British Gynaecological Cancer Society recommendations and guidance on patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU).

The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative through the National Health Service (NHS) improvement in the UK started the implementation of stratified pathways of patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) across various tumor types. Now the initiative is continued through the Living With and Beyond Cancer program by NHS England. Evidence from non-randomized studies and systematic reviews does not demonstrate a survival advantage to the long-established practice of hospital-based follow-up regimens, traditionally over 5 years. Evidence shows that patient needs are inadequately met under the traditional follow-up programs and there is therefore an urgent need to adapt pathways to the needs of patients. The assumption that hospital-based follow-up is able to detect cancer recurrences early and hence improve patient prognosis has not been validated. A recent survey demonstrates that follow-up practice across the UK varies widely, with telephone follow-up clinics, nurse-led clinics and PIFU becoming increasingly common. There are currently no completed randomized controlled trials in PIFU in gynecological malignancies, although there is a drive towards implementing PIFU. PIFU aims to individualize patient care, based on risk of recurrence and holistic needs, and optimizing resources. The British Gynaecological Cancer Society wishes to provide the gynecological oncology community with guidance and a recommendations statement regarding the value, indications, and limitations of PIFU in endometrial, cervical, ovarian, and vulvar cancers in an effort to standardize practice and improve patient care.

Effect of blue dye guided lymph channel ligation on the surgical morbidity of groin lymphadenectomy for vulval cancer: a feasibility study.

Inguinal lymphadenectomy has significant morbidity. Blue dye-guided lymph channel ligation is an effective technique for resolving lymphocele. This was a feasibility study in a preventative setting. Patients with vulval cancer requiring bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy were recruited. After lymphadenectomy, patent blue V dye was injected and the severed lymph channels leaking blue dye, on the randomly-designated side were ligated. The median age was 72.5 years and the median body mass index was 25. The median lymph node harvest was 18.5. There were no significant surgical procedural differences between the right and the left sides. There was no significant difference between the two arms in terms of the duration or the volume of drainage and post-operative complications. All patients were alive at the follow-up period of 40.5 months. In this feasibility study, blue dye-guided lymph channel ligation did not significantly impact on post-operative outcomes. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Lymph channel ligation with blue dye-guidance is an effective strategy for managing recalcitrant inguinal lymphocyst. This strategy was prospectively-studied in a small series of patients with non-gynaecological cancers. This particular study by Nakamura et al. ( 2011 ) revealed that such a strategy might be efficacious in reducing wound drain output. What do the results of this study add? Our study is the first study to assess this technique exclusively in vulval cancer. Blue dye-guided lymph channel ligation at the time of inguinal lymphadenectomy does not appear to reduce wound drainage. However, this study suggests that primary lymphocyst predominantly results from inflammatory exudates, whereas persistent secondary lymphocysts are likely to result from lymphorrhoea. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Future studies, which aim to reduce the morbidity of open inguinal lymphadenectomy, should employ a composite strategy to reduce inflammatory secretions. In addition, a biochemical and cytological analysis on lymphocysts at various time points should be performed to characterise the natural history of groin lymphocysts.

A colorectal carcinoma imitating a primary ovarian carcinoma in a postpartum woman.

This is a case report of a 33-year-old woman who presented 5 days post-partum with abdominal distension, abdominal discomfort, increased bladder pressure and fatigue. These symptoms prompted a pelvic ultrasound and CT scan of the chest, abdomen and pelvis which showed a large 20 cm left-sided adnexal mass. Following this imaging, blood tests revealed elevated tumour markers CA-125 and lactate dehydrogenase, resulting in referral to and surgical intervention by the gynaecology oncology team. Pathology and immunohistochemistry indicated that the tumour was a metastasis from the colon, that prompted for colonoscopy which confirmed that the carcinoma was a metastases from the sigmoid.

LLETZ Specimen Fragmentation: Impact on Diagnosis, Outcome, and Implications for Training.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess fragmentation of Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) specimens, its influence on short-term cytological outcome, and the risk factors for specimen fragmentation, as we well as trainee performance on clinical outcome. METHOD: This retrospective study was performed at a cancer center. Women who underwent LLETZ for suspected high-grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) over a 5-year period were included. Patients were identified through a regional database. Data were obtained from hospital and regional databases. Fisher's exact test was used. RESULTS: 75 % of all specimens were obtained intact. When the LLETZ specimen was intact, 89 % of smear tests were reported as negative, against 86 % when the specimen was fragmented. Fragmentation was significantly associated with high-grade smear results at 6 months. Trainee status was significantly related to specimen fragmentation. CONCLUSION: Fragmentation of LLETZ specimens is associated with an increased likelihood of obtaining a high-grade smear at 6 months post treatment. Enhancing the colposcopy training may help improve clinical outcome.

Fertility preservation for cancer patients: a review.

Infertility can arise as a consequence of treatment of oncological conditions. The parallel and continued improvement in both the management of oncology and fertility cases in recent times has brought to the fore-front the potential for fertility preservation in patients being treated for cancer. Oncologists must be aware of situations where their treatment will affect fertility in patients who are being treated for cancer and they must also be aware of the pathways available for procedures such as cryopreservation of gametes and/or embryos. Improved cancer care associated with increased cure rates and long term survival, coupled with advances in fertility treatment means that it is now imperative that fertility preservation is considered as part of the care offered to these patients. This can only be approached within a multidisciplinary setting. There are obvious challenges that still remain to be resolved, especially in the area of fertility preservation in prepubertal patients. These include ethical issues, such as valid consent and research in the area of tissue retrieval, cryopreservation, and transplantation.