High pre-Delta and early-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence detected in dried blood samples from Kinshasa (D.R. Congo).

Studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa have yielded varying results, although authors universally agree the real burden surpasses reported cases. The primary objective of this study was to determine SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among patients attending Monkole Hospital in Kinshasa (D.R. Congo). The secondary objective was to evaluate the analytic performance of two chemiluminescence platforms: Elecsys® (Roche) and VirClia® (Vircell) on dried blood spot samples (DBS). The study population (N = 373) was recruited in two stages: a mid-2021 blood donor cohort (15.5% women) and a mid-2022 women cohort. Crude global seroprevalence was 61% (53.9%-67.8%) pre-Delta in 2021 and 90.2% (84.7%-94.2%) post-Omicron in 2022. Anti-spike (S) antibody levels significantly increased from 53.1 (31.8-131.3) U/mL in 2021 to 436.5 (219.3-950.5) U/mL in 2022 and were significantly higher above 45 years old in the 2022 population. Both platforms showed good analytic performance on DBS samples: sensitivity was 96.8% for IgG (antiN/S) (93.9%-98.5%) and 96.0% (93.0%-98.0%) for anti-S quantification. These results provide additional support for the notion that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 is more widespread than indicated by case-based surveillance and will be able to guide the pandemic response and strategy moving forward. Likewise, this study contributes evidence to the reliability of DBS as a tool for serological testing and diagnosis in resource-limited settings.

The art of bowel surgery in gynecologic cancer.

The field of gynecologic oncology has witnessed a profound transformation in the practice of bowel resection over the years. This evolution, driven by innovative techniques and expanded surgical skills, has redefined the role of the surgeon. This review article delves into the historical journey of bowel surgery, its contemporary importance in cytoreductive procedures for gynecologic cancers, and the general principles of digestive surgery. From pioneering surgeons such as Lane, Broca, and Billroth to the introduction of mechanical staplers, this narrative unfolds the remarkable advances in the field. It highlights the critical need for meticulous training, anatomic mastery, aseptic measures, vascular support, tension-free anastomoses, and precise surgical techniques. These principles underpin the success of bowel resection and anastomosis in the complex landscape of gynecologic oncology.

An international worldwide retrospective cohort observational study comparing primary cytoreductive surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with carcinoma of the ovary, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum (SUROVA trial).

BACKGROUND: Currently, a lively debate exists within the scientific community regarding the most suitable procedure for treating stages IIIB-IVB carcinoma of the ovary, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum. The options under most consideration are primary cytoreductive surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To compare overall survival at 5 years in patients who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval cytoreductive surgery for stage IIIB-IVB ovarian cancer STUDY HYPOTHESIS: The treatment with primary cytoreductive surgery results in superior patient survival compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. TRIAL DESIGN: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort observational study. Data will be collected from patients undergoing surgery in hospitals worldwide. Two arms will be compared: primary cytoreductive surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery. MAJOR INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients must have suspected or histologically confirmed International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IIIB-IVB ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancers. They must have undergone primary surgery or first course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019. Based on all available information before the surgery (primary or interval), the patient must have been considered completely resectable. PRIMARY ENDPOINT: Overall survival at 5 years from the first treatment (chemotherapy in the case of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and cytoreduction in the case of primary cytoreductive surgery). SAMPLE SIZE: An estimated total of 5000 patients will be enrolled in the study. ESTIMATED DATES FOR COMPLETING ACCRUAL AND PRESENTING RESULTS: March 2025 TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT06223763.

Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Ratio in Patients with Uterine Carcinosarcoma.

Uterine carcinosarcoma is a rare high-grade endometrial cancer. Controversy has surrounded a number of aspects in the diagnosis and management of this unique clinicopathological entity, including the efficacy of adjuvant therapy, which has been questioned. An unusual surgico-pathological parameter with prognostic significance in a number of tumour sites is the lymph node ratio (LNR). The availability of data in this respect has been scarce in the literature. The primary aim of this collaborative study was to evaluate the prognostic value of LNR in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma. LNR is a recognized lymph node metric used to stratify prognosis in a variety of malignancies. In this European multinational retrospective study, 93 women with uterine carcinosarcoma were included in the final analysis. We used t-tests and ANOVA for comparison between quantitative variables between the groups, and chi-square tests for qualitative variables. A multivariate analysis using Cox regression analysis was performed to determine potential prognostic factors, including the LNR. Patients were grouped with respect to LNR in terms of 0%, 20% > 0% and >20%. The analysis revealed LNR to be a significant predictor of progression-free survival (HR 1.69, CI (1.12-2.55), p = 0.012) and overall survival (HR 1.71, CI (1.07-2.7), p = 0.024). However, LNR did not remain a significant prognostic factor on multivariate analysis. Due to limitations of the retrospective study, a prospective large multinational study, which takes into effect the most recent changes to clinical practice, is warranted to elucidate the value of the pathophysiological metrics of the lymphatic system associated with prognosis.

