Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as early markers of anastomotic leakage in intestinal resections for advanced ovarian cancer (EDMOCS).

INTRODUCTION: Serum levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been used to predict anastomotic leakage after colorectal surgery, but information is scarce in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) surgery with bowel resection. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of procalcitonin and CRP in detecting anastomotic leakage after AOC surgery with bowel resection. The study also aimed to determine the optimal postoperative reference values and the best day for evaluating these markers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective, observational and multicentric trial included 92 patients with AOC undergoing debulking surgery with bowel resection between 2017 and 2020 in 10 reference hospitals in Spain. Procalcitonin and CRP levels were measured at baseline and on postoperative days 1-6. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of procalcitonin and CRP at each postoperative day. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. RESULTS: Anastomotic leakage was detected in six patients (6.5%). Procalcitonin and CRP values were consistently higher in patients with anastomotic leakage at all postoperative days. The maximum area under the curve (AUC) for procalcitonin was observed at postoperative day 1 (AUC = 0.823) with a cutoff value of 3.8 ng/mL (83.3% sensitivity, 81.3% specificity). For CRP, the maximum AUC was found at postoperative day 3 (AUC = 0.833) with a cutoff level of 30.5 mg/dL (100% sensitivity, 80.4% specificity). CONCLUSIONS: Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein are potential biomarkers for early detection of anastomotic leakage after ovarian cancer surgery with bowel resection. Further prospective studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm these findings.

Accuracy and Survival Outcomes after National Implementation of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stage Endometrial Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has recently been accepted to evaluate nodal status in endometrial cancer at early stage, which is key to tailoring adjuvant treatments. Our aim was to evaluate the national implementation of SLN biopsy in terms of accuracy to detect nodal disease in a clinical setting and oncologic outcomes according to the volume of nodal disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 29 Spanish centers participated in this retrospective, multicenter registry including patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma at preoperative early stage who had undergone SLN biopsy between 2015 and 2021. Each center collected data regarding demographic, clinical, histologic, therapeutic, and survival characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 892 patients were enrolled. After the surgery, 12.9% were suprastaged to FIGO 2009 stages III-IV and 108 patients (12.1%) had nodal involvement: 54.6% macrometastasis, 22.2% micrometastases, and 23.1% isolated tumor cells (ITC). Sensitivity of SLN biopsy was 93.7% and false negative rate was 6.2%. After a median follow up of 1.81 years, overall surivial and disease-free survival were significantly lower in patients who had macrometastases when compared with patients with negative nodes, micrometastases or ITC. CONCLUSIONS: In our nationwide cohort we obtained high sensitivity of SLN biopsy to detect nodal disease. The oncologic outcomes of patients with negative nodes and low-volume disease were similar after tailoring adjuvant treatments. In total, 22% of patients with macrometastasis and 50% of patients with micrometastasis were at low risk of nodal metastasis according to their preoperative risk factors, revealing the importance of SLN biopsy in the surgical management of patients with early stage EC.

Discontinuation of mechanical bowel preparation in advanced ovarian cancer surgery: an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) initiative

Objective To investigate the impact of discontinuation of mechanical bowel preparation in advanced ovarian cancer surgery within the context of the ERAS program. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent cytoreductive surgery with simultaneous colon and/or rectal resection from January 2012 to November 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether preoperative mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) was given (pre-ERAS) or not (post-ERAS). Patient characteristics, including duration of antibiotic treatment, surgical complexity, and incidence of surgical and nonsurgical complications, were compared. Results During the study period, 114 patients who underwent colon and/or rectal resection were examined, of whom 39 received MBP and 75 did not receive MBP (NMBP). On comparison between the two groups, no significant differences were noted in the assessed patient characteristics, including mean age, FIGO stage, ASA class, BMI, or residual tumor. One patient (2.6%) in the MBP group, and 4 patients (5.3%) in the NMBP group experienced an anastomotic leakage (p = 0.11). No significant differences were found with respect to surgical site infection. (p = 0.5).Conclusion MBP was not associated with any specific benefit for advanced ovarian cancer surgery. Gynecologic oncologists who use MBP should consider discontinuing this practice. (AU)

