Consistency in human papillomavirus type detection between self-collected vaginal specimens and physician-sampled cervical specimens.

With the rising need for accessible cervical cancer screening, self-sampling methods offer a promising alternative to traditional physician-led sampling. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the HygeiaTouch Self Sampling Kit for Women in detecting human papillomavirus (HPV) types and predicting cervical lesions. We studied the concordance in identifying high-risk HPV (hrHPV) types between samples collected by physicians and those self-collected by women using a self-sampling kit for validation. Women aged 21-65, fitting into specific categories based on their cervical health history were eligible. Cohen's kappa coefficient to gauge concordance between the two specimen types and relative accuracy metrics in identifying cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were also calculated, with physician-sampled specimens serving as a reference. A total of 1210 participants from three institutes were involved. The self-sampling kit closely matched the physician-led method in terms of collecting valid specimens (100% vs. 100%), identifying hrHPV types (kappa: 0.75, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.72-0.79; agreement: 87.7%, 95% CI: 85.8-89.6) and predicting CIN grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) (relative sensitivity: 0.949, relative accuracy: 0.959). Kappa values varied between 0.71 and 0.83 for different hrHPV types and combinations, with an overall value 0.75 (95% CI: 0.72-0.79) signifying robust compatibility between the two methods. Our study underscores the potential of the HygeiaTouch Self Sampling Kit as a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly alternative to traditional sampling methods. This suggests that self-sampling could be pivotal in expanding cervical cancer screening accessibility and enhancing detection rates.

Integration of pretreatment tumor markers in a nomogram model for prognostic prediction of FIGO stage I endometrial cancer: A multi-institutional cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, the prognosis of patients with FIGO stage I endometrial cancer is determined by clinicopathological risk factors. In this study, we assessed the potential contribution of pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen-125 (CA-125) levels to estimating the prognosis of these patients and aimed to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with FIGO stage I endometrial cancer who underwent treatment between January 2009 and December 2021 in the four institutes of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. To identify optimal cutoff values of CEA and CA-125 for predicting survival, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival, and a Cox regression model was used to analyze the independent prognostic factors. Finally, a nomogram and calibration curve were constructed to predict patient survival probability. RESULTS: Of the 1559 patients evaluated, the optimal cutoff values of CEA and CA-125 were 1.44 ng/mL (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.601) and 39.77 U/mL (AUC 0.503), respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that pretreatment CEA (hazard ratio [HR] 2.11, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.35-3.28), CA-125 (HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.31-3.27), age >70 years (HR 12.54, 95% CI 5.05-31.11), myometrial invasion >50% (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.03-2.73), non-endometrioid histology (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.14-2.95), high-grade tumor (HR 2.41, 95% CI 1.46-3.97), and lymphovascular space invasion (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.26-4.25) were significant variables associated with overall survival. These factors were used to construct the nomogram model, which showed good concordance and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of pretreatment CEA and CA-125 in a prognostic nomogram is feasible. Our prediction model has the potential to assist clinicians in guiding appropriate clinical practice.

Real-world efficacy and safety of low-dose pembrolizumab in patients with advanced and refractory gynecologic cancers.

OBJECTIVE: The approved standard dose of pembrolizumab (200 mg administrated every 3 weeks) for cancer treatment imposes a significant financial burden on patients. However, no study has analyzed the clinical outcomes of low-dose pembrolizumab among individuals diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a low-dose pembrolizumab regimen in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed the efficacy and safety data of patients with gynecologic malignancies who received pembrolizumab between 2017 and 2022 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Furthermore, we conducted a comparative analysis of the objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and proficient MMR (pMMR). RESULTS: A total of thirty-nine patients were included and received pembrolizumab at fixed dosages of 50 mg (5.1%), 100 mg (84.6%) and 200 mg (10.3%) per cycle. Compared to the pMMR group, the dMMR group exhibited a tendency toward improved ORR (45.5% vs. 13.0%, p = 0.074), and notably, the median duration of response remained unreached. There was no significant difference in PFS between the dMMR and pMMR groups; however, the patients with dMMR in tumor tissue had a trend of better survival (p = 0.079). Incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of any grade was observed in 13 patients (33.3%), with 3 individuals (7.7%) experiencing grade 3 or 4 events. CONCLUSION: Low-dose pembrolizumab may be a cost-effective and safe treatment option without compromising clinical outcomes in patients with refractory gynecologic cancers.

