Long term remission of metastatic placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT): Case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND: Placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) is a rare and unique form of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). This tumor represents a neoplastic transformation of intermediate trophoblastic cells. We document a case of long term remission in a patient with metastatic PSTT. CASE PRESENTAION: A 27-year-old patient with metastatic PSTT was treated with combination therapy (chemotherapy and surgery). Patient is alive after 10 years without any evidence of recurrence. Literature on PSTT was searched using Medline and cross references, and pertinent articles were reviewed. CONCLUSION: With surgery and chemotherapy it is possible to achieve long-term remission in metastatic PSTT. Only a handful of previously reported cases with prolonged remission had been treated with the described combined chemotherapy and surgical approach. We suggest that this approach may be recommended for metastatic PSTT

A case-control study to evaluate urinary tract complications in radical hysterectomy

BACKGROUND: This study has evaluated urinary tract injuries and dysfunction after Radical Hysterectomy (RH) performed in patients with cervical cancer and has compared the cystometric parameters and urinary complications occurring in these patients with those occurring in patients who had undergone Simple Hysterectomy (SH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted to evaluate urinary tract injuries (intra-operative and post-operative) and dysfunction in 50 patients undergoing RH for cervical cancer and to compare them with the same parameters in 50 patients who underwent SH for benign disease. RESULTS: Mean age in the RH group was 46.3 years and in the SH group was 50.1 (p = 0.63). There were no bladder and urethral injuries in either group of patients. There was one intra-operative ureteral injury in the RH patients but none in those who underwent SH. (p < 0.05). In the two weeks after surgery, 15% of RH patients and 11% of SH patients had experienced a urinary tract infection urinary tract infection (p = 0.61). Two week after surgery 62% of RH patients had no urinary symptoms, compared to 84% in the SH group who did (p < 0.02). Urinary residual volume, first urinary sensation and maximal bladder capacity were higher in the RH group, but this was not statistically significant. The only case of a urinary fistula appeared in a patient who received 5000 cGy radiation therapy pre-operatively, but this spontaneously healed after 3 weeks of catheterization. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-operative and post-operative urinary tract complications are comparable in patients undergoing RH and SH and an expert gynaecological oncologist might be able to further decrease complications. However, radiation therapy before surgery may increase the risk of complications

Can primary optimal cytoreduction be predicted in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer preoperatively?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Prediction of optimal cytoreduction in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian caner preoperatively.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent surgery for the first time from Jan. to June 2008 at gynecologic oncology ward of TUMS (Tehran University of Medical Sciences) were eligible for this study. The possibility of predicting primary optimal cytoreduction considering multiple variables was evaluated. Variables were peritoneal carcinomatosis, serum CA125, ascites, pleural effusion, physical status and imaging findings.</p> <p>Univariate comparisons of patients underwent suboptimal cytoreduction carried out using Fisher's exact test for each of the potential predictors. The wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare variables between patients with optimal versus suboptimal cytoreduction.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>41 patients met study inclusion criteria. Statistically significant association was noted between peritoneal carcinomatosis and suboptimal cytoreduction. There were no statistically significant differences between physical status, pleural effusion, imaging findings, serum CA125 and ascites of individuals with optimal cytoreduction compared to those with suboptimal cytoreduction.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Because of small populations in our study the results are not reproducible in alternate populations. Only the patient who is most unlikely to undergo optimal cytoreduction should be offered neoadjuvant chemotherapy, unless her medical condition renders her unsuitable for primary surgery.</p

Radical hysterectomy in the elderly

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Ovarian carcinoma associated with pregnancy: A clinicopathologic analysis of 23 cases and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to analyze and describe cases of ovarian cancer in pregnant women treated at our center and to review the literature concerned, and to discuss the rationale for therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-Three patients of ovarian malignancies during pregnancy were treated at Vali- Asr Hospital between 1991 and 2002. Data on treatment and follow-up were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence of ovarian carcinoma associated with pregnancy in our series was 0.083/1000 deliveries. Eleven (47.8%) were found with ovarian malignant germ cell tumors, five (21.7%) with low malignant potential tumors, four (17.4%) with invasive epithelial tumors, and three (13%) with sex cord stromal tumors. Seventeen (73.9%) of the patients were diagnosed in stage I and had complete remission. Five of the six in advanced stage died. The mean follow-up was 36.3 months. The prognosis was significantly related with stage and histological type (<it>P </it>< 0.05). Sixteen healthy live babies were recorded in this group, and two premature newborn died of respiratory distress syndrome. Chemotherapy was administered to 44% of the patients, in two cases during pregnancy. Overall survival at 5 years was 61%. In most of case conservative surgical treatment could be performed with adequate staging and debulking.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Early finding of ascitis by ultrasound and persistent large ovarian mass during pregnancy may be related to malignancy and advanced stage. Pregnant women in advanced stage of ovarian cancer seem to have poor prognosis.</p

Intraoperative visualization, frozen section, and permanent pathology in endometrial cancer

Background: Endometrial carcinoma is considered the most common gynecological cancer in the world. Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is widely advised based on FIGO staging system. Intra-operative frozen sections analysis is used to identify pa-tients at high risk for pelvic and para-aortic nodal metastasis evading lymphadenec-tomy in low-risk patients. However there is still some controversy concerning the effi-ciency of IFS. The aim of this study was to determine the validity and precision of fro-zen section diagnosis and gross examination of uterine specimen compared to the final histological results in patients with endometrial cancer. Methods: Patients diagnosed as endometrial cancer based on office biopsy using a Pipelle or D&C who underwent surgical staging were compared for frozen section anal-ysis and permanent diagnosis. Patients with the history of radiotherapy or other types of cancer or co existence malignancies were excluded. Results: There was no relation between the tumor size and lymph node involvement and the results were not significant (P= 0.1). Frozen section analysis was significantly accurate and correct in predicting final histopathological results (P< 0.0001). It has been shown that in more than 90% of patients the diagnosis made by frozen section analysis was in accordance with final pathology with considerable sensitivity and spec-ificity. Gross examination was also precise in determining myometrial microscopic in-vasions (P< 0.0001). Conclusion: Although the sample size of the studied population was small but our study results support the previous data and suggest that in early stages and low grade tumors, gross examination and frozen section diagnosis are conveniently predictive of lymph node metastasis. These data might be useful for prediction of tumor invasion using frozen section and gross examination in low grade tumors and early stages and for doing complete surgical staging and lymph node sampling. However the im-portance of surgical staging always must be considered in patients who need systemat-ic lymphadenectomy. In overall these data might help to come up with new guidelines for surgical risk assessment in endometrial cancer