Discontinuation of mechanical bowel preparation in advanced ovarian cancer surgery: an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of discontinuation of mechanical bowel preparation in advanced ovarian cancer surgery within the context of the ERAS program. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent cytoreductive surgery with simultaneous colon and/or rectal resection from January 2012 to November 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether preoperative mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) was given (pre-ERAS) or not (post-ERAS). Patient characteristics, including duration of antibiotic treatment, surgical complexity, and incidence of surgical and nonsurgical complications, were compared. RESULTS: During the study period, 114 patients who underwent colon and/or rectal resection were examined, of whom 39 received MBP and 75 did not receive MBP (NMBP). On comparison between the two groups, no significant differences were noted in the assessed patient characteristics, including mean age, FIGO stage, ASA class, BMI, or residual tumor. One patient (2.6%) in the MBP group, and 4 patients (5.3%) in the NMBP group experienced an anastomotic leakage (p = 0.11). No significant differences were found with respect to surgical site infection. (p = 0.5). CONCLUSION: MBP was not associated with any specific benefit for advanced ovarian cancer surgery. Gynecologic oncologists who use MBP should consider discontinuing this practice.

European Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) gynecologic oncology survey: Status of ERAS protocol implementation across Europe.

OBJECTIVE: To acquire a comprehensive assessment of the current status of implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols across Europe. METHODS: The survey was launched by The European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO). A 45-item survey was disseminated online through the European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO) Network database. RESULTS: A total of 116 ESGO centers participated in the survey between December 2020 and June 2021. Overall, 80 (70%) centers reported that ERAS was implemented at their institution: 63% reported a length of stay (LOS) for advanced ovarian cancer surgery between 5 and 7 days; 57 (81%) centers reported a LOS between 2 and 4 days in patients who underwent an early-stage gynecologic cancer surgery. The ERAS items with high reported compliance (>75% "normally-always") included deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis (89%), antibiotic prophylaxis (79%), prevention of hypothermia (55%), and early mobilization (55%). The ERAS items that were poorly adhered to (less than 50%) included early removal of urinary catheter (33%), and avoidance of drains (25%). CONCLUSION: This survey shows broad implementation of ERAS protocols across Europe; however, a wide variation in adherence to the various ERAS protocol items was reported.

Clinician attitude towards sexual counseling in women with gynecologic malignancies: European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists (ENYGO) survey.

OBJECTIVE: Both the location of primary disease and treatment side effects may have an impact on sexual function in oncogynecological patients. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence, strategies, difficulties, and ideas for improvement in sexual counseling among specialists managing patients with gynecologic malignancies. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study performed among healthcare professionals treating patients with gynecologic malignancies. A self-prepared questionnaire included 61 questions concerning general demographic information and different aspects of sexual counseling in the gynecologic oncology practice. Analysis included attitudes, behaviors, management strategies, difficulties, and ideas for possible systemic improvements. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, two-sided chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: A total of 150 respondents from 46 countries answered the survey. The majority of survey participants stated that sexual counseling of oncological patients is very important (n=73, 49%) or important (n=46, 31%). One hundred and two (68%) respondents agreed that sexual counseling of gynecologic oncology patients should be routinely provided by the specialist managing the primary disease. However, collecting information concerning sexual function is performed often or always by only 21% of respondents and 19% discuss the topic rarely or never. The most frequently indicated barriers leading to difficulties in sexual counseling include lack of time (74%), lack of specialist knowledge (55%), and patient embarrassment (48%). One hundred and seven (71%) respondents expressed interest in participating in sexual counseling workshops organized by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO)/European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists (ENYGO), 74 (49%) would like to access webinars on the topic, and 120 (80%) would be interested in materials in the ESGO online educational resources. CONCLUSION: One of the proposed solutions to insufficient access to sexual care for women with gynecologic malignancies is providing access to specialist educational programs for both patients and healthcare specialists.

Adjuvant therapy in early-stage cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy: are we overtreating our patients? A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: There is a gap in knowledge regarding the ideal management of patients with early-stage cervical cancer and intermediate-risk features. Here, we present a meta-analysis of the published literature on oncological outcomes in these patients and determine trends in postoperative management. METHODS: MEDLINE and PubMed were used for literature searches. The inclusion criteria were: English language articles including ≥ 10 patients, patients who underwent radical hysterectomy, nodes negative, studies reporting oncological outcomes and complications treatment-related and compare a surgery-only cohort with a radiotherapy cohort. The PRISMA guidelines were followed. Combined relative risk was calculated using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model and a forest plot was drawn. RESULTS: We collected 183 manuscripts on early-stage cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy alone or with adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery. A total of eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Regarding oncological outcomes, survival was reported in five studies. The relative risk of recurrence and the relative risk of mortality was similar in both groups independently whether receive or not adjuvant therapy. Most of the studies did not report significant differences regarding morbidity treatment related between the groups, except for a higher rate of lymphedema after radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: We found that the relative risk of recurrence and mortality was similar in both groups not depending on adjuvant therapy. Therefore, whether radiotherapy adjuvant treatment is indicated remains a topic of debate.