Estrogen/Progesterone Receptor Expression and Cancer Antigen 125 Level as Preoperative Predictors to Estimate Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer.

Loss of estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) in endometrial cancer (EC) is associated with tumor progression and poor outcomes. Elevated pretreatment cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) level is a risk factor for lymph node metastasis (LNM). We evaluated whether the combination of ER/PR expression and CA 125 level could be used as a biomarker to predict LNM. We retrospectively investigated patients with endometrioid EC who underwent complete staging surgery during January 2015 to December 2020. We analyzed ER/PR status using immunohistochemical staining, and quantified its expression using the sum of both ER/PR H-scores. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to identify optimal cutoff values of H-score and CA 125 levels for predicting LNM. A nomogram for predicting LNM was constructed and validated by bootstrap resampling. In 396 patients, the optimal cutoff values of the ER/PR H-score and CA 125 were 407 (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.645, P=0.001) and 40 U/mL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.762, P<0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that CA 125 ≥40 UmL (odds ratio: 10.02; 95% CI: 4.74-21.18) and ER/PR H-score <407 (odds ratio: 4.20; 95% CI: 1.55-11.32) were independent predictors. An LNM predictive nomogram was constructed using these 2 variables and our model yielded a negative predictive value and negative likelihood ratio of 98.3% and 0.14, respectively. ER/PR expression with pretreatment CA 125 levels can help estimate LNM risk and aid in decision-making regarding the need for lymphadenectomy in patients with endometrioid EC.

Pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen combined with cancer antigen-125 for predicting lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the cost-effective, pretreatment tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen-125 (CA-125) can be used to predict lymph node metastasis (LNM) in endometrioid-type endometrial cancer (EC) and to develop a predictive model. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients with endometrioid-type EC who underwent complete staging surgery between January 2015 and June 2022. We identified the optimal cut-off values of CEA and CA-125 for predicting LNM using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors. A nomogram for predicting LNM was constructed and validated by bootstrap resampling. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off values of CEA and CA-125 were 1.4 ng/mL (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.62) and 40 U/mL (AUC 0.75), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that CEA (odds ratio (OR) 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-3.74) and CA-125 (OR 8.75; 95% CI 4.42-17.31) were independent predictors of LNM. Our nomogram showed adequate discrimination with a concordance index of 0.78. Calibration curves for the probability of LNM showed optimal agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities. The risk of LNM for markers below the cut-offs was 3.6%. The negative predictive value and negative likelihood ratio were 96.6% and 0.26, respectively, with moderate ability to rule out the possibility of LNM. CONCLUSION: We report a cost-effective method of using pretreatment CEA and CA-125 levels to identify patients with endometrioid-type EC who are at a low risk for LNM, which may guide decision-making regarding aborting lymphadenectomy.

Characteristics of Cancer-Related Fatigue and an Efficient Model to Identify Patients with Gynecological Cancer Seeking Fatigue-Related Management.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common somatic discomfort in patients with gynecological cancers. CRF is often overlooked; however, it can impair the patients' quality of life considerably. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of CRF in gynecological cancer patients. Questionnaires and the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) criteria were used to identify CRF. The enrolled patients were further categorized according to the amount of fatigue-related management received. Of the enrolled 190 patients, 40.0% had endometrial cancer, 28.9% had cervical cancer, and 31.1% had ovarian cancer. On the basis of the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, 42.6% had non-cancer-related fatigue, 10% had CRF, and 51% had BFI-T questionnaire-based fatigue. Moreover, 77.9% of the study cohort had ever received fatigue-related management. Further analysis showed that patients with endometrial/cervical cancer, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage >1, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score ≥1, inadequate cancer treatment response, and receiving cancer treatment in the past week had a higher probability of receiving more fatigue-related management. The five-item predictive model developed from these factors may help physicians recognize patients seeking more fatigue-related management more efficiently. This is important as they may suffer from a more profound CRF.