Best original research presented at the 24th European Congress on Gynaecological Oncology-Best of ESGO 2023.

The 'Best of ESGO 2023' manuscript comprises a compilation of the best original research presented during the European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology annual congress held in Istanbul between September 28 and October 1, 2023. Out of 1030 submitted abstracts, 33 studies presented during the Best Oral Sessions, Mini Oral Sessions, and Young Investigator Session were selected by the ESGO Abstract Committee and the European Network of Young Gynae Oncologists (ENYGO) authors. There was a strong focus on surgical de-escalation, immunotherapy, maintenance therapy, and molecular profiling in gynecologic oncology. With this manuscript, ENYGO and ESGO aim to disseminate the valuable research results to readers interested in our field.

ESGO/ESTRO quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) has previously defined and established a list of quality indicators for the surgical treatment of cervical cancer. As a continuation of this effort to improve overall quality of care for cervical cancer patients across all aspects, ESGO and the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) initiated the development of quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: To develop a list of quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer that can be used to audit and improve clinical practice by giving to practitioners and administrators a quantitative basis to improve care and organizational processes, notably for recognition of the increased complexity of modern external radiotherapy and brachytherapy techniques. METHODS: Quality indicators were based on scientific evidence and/or expert consensus. The development process included a systematic literature search for identification of potential quality indicators and documentation of scientific evidence, consensus meetings of a group of international experts, an internal validation process, and external review by a large international panel of clinicians (n = 99). RESULTS: Using a structured format, each quality indicator has a description specifying what the indicator is measuring. Measurability specifications are detailed to define how the quality indicators will be measured in practice. Targets were also defined for specifying the level which each unit or center should be aiming to achieve. Nineteen structural, process, and outcome indicators were defined. Quality indicators 1-6 are general requirements related to pretreatment workup, time to treatment, upfront radiation therapy, and overall management, including active participation in clinical research and the decision making process within a structured multidisciplinary team. Quality indicators 7-17 are related to treatment indicators. Quality indicators 18 and 19 are related to patient outcomes. DISCUSSION: This set of quality indicators is a major instrument to standardize the quality of radiation therapy in cervical cancer. A scoring system combining surgical and radiotherapeutic quality indicators will be developed within an envisaged future ESGO accreditation process for the overall management of cervical cancer, in an effort to support institutional and governmental quality assurance programs.

SUCCOR Nodes: May Sentinel Node Biopsy Determine the Need for Adjuvant Treatment?

BACKGROUND: The SUCCOR cohort was developed to analyse the overall and disease-free survival at 5 years in women with FIGO 2009 stage IB1 cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the use of adjuvant therapy in these women, depending on the method used to diagnose lymphatic node metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used data from the SUCCOR cohort, which collected information from 1049 women with FIGO 2009 stage IB1 cervical cancer who were operated on between January 2013 and December 2014 in Europe. We calculated the adjusted proportion of women who received adjuvant therapy depending on the lymph node diagnosis method and compared disease free and overall survival using Cox proportional-hazards regression models. Inverse probability weighting was used to adjust for baseline potential confounders. RESULTS: The adjusted proportion of women who received adjuvant therapy was 33.8% in the sentinel node biopsy + lymphadenectomy (SNB+LA) group and 44.7% in the LA group (p = 0.02), although the proportion of positive nodal status was similar (p = 0.30). That difference was greater in women with negative nodal status and positive Sedlis criteria (difference 31.2%, p = 0.01). Here, those who underwent a SNB+LA had an increased risk of relapse [hazard ratio (HR) 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-6.33, p = 0.056] and risk of death (HR 3.49, 95% CI 1.04-11.7, p = 0.042) compared with those who underwent LA. CONCLUSIONS: Women in this study were less likely to receive adjuvant therapy if their nodal invasion was determined using SNB+LA compared with LA. These results suggest a lack of therapeutic measures available when a negative result is obtained by SNB+LA, which may have an impact on the risk of recurrence and survival.

Prognostic factors in patients with uterine sarcoma: the SARCUT study.

