (p=0.29) or length of stay (HR 0.95, p=0.78) between patients receiving TAP block compared with those without. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients receiving scheduled NSAIDs had a 2.6-fold greater likelihood of being discharged (p<0.0005) and a significant reduction in median opioid use at 24 hours (23.5 vs 14.5 mg) (p=0.017) compared with those patients without NSAIDs. DISCUSSION: Post-operative administration of NSAIDs, but not TAP block, was associated with a decrease in post-operative opioid use and length of stay following surgery for ovarian cancer. Further investigation into alternative regional anesthetics for Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols is warranted.

FIGO Stage Is the Strongest Prognostic Factor in Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Cervix.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify clinical and pathological determinants of invasive adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix (AC) in a large, single-centre series serving a population of 1.5 million. METHODS: Data on clinical (n = 27) and pathological (n = 23) variables for 166 women with a diagnosis of AC treated between 2000 and 2013 were extracted from their charts and pathology reports. Overall survival (OS) was calculated, and significant determinants were identified using Kaplan-Meier analyses and log-rank tests, respectively (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2). RESULTS: This was a heterogeneous group of women with all stages of disease treated with conization, surgery, radiation, and systemic chemotherapy, alone or in combination. Mean age at diagnosis was 43; 86.7% had stage I disease, 9.6% had stage II, and only 3.6% had stage III and IV disease. Mean follow-up was 108 months. Many histotypes were diagnosed and grouped as mucinous (n = 103), endometrioid (n = 15), rare (n = 9), and adenosquamous (n = 39) types. Twenty-eight women had recurrent cancer and died of the disease; OS at 5 years was 85%. Five-year OS for women with stage I was 92%, compared with 40% for stage II or higher. Univariate analysis revealed that premenopausal status, tumour size, first-line treatment with chemotherapy, lymphovascular invasion, rare histological subtypes, stage, and receipt of second-line treatment were all significantly associated with a lower OS. Using multivariate analysis, only stage remained an independent factor. CONCLUSION: This is the largest single-centre Canadian series of invasive AC. Stage is the strongest prognostic factor in multivariate analysis; in contrast to other studies, lymph node status was not a significant determinant.

The Impact of Gynaecological Tumour Board Rounds on Patient Care.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the impact of tumour board rounds (TBRs) on the additional management of patients with gynaecologic malignancy. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 1604 patients discussed between January 2011 and December 2013 at gynaecologic TBRs was conducted to determine the frequency and type of diagnostic discrepancies found post-TBRs and their potential impact on additional patient management. A discrepancy was defined as major if it affected patient management by cancelling, initiating, or modifying treatment; otherwise, the discrepancy was minor. Data collected included patients' demographics, pre- and post-TBR diagnoses, and management. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 57.6 ± 14.1. Endometrial disease accounted for (43%) of the TBRs. The remaining sites were ovarian (25%), cervical (23%), and others (9%). Overall, 13.2% (n = 212) had a discrepancy; 3.4% (n = 54) of these discrepancies were major, and 9.9% (n = 158) were minor. Most major discrepancies related to changes in the tumours' primary site or stage, and most minor discrepancies were related to changes in tumour histotype. Among the 54 (25.5%) major discrepancies, 18 (33.3%) occurred in patients who had their additional management cancelled, 17 (31.5%) required chemotherapy, 4 (7.4%) required a change in the chemotherapy regimen, 10 (18.5%) required additional surgery, and 5 (9.3%) required chemoradiation. CONCLUSION: The 13% frequency of discrepancies, approximately 26% of which were major and resulted in changes in patient management, highlights the importance of TBRs as a quality tool.

Barriers, supports, and effective interventions for uptake of human papillomavirus- and other vaccines within global and Canadian Indigenous peoples: a systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Despite the existence of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines with demonstrated safety and effectiveness and funded HPV vaccination programs, coverage rates are persistently lower and cervical cancer burden higher among Canadian Indigenous peoples. Barriers and supports to HPV vaccination in Indigenous peoples have not been systematically documented, nor have interventions to increase uptake in this population. This protocol aims to appraise the literature in Canadian and global Indigenous peoples, relating to documented barriers and supports to vaccination and interventions to increase acceptability/uptake or reduce hesitancy of vaccination. Although HPV vaccination is the primary focus, we anticipate only a small number of relevant studies to emerge from the search and will, therefore, employ a broad search strategy to capture literature related to both HPV vaccination and vaccination in general in global Indigenous peoples. METHODS: Eligible studies will include global Indigenous peoples and discuss barriers or supports and/or interventions to improve uptake or to reduce hesitancy, for the HPV vaccine and/or other vaccines. Primary outcomes are documented barriers or supports or interventions. All study designs meeting inclusion criteria will be considered, without restricting by language, location, or data type. We will use an a priori search strategy, comprised of key words and controlled vocabulary terms, developed in consultation with an academic librarian, and reviewed by a second academic librarian using the PRESS checklist. We will search several electronic databases from date of inception, without restrictions. A pre-defined group of global Indigenous websites will be reviewed for relevant gray literature. Bibliographic searches will be conducted for all included studies to identify relevant reviews. Data analysis will include an inductive, qualitative, thematic synthesis and a quantitative analysis of measured barriers and supports, as well as a descriptive synthesis and quantitative summary of measures for interventions. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this study will contribute the first systematic review of documented barriers, supports, and interventions for vaccination in general and for HPV vaccination. The results of this study are expected to inform future research, policies, programs, and community-driven initiatives to enhance acceptability and uptake of HPV vaccination among Indigenous peoples. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42017048844.