Endometrial Cancer Detection Using a Cervical DNA Methylation Assay (MPap) in Women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A Multicenter Hospital-Based Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: We describe a DNA methylation assay, named MPap test, using cervical scraping as an alternative technique for endometrial cancer detection. METHODS: A multicenter hospital-based, two-stage validation study was conducted to validate the cancer detection performance of the MPap test. The MPap value was determined from the DNA methylation status of two genes (BHLHE22, CDO1) and combined with two other clinical variables (age, BMI). The cutoff threshold of the MPap value was established in stage 1 and validated in stage 2. A total of 592 women with abnormal uterine bleeding were enrolled from five medical centers throughout Taiwan. RESULTS: In stage 1, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the MPap test for detecting endometrial cancer were 92.9%, 71.5%, 39.8%, and 98.0%, respectively. These values were validated in stage 2, being 92.5%, 73.8%, 40.2%, and 98.1%. Moreover, MPap outperformed transvaginal ultrasound in sensitivity and negative predictive values for detecting endometrial cancer. When we applied the algorithm for triage of endometrial cancer detection by MPap in the Taiwan National Health Insurance dataset, we found that it may reduce invasive procedures by 69~73%. CONCLUSIONS: MPap may provide a feasible alternative for endometrial cancer detection and can be considered as a triage test to reduce unnecessary invasive procedures.

Rare live birth to a 48-year-old woman after embryo transfer with autologous oocyte: A case report.

OBJECTIVE: Advanced maternal age and decreased ovarian reserve have been challenges for assisted reproductive technology (ART). Few cases, using autologous oocytes more than 46-years-old, have previously been reported. We seek to show how the age at which autologous oocytes may successfully be employed may be increasing. CASE REPORT: We report a 47-year-old woman with an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level of 0.24 ng/mL, conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) using autologous oocytes. Patient was given an antagonist protocol for ovarian stimulation and one frozen-thawed embryo was transferred. The patient became pregnant. The course of her pregnancy was uneventful and she gave birth to a 3330 gm male baby by cesarean section. CONCLUSION: Technological advances permit women, who previously would have been considered too old to employ an autologous oocyte, to have a successful pregnancy with a live birth.

Quantitative Measurement of Progesterone Receptor Immunohistochemical Expression to Predict Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer.

Background: Previous studies have shown that loss of progesterone receptor (PR) in endometrial cancer (EC) is associated with poor outcomes. Evaluating lymph node metastasis (LNM) is essential, especially before surgical staging. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PR expression and other clinicopathological parameters in LNM and to develop a prediction model. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated endometrioid-type EC patients treated with staging surgery between January 2015 and March 2020. We analyzed PR status using immunohistochemical staining, and the expression was quantified using the H-score. We identified optimal cut-off values of H-score and CA125 for predicting LNM using receiver operating characteristic curves, and used stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors. A nomogram for predicting LNM was constructed and validated using bootstrap resampling. Results: Of the 310 patients evaluated, the optimal cut-off values of PR H-score and CA125 were 162.5 (AUC 0.670, p = 0.001) and 40 U/mL (AUC 0.739, p < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that CA125 ≥ 40 U/mL (OR: 8.03; 95% CI: 3.44−18.77), PR H-score < 162.5 (OR: 5.22; 95% CI: 1.87−14.60), and tumor grade 2/3 (OR: 3.25; 95% CI: 1.33−7.91) were independent predictors. These three variables were incorporated into a nomogram, which showed effective discrimination with a concordance index of 0.829. Calibration curves for the probability of LNM showed optimal agreement between the probability as predicted by the nomogram and the actual probability. Our model gave a negative predictive value and a negative likelihood ratio of 98.4% and 0.14, respectively. Conclusions: PR H-score along with tumor grade and CA125 are helpful to predict LNM. In addition, our nomogram can aid in decision making with regard to lymphadenectomy in endometrioid-type EC.

Effects of Icodextrin Solution (Adept®) on Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation in an In Vitro Model.