The Impact of Surgical Practice on Oncological Outcomes in Robot-Assisted Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer, Spanish National Registry.

This study aimed to assess whether surgical practice had a significant impact on oncological outcomes among women who underwent robot-assisted radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer (≤IB1 or IIA1, FIGO 2009). The secondary objective was to audit the pre-surgical quality indicators (QI) proposed by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO). The top 5 of 10 centers in Spain and Portugal were included in the analysis. The hospitals were divided into group A (n = 118) and group B (n = 97), with recurrence rates of <10% and >10%, respectively. After balancing both groups using the propensity score, the ORs for all events were higher and statistically significant for group B (recurrences OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.13-1.15, p-value = 0.001; death OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02-1.18, p-value = 0.012; disease-specific mortality ORr = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04-1.19, p-value = 0.002). A higher surgical volume, higher participation in clinical trials, higher rate of MRI use for diagnosis, greater use of sentinel lymph node biopsies, and a favorable learning curve with low rates of early recurrences were observed among the centers with better oncological outcomes. These factors might have a significant impact on oncological outcomes not only after robot-assisted surgery, but also after laparoscopies and open surgeries in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Quality of training in cervical cancer radical surgery: a survey from the European Network of Young Gynaecologic Oncologists (ENYGO).

BACKGROUND: The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) and partners are committed to improving the training for gynecologic oncology fellows. The aim of this survey was to assess the type and level of training in cervical cancer surgery and to investigate whether the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer (LACC) trial results impacted training in radical surgery for gynecologic oncology fellows. METHODS: In June 2020, a 47-question electronic survey was shared with European Network of Young Gynaecologic Oncologists (ENYGO) members. Specialist fellows in obstetrics and gynecology, and gynecologic oncology, from high- and low-volume centers, who started training between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2020 or started before January 1, 2017 but finished their training at least 6 months after the LACC trial publication (October 2018), were included. RESULTS: 81 of 125 (64.8%) respondents were included. The median time from the start of the fellowship to completion of the survey was 28 months (range 6-48). 56 (69.1%) respondents were still fellows-in-training. 6 of 56 (10.7%) and 14 of 25 (56.0%) respondents who were still in training and completed the fellowship, respectively, performed ≥10 radical hysterectomies during their training. Fellows trained in an ESGO accredited center had a higher chance to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy (60.4% vs 30.3%; p=0.027). There was no difference in the mean number of radical hysterectomies performed by fellows during fellowship before and after the LACC trial publication (8±12.0 vs 7±8.4, respectively; p=0.46). A significant reduction in number of minimally invasive radical hysterectomies was noted when comparing the period before and after the LACC trial (38.5% vs 13.8%, respectively; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Exposure to radical surgery for cervical cancer among gynecologic oncology fellows is low. Centralization of cervical cancer cases to high-volume centers may provide an increase in fellows' exposure to radical procedures. The LACC trial publication was associated with a decrease in minimally invasive radical hysterectomies performed by fellows.

Gender-related differences in career development among gynecologic oncology surgeons in Europe. European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists' Survey based data.

