The long-term outcomes in perimenopausal patients treated for cervical cancer

Introduction. In the coming decades, the population of adults 65 years of age and older will increase significantly. Younger patients between 30 and 40 years of age, who are diagnosed with cervical cancer, have a better prognosis than the older group. The second peak of incidence, involving patients between 60 and 70 years of age, correlates with a poorer prognosis. Material and methods. In our study, we included 360 patients between 40 and 60 years old operated on due to cervical cancer followed by radiochemotherapy. We divided these patients into two groups according to age. The first group was composed of premenopausal patients (aged between 40 and 50 years) and the second of postmenopausal patients (aged between 50 and 60 years), and long-term outcomes (overall survival rates OS) were analysed in both groups of patients. Results. We observed statistically significant differences in the long-term outcomes between the subgroups of patients treated surgically for cervical cancer, and it was better in the premenopausal group of patients. No statistically significant relationship between these two groups of patients as far as clinical features was observed. Conclusion. We found that postmenopausal patients may actually benefit more from having radical surgery. Proving this supports the case for distinguishing geriatric oncology from gynaecological oncology.

Diagnostic and prognostic relevance of microparticles in peripheral and uterine blood of patients with endometrial cancer

Objectives: Exosomes — microvesicles which are secreted by living cells — can be produced from different cell types and detected in various body fluids. They are the carriers of intercellular information which regulate tumor microenvironment and are considered to be involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Cancer cells can secrete more exosomes than healthy cells, and are expected to be potential tools for tumor diagnosis and treatment.Material and methods: In this report, we present the results of microparticle analysis in peripheral and uterine blood of patients with endometrial cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this study has been the first to report microvesicle status in peripheral and uterine blood samples. The aim of the study was to determine the amount of total (TF+), endothelial (CD144+) and monocytic (CD14+) microparticles. The counting of the selected microparticles in citrate plasma was performed using flow cytometry on the BD Canto II cytometer.Results: We found that the total amount of microparticles in cancer patients was much higher than in healthy controls. Moreover, microparticle count in uterine blood was higher than in peripheral blood of patients with endometrial cancer. Wealso demonstrated that the amount of microparticles correlates with the histologic grade and clinical stage of the tumor.Conclusions: The most interesting finding in this work was the high level of TF, CD144 and CD14 MPs in uterine blood samples. Thus we can consider the monocyte-macrophage-derived MPs as a candidate marker of endometrial cancer and maybe very critical part of the endometrial carcinogenesis

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of advanced ovarian cancer in geriatric patients

It is increasingly common for ovarian cancer to affect older women, with over half of all cases involving patients aged 65 years and older. Unfortunately, elderly patients with ovarian malignancy tend to be treated less aggressively than younger patients, with less extensive surgery and less intensive chemotherapy regimens. This is due to a variety of factors, such as overall medical fitness and the function of specific organs. Moreover, multiple morbidities are typical for geriatric patients and affect their eligibility for certain forms of cancer therapy as well as their treatment outcomes, which are commonly less satisfactory than in younger patients. Additionally, for fear of complications, treating physicians sometimes limit the extent of the necessary surgery, or adjust chemotherapy doses, even though such a course of management tends to be largely misguided. One available management option is neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by a surgical treatment known as interval debulking surgery. This type of combination therapy is associated with fewer postoperative complications, thus increasing the patient's chances of receiving a full course of adjuvant treatment. The decision to begin treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy tends to restrict later surgical therapy; however, under certain circumstances, this therapy can be a valid therapeutic option and, in fact, facilitate surgery. Prior to initiating therapy in elderly patients, their eligibility for combination therapy must be evaluated and the geriatric assessment of their performance and condition must be considered during the course of interdisciplinary preoperative management

Przezkroczowa ultrasonograficzna diagnostyka zaburzeń statyki narządu rodnego i nietrzymania moczu