Background and objective: Anti-adhesion barriers are currently used during ovarian cancer surgery to decrease adhesion-related morbidity. Adept® (4% icodextrin) solution, a liquid anti-adhesion material, has been widely used during gynecologic surgeries, though the risk of this barrier for oncologic surgery is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Adept® solution on the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. Materials and methods: We assessed the dose- and time-dependent effects of icodextrin on the growth and proliferation of OVCAR-3 and A2780 human ovarian tumor cell lines in vitro. Cell growth was determined by cell number counting. Expressions of cell cycle-regulation proteins (cyclin D1 and cyclin B1) were determined using Western blot analysis. Results: Adept® did not significantly increase ovarian cancer cell growth when tested at various concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20%, equal to 0, 0.04, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8% icodextrin) and different time points (1-3 days) compared to control cells. Moreover, the protein levels of cyclin D1 and B1 were not overexpression-elevated in icodextrin-treated ovarian cancer cells, either with an increasing concentration or with an increasing treated time. These results demonstrated that Adept® does not activate the growth or proliferation of ovarian cancer cells in either a dose- or time-dependent manner. Conclusions: This study supports the use of Adept® solution as a safe anti-adhesion barrier for ovarian cancer surgery, though further in vivo studies are necessary.

Evaluation of sexual dysfunction in gynecologic cancer survivors using DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.

BACKGROUND: In gynecologic cancer survivors, female sexual dysfunction (FSD) remains under-investigated. We attempted to estimate the prevalence of FSD associated with distress in gynecologic cancer survivors using diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders fifth edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria and to identify women at risk for FSD. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of premenopausal women aged 20-50 with various gynecologic cancers at least one year after treatment between January 2017 and December 2019. Data of sociodemographics and physical conditions were collected via face-to-face interview during outpatient clinic visits. The domains we used to define FSD were based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Statistical analysis was carried out using Student's t test, Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 126 gynecologic cancer survivors with a mean age of 42.4 years were included for analysis and 55 of them (43.7%) were diagnosed as having FSD associated with distress based on DSM-5 criteria. More than half of women (65.1%) reported decreased sexual satisfaction after cancer treatment. According to DSM-5 definition, the most common female sexual disorders were sexual interest/arousal disorder (70.9%), followed by genitopelvic pain/penetration disorder (60.0%), and orgasmic disorder (20.0%). In multiple logistic regression model, endometrial cancer diagnosis was the only independent factor predicting less influence of cancer treatment on FSD (OR 0.370; 95% CI 0.160, 0.856). CONCLUSION: The first study to use DSM-5 criteria for estimation of FSD prevalence. This enables clinicians to identify which women are actually needed to seek medical help. A prevalence of 43.7% of FSD associated with distress was found in a group of gynecologic cancer survivors with the most common being sexual interest/arousal disorder. Endometrial cancer survivors were at low risk for developing FSD after treatment.

Synchronous/metachronous endometrial and colorectal malignancies in Taiwanese women: a population-based nationwide study.

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial cancer (EC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) may share a common genetic background. In a subset of patients, the two malignancies can coexist either at the time of diagnosis (synchronous) or develop consequently (metachronous). The purpose of this nationwide, population-based study was to investigate the occurrence and clinical outcomes of synchronous/metachronous EC/CRC in Taiwanese women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for women diagnosed with EC and/or CRC between 2007 and 2015 were retrospectively retrieved from the nationwide Taiwan Cancer Registry. Mortality data were obtained from the National Death Registry. Women with synchronous/metachronous EC/CRC versus EC or CRC were compared in terms of clinical characteristics and outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 62,764 Taiwanese women diagnosed with EC and/or CRC during the study period, 167 (0.3%) had synchronous/metachronous EC/CRC. Among them, 72 cases (43.1%) presented with EC followed by CRC, 66 (39.5%) with CRC followed by EC, and 29 (17.4%) with synchronous EC/CRC. Kaplan-Meier estimates for time-to-event data revealed that the 2-year risk rates of developing a metachronous tumor of interest (CRC or EC) in women diagnosed with an initial EC and CRC were 39.6% and 42.1%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates of women with metachronous EC/CRC who had an initial diagnosis of EC, CRC, and synchronous EC/CRC were 73.9%, 70.9%, and 37.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial cancer is the most common first tumor in Taiwanese women with metachronous EC/CRC. The 2-year risk rates of developing a metachronous tumor of interest (CRC or EC) in women diagnosed with an initial EC and CRC are not negligible. Surveillance for CRC is recommended for all women diagnosed with EC. The clinical outcomes of synchronous EC/CRC are markedly less favorable.

