Primary malignant melanoma of uterine cervix treated with pembrolizumab as adjuvant immunotherapy.

This is the case report of primary malignant melanoma (MM) of uterine cervix treated by immune checkpoint inhibitor: the Pembrolizumab. Despite the merge of the novel drugs that has been strikingly improving prognosis of MM, we still struggle treatment of MM of uterine cervix that has aggressive characteristics with unknown etiology. We present our case to contribute its rarity of the disease case report, the primary MM of the uterine cervix that had poor response to pembrolizumab and had OS of 6 months. The treatment ineffectiveness is mainly considered for mucosal MM of low tumor mutation burden and its unusual type of pathology. Accumulation of retrospective studies exclusively on cervical melanoma needs to be proceeded to investigate on characteristics between poor and long survival to establish standardized treatment.

Sono-embryological assessments of a true knot that developed into a hypercoiled cord and circumvallate placenta.

Longitudinal investigations using ultrasound during pregnancy can be used to clarify the mechanisms and pathophysiology of abnormal fetal and placental development. In this report, we presented a case of a true knot that appeared to develop into a hypercoiled cord and circumvallate placenta, which we found through longitudinal ultrasound investigations during pregnancy. In the present case, ultrasonography proved that the true knot had existed at least 16 weeks of gestation. The true knot was presumed to develop into a hypercoiled cord based on the hypothesis of differential umbilical vascular growth rates.

Ultrasound screening and management of vasa previa in Japan.

AIM: This study aimed to clarify ultrasound screening and management for vasa previa (VP) in perinatal centers and primary facilities in Japan. METHODS: A questionnaire survey about antepartum ultrasound screening and management for VP was delivered in 2018. Questions were sent by email or post to perinatal centers and randomly selected primary hospitals or clinics throughout Japan. RESULTS: Seventy-seven perinatal centers and 300 primary facilities answered. VP was screened in 85.7% of perinatal centers and 81.3% of primary facilities. The reported incidence of VP was 0.05% (86/158 323) and 0.05% (28/54 791) in perinatal centers and primary facilities, respectively. When patients were diagnosed with VP, 88.7% of primary facilities referred the patient to a tertiary hospital. Routine hospitalization (100%) and steroid administration (46%) were frequently performed in perinatal centers. The median gestational age at planned cesarean section was significantly earlier in perinatal centers (34 weeks) than in primary facilities (37 weeks). Of the 31 reported cases of VP, 30 were reported as intact survival, but 1 case required an emergency cesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation without an antenatal diagnosis, resulting in neonatal death. CONCLUSION: More than 80% of obstetric facilities both perinatal centers and clinics in Japan perform ultrasound screening with for VP with similar detection rate. However, to further improve perinatal outcomes related to VP, pathophysiology and diagnosis of VP should be more widely recognized by obstetric caregivers throughout Japan.