Diagnostic Accuracy of Liquid Biomarkers for the Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Endometrial cancer rates are increasing annually due to an aging population and rising rates of obesity. Currently there is no widely available, accurate, non-invasive test that can be used to triage women for diagnostic biopsy whilst safely reassuring healthy women without the need for invasive assessment. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate studies assessing blood and urine-based biomarkers as a replacement test for endometrial biopsy or as a triage test in symptomatic women. For each primary study, the diagnostic accuracy of different biomarkers was assessed by sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and area under ROC curve. Forest plots of summary statistics were constructed for biomarkers which were assessed by multiple studies using data from a random-effect models. All but one study was of blood-based biomarkers. In total, 15 studies reported 29 different exosomal biomarkers; 34 studies reported 47 different proteomic biomarkers. Summary statistic meta-analysis was reported for micro-RNAs, cancer antigens, hormones, and other proteomic markers. Metabolites and circulating tumor materials were also summarized. For the majority of biomarkers, no meta-analysis was possible. There was a low number of small, heterogeneous studies for the majority of evaluated index tests. This may undermine the reliability of summary estimates from the meta-analyses. At present there is no liquid biopsy that is ready to be used as a replacement test for endometrial biopsy. However, to the best of our knowledge this is the first study to report and meta-analyze the diagnostic accuracy of different classes of blood and urine biomarkers for detection of endometrial cancer. This review may thus provide a reference guide for those wishing to explore candidate biomarkers for further research.

Maternal complications of fetal triploidy: a case report.

A 32-year-old woman underwent a medical termination in the second trimester of a spontaneously conceived triploid pregnancy after developing early-onset preeclampsia with subsequent haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome. Placental histology was normal (non-molar) and unusually, she developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) 4 weeks later. She was managed conservatively following multidisciplinary team input to exclude malignant pathology. The rarity of late-onset spontaneous OHSS could have resulted in inappropriate surgical management. In the absence of supportive treatment there is also a risk of the condition progressing to a critical stage. Follow-up ultrasonography after termination of pregnancy should be considered for women with evidence of ovarian hyperstimulation, particularly if other risk factors for OHSS are present. Delayed-onset OHSS should be considered in women presenting with bilateral cystic ovarian enlargement after triploid pregnancy.

Laparoscopic Myomectomy - Converting to Laparotomy for a Suspicious Intraoperative Appearance with Subsequent Benign Histology - a Pre- and Intra-Operative Dilemma.

BACKGROUND: Although the most common uterine tumour is leiomyoma, the differential diagnoses also include the rarer adenomyoma and leiomyosarcoma. A lack of clear reliable clinical and radiological features makes the triage of uterine masses to the appropriate surgical procedure difficult. In the case of suspicious appearance of a presumed leiomyoma, an open surgical approach is recommended and morcellation is avoided. CASE: We present a case of a woman undergoing an elective laparoscopic myomectomy for a fibroid that appeared benign on ultrasound but had suspicious features intraoperatively. The operation was converted to a laparotomy to avoid the risk of morcellation-related seeding in the event that the histology was malignant. The histology was subsequently a benign exophytic adenomyoma. CONCLUSION: The assessment of the nature of fibroids can be difficult both pre- and intraoperatively, and the need for difficult decision making to convert to open surgery during a laparoscopic myomectomy but with subsequent benign histology should be part of patient counselling.

Appearance of anti-NMDAR antibodies after plasma exchange and total removal of malignant ovarian teratoma in a patient with paraneoplastic limbic encephalopathy.

A 29-year-old female was admitted under section 2 of the mental health act with an acute psychosis. Her condition deteriorated as she developed a fever and worsening hallucinations. Brain imaging was normal but a lumbar puncture revealed a reactive cerebrospinal fluid. A transvaginal ultrasound revealed a left ovarian mass suggestive of a teratoma. A diagnosis of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) limbic encephalitis was made but the anti-NMDAR antibody was found to be negative. The patient proceeded to a laparoscopic oopherectomy and a 5-day course of plasma exchange. The patient has made a gradual improvement and the anti-NMDAR antibody has since become positive.