Introduction: Gender-related differences in career development are well known issues in various professions. An international survey on gender-related differences was performed among young gynecologic oncology surgeons in Europe to identify potential gender inequalities in career development. Material and methods: A survey on demographics, clinical and academic working environment, family/parenting, career development, salary and leadership was sent to all members of the European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO), which is a network within the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO). Gynecologic oncology surgeons and obstetricians/gynecologists who actively work in this field in Europe were included in the study. Results: Responses were analyzed from 192 gynecologic oncology surgeons of whom 65.1% (125/192) were female (median age 37, IQR: 34 - 42) and 34.9% (67/192) were male (median age 38, IQR: 36 - 41). Male reported to perform a median of 15 and female a median of 10 operations per month (p = .007). Among female, 24.8% had a leadership position vs. 44.8% among male, crude OR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.31-4.62, p<.01. When stratifying for age under 41 and having children, 36.7% of male and 5.6% of female had a leadership position, adjusted OR 10.8, 95% CI 3.28-35.64, p<.001. A significantly higher proportion of female compared to male believed they earned less than their gender counterparts at the same clinical position and with same qualifications (30.4% vs. 2.5%, p<.001). There was not a statistically significant gender difference in the academic qualification PhD degree or professorship (p = .92 and p = .64, respectively). In the previous year, male published more peer-reviewed articles than female (median 3 vs. median 2; p = .017). Conclusion: This first comprehensive survey on gender-differences in gynecologic oncology in Europe revealed that there are gender gaps concerning several aspects during the critical time of career development in the young generation of gynecologic oncology surgeons. These gender gaps are particularly reflected by a lower rate of female leadership positions. ENYGO and ESGO are dedicated to work on solution to overcome the identified obstacles and to support closing gender gaps.

Vulvar Adenocarcinoma of Intestinal Type: A Case Report of an Uncommon Entity.

Vulvar cancer is rare and accounts for only 5% of all gynecologic cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common and makes up 90% of the cases. Vulvar adenocarcinoma usually arises in Bartholin and other vulvar glands. Primary vulvar intestinal-type adenocarcinoma is an extremely rare disease with an unclear prognosis and treatment. Its origin is still unknown, the most accepted theory suggests cloacal remnants as the source of origin. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We present a case of a 66-yr-old female who presented with vulvar pruritus and local discomfort, showing a 2 cm tumor located in the left labium minor in the region of vulvar fourchette. Wide vulvar excision and bilateral lymph nodes dissection were performed. Other concomitant lesions and distant extension of tumor were ruled out by positron emission tomography. Pathologic study revealed a colonic-type adenocarcinoma with typical villoglandular architecture with an irregular glandular structure composed of atypical columnar epithelium. The lesion had direct contact with epidermal surface and mainly was external without involving the dermis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed positive staining for cytokeratin 20 and CDX2. p16 showed an abnormal diffuse and strong immunoexpression. The presence of a low-risk human papillomavirus was detected by polymerase chain reaction, therefore, the expression of p16 cannot be explained in this case by the presence of human papillomavirus. Additional studies are needed in additional cases to clarify the role of human papillomavirus in this kind of tumor.

Importance of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocol Compliance for Length of Stay in Ovarian Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs include multiple perioperative care elements, which when implemented together are designed to improve recovery after surgery with subsequent reduction in hospital length of stay (LOS). The aim of this study is to examine the impact of ERAS protocol compliance on LOS in patients undergoing advanced ovarian cancer surgery within the context of a randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Patients were enrolled in a prospective, consecutive, interventional randomized clinical trial between June 2014 and March 2018. Women with either suspected or confirmed advanced ovarian cancer with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IIB-IVA and recurrent ovarian cancer, who underwent cytoreduction surgery, were randomly assigned to either a conventional management (CM) protocol or an ERAS protocol. Demographic items, preoperative clinical data, and surgical characteristics of patients were recorded, as were LOS and ERAS protocol compliance. Negative binomial regression was used to model the relation between length of stay and ERAS protocol compliance. RESULTS: We included 49 patients in the CM group and 50 patients in the ERAS group. The overall rate of ERAS compliance was 92%. We observed that increasing ERAS protocol compliance was associated with shorter median LOS, and in patients who underwent higher complex surgeries, the length of stay reduction was greater. CONCLUSION: This study identifies a correlation between increasing ERAS protocol compliance and decreasing LOS in ovarian cancer surgery. This finding underlines the necessity to implement as many ERAS protocol elements as possible to achieve optimal clinical outcome improvements.