OBJECTIVE: Uterine sarcomas are a rare and heterogeneous group of malignancies that include different histological sub-types. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the impact of the different prognostic factors on overall survival and disease-free survival of patients with uterine sarcoma. METHODS: This international multicenter retrospective study included 683 patients diagnosed with uterine sarcoma at 46 different institutions between January 2001 and December 2007. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival for leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, undifferentiated sarcoma, and adenosarcoma was 65.3%, 78.3%, 52.4%, and 89.5%, respectively, and the 5-year disease-free survival was 54.3%, 68.1%, 40.3%, and 85.3%, respectively. The 10-year overall survival for leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, undifferentiated sarcoma and adenosarcoma was 52.6%, 64.8%, 52.4%, and 79.5%, respectively, and the 10-year disease-free survival was 44.7%, 53.3%, 40.3%, and 77.5%, respectively. The most significant factor associated with overall survival in all types of sarcoma except for adenosarcoma was the presence of residual disease after primary treatment. In adenosarcoma, disease stage at diagnosis was the most important factor (hazard ratio 17.7; 95% CI 2.86 to 109.93). CONCLUSION: Incomplete cytoreduction, tumor persistence, advanced stage, extra-uterine and tumor margin involvement, and the presence of necrosis were relevant prognostic factors significantly affecting overall survival in uterine sarcoma. The presence of lymph vascular space involvement and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy were significantly associated with a higher risk of relapse.

ESGO/ESTRO quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) has previously defined and established a list of quality indicators for the surgical treatment of cervical cancer. As a continuation of this effort to improve overall quality of care for cervical cancer patients across all aspects, ESGO and the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) initiated the development of quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: To develop a list of quality indicators for radiation therapy of cervical cancer that can be used to audit and improve clinical practice by giving to practitioners and administrators a quantitative basis to improve care and organizational processes, notably for recognition of the increased complexity of modern external radiotherapy and brachytherapy techniques. METHODS: Quality indicators were based on scientific evidence and/or expert consensus. The development process included a systematic literature search for identification of potential quality indicators and documentation of scientific evidence, consensus meetings of a group of international experts, an internal validation process, and external review by a large international panel of clinicians (n=99). RESULTS: Using a structured format, each quality indicator has a description specifying what the indicator is measuring. Measurability specifications are detailed to define how the quality indicators will be measured in practice. Targets were also defined for specifying the level which each unit or center should be aiming to achieve. Nineteen structural, process, and outcome indicators were defined. Quality indicators 1-6 are general requirements related to pretreatment workup, time to treatment, upfront radiation therapy, and overall management, including active participation in clinical research and the decision making process within a structured multidisciplinary team. Quality indicators 7-17 are related to treatment indicators. Quality indicators 18 and 19 are related to patient outcomes. DISCUSSION: This set of quality indicators is a major instrument to standardize the quality of radiation therapy in cervical cancer. A scoring system combining surgical and radiotherapeutic quality indicators will be developed within an envisaged future ESGO accreditation process for the overall management of cervical cancer, in an effort to support institutional and governmental quality assurance programs.

Ultrasound examination, MRI, or ROMA for discriminating between inconclusive adnexal masses as determined by IOTA Simple Rules: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the best second-step approach for discriminating benign from malignant adnexal masses classified as inconclusive by International Ovarian Tumour Analysis Simple Rules (IOTA-SR). METHODS: Single-center prospective study comprising a consecutive series of patients diagnosed as having an adnexal mass classified as inconclusive according to IOTA-SR. All women underwent Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) analysis, MRI interpreted by a radiologist, and ultrasound examination by a gynecological sonologist. Cases were clinically managed according to the result of the ultrasound expert examination by either serial follow-up for at least 1 year or surgery. Reference standard was histology (patient was submitted to surgery if any of the tests was suspicious) or follow-up (masses with no signs of malignancy after 12 months were considered benign). Diagnostic performance of all three approaches was calculated and compared. Direct cost analysis of the test used was also performed. RESULTS: Eighty-two adnexal masses in 80 women (median age 47.6 years, range 16 to 73 years) were included. Seventeen patients (17 masses) were managed expectantly (none had diagnosis of ovarian cancer after at least 12 months of follow-up) and 63 patients (65 masses) underwent surgery and tumor removal (40 benign and 25 malignant tumors). Sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound, MRI, and ROMA were 96% and 93%, 100% and 81%, and 24% and 93%, respectively. The specificity of ultrasound was better than that for MRI (p=0.021), and the sensitivity of ultrasound was better than that for ROMA (p<0.001), sensitivity was better for MRI than for ROMA (p<0.001) and the specificity of ROMA was better than that for MRI (p<0.001). Ultrasound evaluation was the most effective and least costly method as compared with MRI and ROMA. CONCLUSION: In this study, ultrasound examination was the best second-step approach in inconclusive adnexal masses as determined by IOTA-SR, but the findings require confirmation in multicenter prospective trials.

Statement of the AGO Kommission Ovar, AGO Study Group, NOGGO, AGO Austria, Swiss AGO, BGOG, CEEGOG, GEICO, and SFOG regarding the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in epithelial ovarian cancer.