Cervical Adenocarcinoma: A Comparison of the Reproducibility of the World Health Organization 2003 and 2014 Classifications.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the reproducibility of malignant glandular tumors of the uterine cervix classified per World Health Organization (WHO) 2003 and 2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two pathologists reviewed 228 cases composed of adenocarcinoma in situ and 22 adenocarcinoma histotypes and selected 405 representative hematoxylin and eosin slides, which were digitally scanned. Six other pathologists (3 gynecological and 3 anatomical) independently reviewed and classified the images per both WHO classifications. One year later, they classified a random sample of 25 cases. Inter- (inter-OR) and intra-observer (intra-OR) reproducibility of the 6 pathologists and separately for gynecological compared with anatomical pathologists was tested using κ statistics. RESULTS: Both classifications were collapsed into 6 categories as benign, adenocarcinoma in situ, and mucinous, endometrioid, rare, and adenosquamous-miscellaneous carcinomas. WHO 2014 had an additional category: endocervical adenocarcinoma, usual type. Inter-observer κ values were more reliable than the intra-OR results based on 95% CIs. The average inter-OR κ values with both classifications were moderate between the 6 pathologists and between the 3 anatomical pathologists. In contrast, they were substantial between the 3 gynecological pathologists. With both classifications, the average intra-OR κ values of the 6 pathologists and both pathologist groups trended toward substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Reproducibility among 6 pathologists is unaffected by changes in the WHO 2014 classification and averages moderate between different and trends toward substantial between the same pathologist. Reproducibility between different pathologists can improve to substantial when they have expertise in gynecological pathology.

Dose-dense paclitaxel with carboplatin for advanced ovarian cancer: a feasible treatment alternative.

OBJECTIVE: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynaecologic cancers in the Western world. If possible, initial cytoreductive surgery is the treatment of choice, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, usually with a platinum/taxane combination. Increased survival has been recently reported in women who were given adjuvant chemotherapy weekly rather than at three-week intervals, which has been the standard. At our centre, we have been treating patients with advanced ovarian cancer with a dose-dense protocol since March 2010. Treatment is given in an outpatient setting on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 21-day cycle for six cycles. Carboplatin for an AUC of 5 mg/mL/min and paclitaxel 80mg/m² are given on day 1, followed by paclitaxel 80mg/m² on days 8 and 15. Our objective was to determine whether this protocol is a feasible alternative treatment in our population and whether or not the toxicity profile is acceptable. METHODS: We performed a chart review of 46 patients undergoing treatment with dose-dense chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. Demographic information, patient characteristics, adverse events, and treatment endpoints were recorded. RESULTS: Sixty-one percent of women completed the six-cycle protocol as planned with minimal interruption, which is comparable to the only previously reported trial using this regimen. The most common side effects of treatment were fatigue, neuropathy, and neutropenia. Supplementation with regular magnesium and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor reduced delays. CONCLUSION: Dose-dense paclitaxel with carboplatin chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer shows promise in terms of progression-free and overall survival. We have shown this protocol to be practical and feasible in our population.

Type-specific response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma versus colorectal mucinous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinomas are currently managed as a single entity with no stratification for histological type. The foundation of treatment is a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Women who are not candidates for up-front debulking surgery, either because of performance status or widespread disease, are often offered neoadjuvant chemotherapy in an effort to shrink their tumour and make resection possible. CASE: A 76-year-old woman was treated with neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. At interval debulking surgery, she was found to have a concurrent mucinous colorectal carcinoma that was essentially unaffected by her treatment. CONCLUSION: This case serves as an in vivo demonstration of the greater resistance to platinum-based treatments of mucinous carcinomas than of the "typical" high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

A rare case of NUT midline carcinoma.

► NUT midline carcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer arising in midline structures and is of squamous cell lineage. ► Diagnosis by use of molecular tests is possible with clinical suspicion. ► NUT midline carcinoma is refractory to conventional treatments, but understanding of molecular alterations may lead to an effective therapy.