Case report: Durable response after pembrolizumab in combination with radiation - induced abscopal effect in platinum - refractory metastatic endometrial clear cell carcinoma.

Advanced endometrial clear cell carcinoma (CCC) tends to have poor prognosis owing to aggressive clinical behavior and poor response to conventional chemotherapy. Herein, we report a case of platinum-refractory recurrent ECCC successfully treated with the combination of pembrolizumab, localized radiotherapy and a few cycles of chemotherapy with an extremely durable response even after cessation of immunotherapy for 3 years at the time of publication.

Outcomes of hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccination in high-risk newborns born to HBeAg-positive mothers.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the protective efficacy of a hepatitis B (HB) vaccination program in Taiwan among high-risk children. METHODS: Children born to HBeAg-positive mothers from 2001 to 2010 were invited back. Blood samples for hepatitis B virus (HBV) seromarkers were taken and the children underwent hepatobiliary ultrasonography. Perinatal factors including delivery mode and vaccination history were collected from their medical records. According to the results of HBV serological markers, the children were initially classified into five groups: HBV naïve, HB vaccine responder, HBsAg carrier, recovered from HBV infection, and anti-HBc-positive alone. Children in the HBV naïve and anti-HBc-positive alone groups who presented with an anamnestic response after a booster HB vaccine were re-assigned to the vaccine responder and recovered from infection groups, respectively. RESULTS: All of the 196 enrolled children received postnatal hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and HB vaccinations, of whom one was HBV naïve (0.5%), 109 were vaccine responders (55.6%), 21 were carriers (10.7%), and 65 recovered from infection (33.2%). Among the 21 carriers, 14 (66.7%) presented in the immunotolerant phase. Cesarean section was the only significant perinatal factor between the carriers (5.3%) and those who recovered from infection (37.7%) (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: In this study, there was a 43.9% HBV infection rate and 10.7% HBsAg carrier rate in high-risk Taiwanese children even after receiving HBIG and HB vaccinations. C-section may protect newborns from becoming HBsAg carriers, while HBV genotype and time of HBIG injection did not contribute to the HBV carrier rate.

Comprehensive Clinicopathologic Analysis for Mismatch Repair Protein Expression in Unselected Endometrial Carcinoma Patients With an Emphasis on the Role of MLH1 Deficiency.

Screening for mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in unselected patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC) and the clinicopathologic descriptions of ECs with MMR deficiency have been well demonstrated in Western populations, but studies on Asian populations are relatively scarce. In this study, we described the clinicopathologic features of ECs according to MMR status in unselected Taiwanese patients. We also conducted subgroup analysis of MMR-deficient (dMMR) cases according to the presence or absence of MLH1. Patients diagnosed with ECs between January 2017 and February 2020 at our institution were included. Immunohistochemistry analysis of MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6 proteins on endometrial primary tumors and clinicopathologic variables were assessed retrospectively. A total of 231 EC patients were enrolled, of whom 50 (21.6%) had dMMR tumors. Of these 50 cases, 39 had tumors that lacked MLH1 expression and 11 were positive for MLH1. The overall dMMR group was significantly related to older age, parity, and high histologic grade compared with the MMR-proficient (pMMR) group. ECs with MLH1 deficiency were obviously associated with several poor pathologic features, including high histologic grade, lymph node metastasis, and lymphovascular space invasion. Moreover, we first reported that parity and the late age at menopause are strongly correlated with MLH1-related dMMR EC group compared with pMMR group. In conclusion, triaging EC patients into pMMR, MLH1-related dMMR and non-MLH1-related dMMR groups by immunohistochemistry analysis may help clinicians to predict disease behavior and guide further management. The strong association between parity and MLH1-related dMMR ECs warrants further investigation on the underlying mechanism.