Patient-reported outcomes after surgery for endometrial carcinoma: Prevalence of lower-extremity lymphedema after sentinel lymph node mapping versus lymphadenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of patient-reported lower-extremity lymphedema (LEL) with sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping versus comprehensive lymph node dissection (LND) for the surgical management of newly diagnosed endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Patients who underwent primary surgery for endometrial cancer from 01/2006-12/2012 were mailed a survey that included a validated 13-item LEL screening questionnaire in 08/2016. Patients diagnosed with LEL prior to surgery and those who answered ≤6 survey items were excluded. RESULTS: Of 1275 potential participants, 623 (49%) responded to the survey and 599 were evaluable (180 SLN, 352 LND, 67 hysterectomy alone). Median BMI was similar among cohorts (P = 0.99). External-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) was used in 10/180 (5.5%) SLN and 35/352 (10%) LND patients (P = 0.1). Self-reported LEL prevalence was 27% (49/180) and 41% (144/352), respectively (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.25-2.74; P = 0.002). LEL prevalence was 51% (23/45) in patients who received EBRT and 35% (170/487) in those who did not (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.06-3.6; P = 0.03). High BMI was associated with increased prevalence of LEL (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06; P = 0.001). After controlling for EBRT and BMI, LND retained independent association with an increased prevalence of LEL over SLN (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.22-2.69; P = 0.003). Patients with self-reported LEL had significantly worse QOL compared to those without self-reported LEL. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to assess patient-reported LEL after SLN mapping for endometrial cancer. SLN mapping was independently associated with a significantly lower prevalence of patient-reported LEL. High BMI and adjuvant EBRT were associated with an increased prevalence of patient-reported LEL.

Nerve-sparing versus non-nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: surgical and long-term oncological outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: There are controversies regarding the long-term oncological safety of preservation of pelvic innervation during radical hysterectomy (RH). This study aimed to analyze the feasibility and safety of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH) for cervical cancer compared with non-NSRH following 17 years of experience in a tertiary cancer referral center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1999 and June 2016, all patients who underwent RH for cervical cancer were followed-up prospectively. Comparison analyses regarding surgical outcomes, complications, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were performed between patients treated with NSRH and non-NSRH. RESULTS: A total of 188 patients were included (113 non-NSRH and 75 NSRH). The median follow-up was 112 months. Estimated blood loss and hospital stay were all significantly lower in the NSRH group. Overall intraoperative complication rate (p = 0.02) and need for transfusion (p = 0.016) were lower in the NSRH group. There were no differences in the median operation time, OS, DFS, CSS, or recurrence rates between the NSRH and non-NSRH group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a wide perspective on the developments of nerve-sparing procedures for the management of women with early-stage cervical cancer. Our results suggest that NSRH is a feasible and safe procedure, with reduced morbidity outcomes.

Breast cancer during pregnancy: results of maternal and perinatal outcomes in a single institution and systematic review of the literature.

To compare the maternal and the perinatal variables of the patients with pregnancy associated breast cancer (PABC) and the pregnant patients without breast cancer (PNABC), we retrospectively included 13 PABC cases and 66.265 PNABC patients. The PABC patients presented a lower mean gestational age at their delivery and had higher induction of labour and prematurity rates. A diagnosis was performed before stage III in 77% of the cases. The overall survival was 90%; moreover, we collected 16 manuscripts when gathering data from 1581 patients with PABC. The mean follow-up time was 70 ± 8 months. The mean maternal age at diagnosis was 34 years old. Most of the patients were at their second trimester of pregnancy. The gestational age at delivery was 35 weeks. A mastectomy was the most frequently used surgical approach. PABC should be managed by a multidisciplinary team, ensuring there is a rigorous oncological treatment, with foetal well-being. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? The malignant breast tumours diagnosed during pregnancy, or 1 year after a delivery are increasing, there is evidence supporting the treatment during a pregnancy with maternal and foetal safety. A PABC should be managed by a multidisciplinary team in a referral centre, ensuring that there is a rigorous oncological treatment with foetal well-being. What do the results of this study add? Our results show that the PABC patients in our centre had a mean maternal age older than the PNABC women, as well as a higher percentage of the induction of labour and prematurity. 48 Cancer was usually diagnosed in early stages, and the most common type was ductal infiltrating, with positive hormonal receptors. For those patients continuing their pregnancies, a mastectomy plus a lymphadenectomy was the most frequent chemotherapy, and was usually administered in the third trimester of pregnancy. What are the implications of these findings for future clinical practice and/or further research? Moreover, the number of publications concerning PABC has grown, series are still scarce. We understand the limitations of the low number of the cases on our population, but this study is the first which compare the PABC with the PNABC patients, allowing to describe and compare the obstetrical and perinatal variables. Finally, we consider it is of a paramount importance to create an international database to register in a prospective way all of the cases of PABC to increase our knowledge in this field.