The examination standards developed so far, including the analysis of the quantitative parameters, greatly minimize the potential subjectivity of the assessment of the existing disorders. Apart from its low costs, the main value of the sonographic examination of the pelvic floor is the possibility to dynamically assess the changes in statics which take place during functional testing. Not only does it have a cognitive significance, but also it allows to adjust the scope of the surgical correction to the existing damages. Thus, indirectly, it can contribute to the reduction of a number of subsequent remedial surgeries. Three-dimensional sonography allows to thoroughly examine the construction and functioning of the anal levators and to detect their possible damage. It is the trauma to these muscles - occurring, among others, during childbirth - that is one of the major causes of pelvic organs descent and prolapse in women. Sonographic examination also enables to visualize the artificial material, the use of which is increasingly frequent in the surgical treatment of pelvic organs prolapse. The remedial kits currently in use are not visible in classic X-ray examinations and CT, however, they can be easily visualized by means of a sonographic test. This way it is possible to locate the positioned tapes or meshes and to establish their orientation towards the urethra, the bladder and the anus. It is also possible to observe the complications (e.g. hematomas) following the surgical procedures via the transvaginal access. Transperineal sonography is a relatively inexpensive method that may be performed in almost every ultrasonographic laboratory. Its value, approaching the MRI diagnostic value in the assessment of the pelvic floor defects and its low cost, place ultrasonography on the first place among the methods of imaging the pelvic and uro-genital diaphragm. The results of diagnostics of pelvic organs prolapse obtained by placing the sonographic head on the patient’s perineum may also help in establishing the changes of the support apparatus for the uterus and the vagina, bladder, urethra and perineum during functional testing and, thus, to verify the clinically established degree of the prolapse. It seems, also, that this method may be used during peri-urethral injections of specific substances and postapplication follow-up, an increasingly frequently employed method of urinary incontinence treatment.Postęp technologiczny jaki dokonuje się w konstrukcji aparatów ultrasonograficznych i coraz powszechniejszy do nich dostęp sprawia, że zakres diagnostycznego zastosowania badania ultrasonograficznego znacznie się poszerza. Dotyczy to także zaburzeń statyki narządu rodnego. Aktualnie stosowane w codziennej praktyce położniczo-ginekologicznej zestawy ultrasonograficzne, pozwalają uzyskać wgląd w struktury tworzące dno żeńskiej miednicy mniejszej, a uzyskane obrazy mogą stanowić wartościowe uzupełnienie badania fizykalnego. Aplikacja głowicy ultrasonograficznej na krocze pacjentki umożliwia wizualizację trzech kompartmentów żeńskiej miednicy mniejszej. Po zamrożeniu obrazu można dokonać oceny położenia struktur anatomicznych w stosunku do kości i wyznaczonych płaszczyzn , ustalić wzajemne odległości oraz zmierzyć odpowiednie kąty. Najwięcej informacji uzyskuje się w ten sposób w zakresie kompartmentu przedniego, którego uszkodzenia często łączą się z nietrzymaniem moczu. Wypracowane do tej pory standardy badania obejmujące także analizę parametrów ilościowych, w znacznym stopniu minimalizują subiektywność oceny istniejących zaburzeń. Istotną wartością ultrasonografii dna miednicy mniejszej oprócz niewysokich kosztów jest możliwość dynamicznej oceny zmian statyki do jakich dochodzi podczas testów czynnościowych. Ma to nie tylko znaczenie poznawcze lecz także pozwala na dostosowanie zakresu korekcji chirurgicznej do istniejących uszkodzeń. W sposób pośredni może więc przyczynić się do zmniejszenia ilości kolejnych operacji naprawczych. Ultrasonografia trójwymiarowa umożliwia z kolei dokładne prześledzenie budowy i funkcji mięśni dźwigaczy odbytu oraz detekcję ich ewentualnych uszkodzeń. To właśnie urazy tych mięśni do których dochodzi np. podczas porodu są jedną z głównych przyczyn obniżenia i wypadania narządu rodnego u kobiet. W badaniu ultrasonograficznym można również dokonać wizualizacji materiału sztucznego, który jest stosowany coraz częściej w chirurgicznym leczeniu zaburzeń statyki