An international joint statement about the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in ovarian cancer was published in 2016, warning about the uncritical use of HIPEC outside controlled studies. This statement has now been updated after the most recent literature was reviewed by the participating study groups and societies. HIPEC became a treatment option in patients with advanced colon cancer after positive results of a randomized trial comparing surgery and HIPEC versus palliative treatment alone. Although this trial did not compare the added value of HIPEC to surgery alone, HIPEC for the treatment of peritoneal metastases was in the subsequent years generalized to many other cancer types associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). In the meantime, new evidence from prospective randomized trials specifically for EOC-patients emerged, with however contradicting results and several quality aspects that made the interpretation of their findings critical. Moreover, three additional trials in colorectal cancer failed to confirm the previously presumed survival benefit through the implementation of HIPEC in peritoneally disseminated colorectal cancers. Based on a still unclear and inconsistent landscape, the authors conclude that HIPEC should remain within the remit of clinical trials for EOC-patients. Available evidence is not yet sufficient to justify its broad endorsement into the routine clinical practice.

Microsurgical anastomosis of the fallopian tubes after tubal ligation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Between 20% and 30% of women who have undergone tubal ligation regret their decision. The alternative to regain fertility for these women is either in vitro fertilization or tubal re-anastomosis. This article presents a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the current evidence on the efficacy of tubal recanalization surgery in patients who have previously undergone tubal ligation. STUDY DESIGN: The search was conducted in the World of Science (WOS) database, The Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov record using the keywords "tubal reversal", "tubal reanastomosis" and "tubal anastomosis". The review was carried out by two of the authors. Data from 22 studies were evaluated, comprising over 14,113 patients who underwent the studied surgery, following strict inclusion criteria: articles published between January 2012 and June 2022, in English and with a sample size bigger than 10 patients were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate after anastomosis was found to be 65.3 % (95 % CI: 61.0-69.6). The percentage of women who had at least one live birth, known as the birth rate, was 42.6 % (95 % CI: 34.9-51.4). Adverse outcomes after surgery were also examined: the observed abortion rate among women who underwent surgery was 9.4 % (95 % CI: 7.0-11.7), and the overall ectopic pregnancy rate was 6.8 % (95 % CI: 4.6-9.0). No differences were found between the outcomes when differentiating surgical approaches: laparotomy, laparoscopy, or robotic-assisted surgery. The patient's age was identified as the most significant determining factor for fertility restoration. Finally, when comparing the results of tubal reversal with in vitro fertilization, reversal procedures appear more favorable for patients over 35 years old, while the results are similar for patients under 35 years old, but more data is needed to evaluate this finding. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the available literature review demonstrates that surgical anastomosis following tubal ligation is a reproducible technique with relevant success rates, performed by multiple expert groups worldwide.

Practice-oriented solutions integrating intraoperative electron irradiation and personalized proton therapy for recurrent or unresectable cancers: Proof of concept and potential for dual FLASH effect.

Background: Oligo-recurrent disease has a consolidated evidence of long-term surviving patients due to the use of intense local cancer therapy. The latter combines real-time surgical exploration/resection with high-energy electron beam single dose of irradiation. This results in a very precise radiation dose deposit, which is an essential element of contemporary multidisciplinary individualized oncology. Methods: Patient candidates to proton therapy were evaluated in Multidisciplinary Tumor Board to consider improved treatment options based on the institutional resources and expertise. Proton therapy was delivered by a synchrotron-based pencil beam scanning technology with energy levels from 70.2 to 228.7 MeV, whereas intraoperative electrons were generated in a miniaturized linear accelerator with dose rates ranging from 22 to 36 Gy/min (at Dmax) and energies from 6 to 12 MeV. Results: In a period of 24 months, 327 patients were treated with proton therapy: 218 were adults, 97 had recurrent cancer, and 54 required re-irradiation. The specific radiation modalities selected in five cases included an integral strategy to optimize the local disease management by the combination of surgery, intraoperative electron boost, and external pencil beam proton therapy as components of the radiotherapy management. Recurrent cancer was present in four cases (cervix, sarcoma, melanoma, and rectum), and one patient had a primary unresectable locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In re-irradiated patients (cervix and rectum), a tentative radical total dose was achieved by integrating beams of electrons (ranging from 10- to 20-Gy single dose) and protons (30 to 54-Gy Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE), in 10-25 fractions). Conclusions: Individual case solution strategies combining intraoperative electron radiation therapy and proton therapy for patients with oligo-recurrent or unresectable localized cancer are feasible. The potential of this combination can be clinically explored with electron and proton FLASH beams.