The role of prolonged progestin treatment and factors predicting successful fertility-sparing treatment for early endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Fertility-sparing progestin therapy is highly effective in selected young women with endometrial cancer. In present study, we attempted to evaluate the role of prolonged medication and identify factors predicting successful treatment, and also assess fertility outcomes among young women with early stage endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EC). STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from patients aged <45 years with well-differentiated EC at presumed stage IA (without myometrial invasion) who wished to preserve fertility. They were managed with oral progestin at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between June 2005 and June 2019. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were included with a median follow-up of 53.5 months (range 12-170 months). Forty-one patients (91.1%) had complete remission, the cumulative complete response (CR) rates at 3, 6, 9, 12, and >12 months were 17.7%, 48.9%, 60.0%, 68.9% and 91.1%, respectively. Among the 41 responders, 23 attempted to conceive and nine (39.1%) achieved pregnancy with 12 live newborn infants. Eleven (27.5%) responders experienced recurrence at a median of 22 months from CR (range 3-54 months). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that non-diabetes (HR: 4.59; 95% CI: 1.62-12.98) and endometrial thickness <2 cm (HR: 0.39; 95% CI: 1.41-17.67) were significantly factors associated with treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that prolonged oral progestin treatment was possible with a certain proportion of responders (24.4%) being responded after one year. Diabetes controlled on metformin and endometrial thickness <2 cm could be used as surrogate markers to predict better treatment response.

Highly Expressed Progesterone Receptor B Isoform Increases Platinum Sensitivity and Survival of Ovarian High-Grade Serous Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Expression of the progesterone receptor (PR) has been reported to influence survival outcomes in patients with ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). In the present study, we attempted to investigate the association among PR and its isoforms' expression, platinum sensitivity, and survival in ovarian HGSC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed ovarian HGSC patients who received surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed total PR and PR isoform-B (PR-B) expression by immunohistochemical staining and quantified using the H-score. Then, we compared platinum sensitivity and survival outcomes between those patients with weak and strong PR-B expression. Cisplatin viability assays were carried out in ovarian HGSC cell lines (OC-3-VGH and OVCAR-3) with different PR-B expression. RESULTS: Among 90 patients, 49 and 41 patients were considered to have platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant disease, respectively. Pearson's correlation model showed that the H-score of total PR correlated positively with PR-B (r = 0.813). The PR-B H-score of tumors was significantly higher in the platinum-sensitive group (p = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that the PR-B H-score and optimal debulking status were independent factors predicting platinum sensitivity. When compared with strong PR-B expression, patients with weak PR-B had significantly poorer progression-free (p = 0.021) and cancer-specific survival (p = 0.046). In a cell model, cisplatin-resistant OC-3-VGH cells expressed a lower level of PR-B than wild-type cells. Overexpression of PR-B or progesterone could increase cisplatin sensitivity in both OC-3-VGH and OVCAR-3 cells via the mechanism of promoting cisplatin-related apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to weak PR-B, ovarian HGSC patients with a strong PR-B expression had a better chance of platinum sensitivity and survival, and this finding was compatible with our experimental results. Progesterone seemed to be a platinum sensitizer, but the value of adding progesterone in the treatment of ovarian HGSC should be further investigated.

CA125 normalization within 60 days as an independent prognostic factor for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: CA125 level normalization at different chemotherapy cycles has been reported to be a prognosticator in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we investigated whether the time (in days) to CA125 normalization or nadir during treatment could be used as markers to predict survival. METHODS: Patients with FIGO stage III-IV epithelial ovarian cancer treated with cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy between 2008 and 2016 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Clinicopathological characteristics, changes in CA125 level during treatment, and survival outcomes were analyzed. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off values of the time to normalization and time to nadir of CA125 levels to predict survival. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to examine the impact of each variable on survival. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were included in the analysis. The optimal cut-off values for the time to normalization and nadir for predicting survival were 60 and 194 days, respectively. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, CA125 level normalization ⩽ 60 days and CA125 ⩽ 35 u/mL after the third cycle, and CA125 level ⩽ 10 u/mL after the sixth cycle of chemotherapy were associated with significantly better 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In multivariate analysis, only CA125 level normalization > 60 days was significantly associated with poor survival outcomes (PFS, HR 2.62 [95% CI: 1.54, 4.45], p= 0.004; OS, HR 2.40 [95% CI: 1.19, 4.81], p= 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Normalization of CA125 level within 60 days after cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced ovarian epithelial cancer could be used as a marker to predict survival.

