Value of preoperative HE4 as predictor of advanced disease in endometrioid endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive value of serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) marker in the preoperative prediction of the risk of advanced disease in the endometrioid subtype of endometrial cancer, and its association with poor prognostic factors. In addition, a cut-off value of HE4 was defined to classify patients according to these results. METHODS: Prospective and multicenter cohort analytical pilot study of patients operated for endometrial cancer at the Miguel Servet University Hospital of Zaragoza (Spain) and the Complejo Universitario of León (Spain) from January 2017 to May 2019. Preoperative serum levels of HE4 were analyzed by clinical and pathologic characteristics. RESULTS: In all, 126 patients were included. A statistically significant association was found between the preoperative HE4 value and node involvement (P = 0.008), late-stage disease (P = 0.003), high histologic grade (P = 0.007), deep myometrial invasion (P = 0.001), lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.001), and other pathologic factors. In addition, an HE4 cut-off value (156.4 pmol/L) has been determined to predict, preoperatively, which patients will present with early stage disease. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative marker HE4 is a useful tool in the preoperative study of patients with endometrial cancer as it relates to late-stage disease as well as other prognostic factors in the endometrioid subtype of endometrial cancer.

Are congenital malformations more frequent in fetuses with intrahepatic persistent right umbilical vein? A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent right umbilical vein (PRUV) is a vascular anomaly where the right umbilical vein remains as the only conduit that returns oxygenated blood to the fetus. It has classically been described as associated with numerous defects. We distinguish the intrahepatic variant (better prognosis) and the extrahepatic variant (associated with worse prognosis). The objective of this study was to compare rates of congenital malformations in fetuses with intrahepatic PRUV (I-PRUV) versus singleton pregnancies without risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, crossover design, comparative study was performed between 2003 and 2013 on fetuses diagnosed with I-PRUV (n=56), and singleton pregnancies without congenital malformation risk factors (n=4050). RESULTS: Fifty-six cases of I-PRUV were diagnosed (incidence 1:770). A statistically significant association between I-PRUV and the presence of congenital malformations (odds ratio 4.321; 95% confidence interval 2.15-8.69) was found. This positive association was only observed with genitourinary malformations (odds ratio 3.038; 95% confidence interval 1.08-8.56). CONCLUSION: Our rate of malformations associated with I-PRUV (17.9%) is similar to previously published rates. I-PRUV has shown a significant increase in the rate of associated malformations, although this association has only been found to be statistically significant in the genitourinary system. Noteworthy is the fact that this comparative study has not pointed to a significant increase in the congenital heart malformation rate. Diagnosis of isolated I-PRUV does not carry a worse prognosis.

Diagnóstico prenatal y repercusiones perinatales de la persistencia de vena cava superior izquierda. Serie de casos y revisión bibliográfica / Prenatal diagnosis and perinatal results of the persistent left superior vena cava. Cases series and literature review

Resumen Objetivo Describir las anomalías asociadas y las repercusiones perinatales de la persistencia de la vena cava superior izquierda en el feto y revisar la bibliografía. Materiales y métodos Estudio descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo efectuado de enero de 2009 a diciembre 2012 en la Unidad de Diagnóstico Prenatal del Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología del Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet de Zaragoza, España. El estudio incluyó a todos los fetos con diagnóstico prenatal de persistencia de la vena cava superior izquierda establecido durante los controles gestacionales ecográficos. Resultados Se diagnosticaron 21 casos de persistencia de la vena cava superior izquierda entre las 20 y 35 semanas de embarazo. El 29% de los casos se detectó en la ecografía de las 20 semanas; 9 casos (43%) tuvieron anomalías cardiacas o extracardiacas asociadas y en 2 casos (10%) se encontró, además, trisomía 21, ambos con anomalías cardiacas asociadas. En 4 casos (19%) no hubo vena cava superior derecha. En los casos aislados la evolución fue favorable. Conclusiones Puesto que la persistencia de la vena cava superior izquierda se asocia, frecuentemente, con anomalías cardiacas y extracardiacas está justificada la ecografía morfológica fetal detallada y una ecocardiografía con posterior seguimiento antenatal. Si es aislada, la evolución obstétrica y el pronóstico perinatal serán favorables, como ha sucedido en los casos de persistencia de la vena cava superior izquierda aislados, con ausencia de vena cava superior derecha.

Abstract Objective To describe the associated anomalies and perinatal results in fetuses diagnosed with persistence of the left superior vena cava and to conduct a review of the literature. Materials and methods A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted between January 2009 and December 2012 in the Prenatal Diagnostic Unit of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Miguel Servet University Hospital in Zaragoza, Spain. The study included all fetuses with prenatal diagnosis of persistence of the left superior vena cava performed during gestational ultrasound controls in that period. Results 21 cases of persistence of the left superior vena cava were diagnosed between 20 and 35 weeks. Only 29% of the cases were detected on ultrasound at 20 weeks. 9 cases (43%) had associated cardiac or extracardiac anomalies and two cases (10%) associated trisomy 21, both with associated cardiac anomalies. In 4 cases (19%) there was an absence of right superior vena cava. In isolated cases, the evolution was favorable. Conclusions The presence of persistence of the left superior vena cava is frequently associated with cardiac and extracardiac abnormalities, so in the case of diagnosis, detailed fetal morphological ultrasound and echocardiogram are justified with subsequent antenatal follow-up. In the case of being isolated, it has an obstetric evolution and a favorable perinatal prognosis, results that were also presented in isolated persistence of the left superior vena cava cases with absence of right superior vena cava.

Acetato de ulipristal en el diagnóstico diferencial de carcinoma de endometrio / Ulipristal acetate in the differential diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma

Los miomas uterinos son las tumoraciones genitales más frecuentes cuyo tratamiento más habitual es el quirúrgico. Actualmente existe un tratamiento médico eficaz para reducir su volumen y la clínica asociada que es el acetato de ulipristal (AU), que es un modulador selectivo de los receptores de la progesterona. A nivel endometrial puede ocasionar cambios histológicos que cuando son muy marcados plantean dudas diagnósticas. Se presenta el caso de una paciente con útero miomatoso sintomático bajo tratamiento con AU, la histología en las muestras de biopsia planteó el diagnóstico diferencial con adenocarcinoma de endometrio.

Uterine fibroids are the most common genital tumors and the most common treatment is surgery. Actually there is an effective medical treatment to reduce its volume and the symptoms. It is ulipristal acetate (UA), a selective progesterone receptor modulator. In the endometrium it can cause some peculiar histological changes. We present a patient with symptomatic uterine fibroid with UA, and it was difficult to make differential diagnosis with endometrial cancer.