Impact of the Time Interval Between Primary Debulking Surgery and Start of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

AIM: To investigate whether the time interval between primary debulking surgery (PDS) and initiating adjuvant chemotherapy affects survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed FIGO stage IIB to IV EOC patients who received PDS followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2016. The optimal cut-off time interval to chemotherapy related to survival was determined using the Contal and O'Quigley method and Cox hazard models. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent effect of time interval on survival. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients were identified and divided into three groups based on the time interval between PDS and initiating adjuvant chemotherapy: early (<23 days), intermediate (23-43 days) and late (>43 days). The intermediate group had a significantly better median progression-free survival (PFS, 35.5 months) compared to the early (20 months) and late (22.6 months) groups. After adjustments for confounding factors, time interval was still an independent variable affecting PFS. The intermediate group was associated with a better PFS compared with the early and late groups (hazard ratio 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.83, p=0.002). There was no statistical significance in overall survival (OS) in univariate or multivariate analysis, although there was a trend towards better OS in the intermediate group. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that the time interval from PDS to chemotherapy influences PFS in patients with advanced EOC. The optimal time to initiate chemotherapy was between 23 and 43 days, within 3-6 weeks post-operatively. Initiating chemotherapy early (<23 days) did not appear to benefit PFS.

Increased sugar-sweetened beverage use tendency in pregnancy positively associates with peripartum Edinburgh postpartum depression scores.

The association among sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption, addiction and depression in adults, children and adolescents is widely reported. Dieting patterns during pregnancy is complicated by maternal fetal concerns. Specifically, restrained use of SSB might be potentially a source of perinatal distress. The current study modified diagnostic criteria for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), into SSB-specific questions to assess SSB use tendency. Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scores (EPDS) is used to assess maternal distress during pregnancy. One hundred and ninety-six consecutive pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital were invited to participate in this study. In the first trimester, 46.6% of women had none or 1 DSM-5 symptom, 27.0% had 2-3 symptoms, while 26.4% had ≥ 4 symptoms. The mean numbers of DSM-5 symptoms in each trimester were found to be 2.5 ± 2.25, 2.6 ± 2.45, 2.4 ± 2.43 for the first, second and third trimester, respectively, p = 0.750. While EPDS score showed no difference among DSM-5 symptoms 0-1, 2-3 and ≥ 4 groups in the first trimester (8.1 ± 4.59, 8.4 ± 5.00, 8.8 ± 4.82, p = 0.343), women with ≥ 4 DSM-symptoms was found significantly higher EPDS scores than those with < 4 DSM-symptoms in the second (7.2 ± 4.81, 7.7 ± 4.98, 8.8 ± 4.33, p = 0.030) and third trimester (6.8 ± 5.00, 7.2 ± 4.63, 8.7 ± 5.24, p = 0.019). The relationship remained significant after adjusting for covariates including actual SSB amount consumed (adjusted ß = 0.25 with 95% confident interval (CI) 0.04-0.45 and 0.21 with 95% CI 0.04-0.38 for the second and third trimesters, respectively). Overall, the study is the first to characterize the positive relationship between SSB use tendency and antenatal distress in pregnancy, independent of actual SSB amount consumed. The observational nature of the study design precludes inferences of its underlying socio-psychomotor mechanisms, although restrained SSB use in pregnancy is suspected to contribute. The novel employment of modified SSB-specific DSM-5 scores and EPDS in this setting is feasible and further validation is promising. With better understanding and awareness, pregnant women with increased SSB use tendency should be properly counseled with special attention to their mental state.