Adnexal masses during pregnancy: management for a better approach

AbstractThe incidence of adnexal masses, due to large use of ultrasound during pregnancy, has considerably increased during last years. Large percentage of ovarian masses found during pregnancy consists in simple cysts and they tend to disappear spontaneously during pregnancy. There are still a percentage of masses that persist in second and third trimester that need to be monitored and, sometimes, surgically removed. If the mass increases in size, sometimes, it is itself an indication for delivery via cesarean section. Keeping in mind that adnexal masses diagnosed in pregnancy are generally benign, it is essential to consider that ovarian cancer still represents the second gynecological tumor for incidence after cervical cancer during pregnancy. Most patients are clinically asymptomatic and diagnosis is often a random finding during scheduled ultrasound for pregnancy follow-up. Sometimes, the finding of an ovarian mass requires other imaging technique such as magnetic resonance imaging. Computed tomography is avoided during pregnancy due to negative effects on fetus. Treatment option should be discussed and a multidisciplinary approach is required to set ad individualized plan, considering both mother and fetus. Sometimes the differential diagnosis between benign masses and malignancy is not feasible only through imaging, so that surgical intervention with histological examination is mandatory, even during pregnancy. Plus, although ovarian cyst torsion, hemorrhage, or rupture is uncommon in pregnancy, some women may require emergency surgery for these complications. Until 90s pregnancy was considered an absolute contraindication for laparoscopy, but nowadays both open surgery and laparoscopy can be performed considering mass diameter, gestational age, and surgical expertise. Emerging data are indeed confirming the advantages of laparoscopic surgery compared with laparotomy in term of recovery and need for medical care. The purpose of this review is to assess the incidence of adnexal masses during pregnancy and examine their impact on obstetric outcomes

serum markers for the noninvasive diagnosis of endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease that affects millions of women worldwide and its diagnosis is still challenging. Medical history, symptoms together with imaging data may address the correct diagnosis, but the gold standard remains laparoscopic assessment with histological confirmation. The development of serum markers as diagnostic tools for endometriosis may allow a prompt and noninvasive diagnosis. Several serum biomarkers have been investigated over the years, but none of these have shown a clinical utility and nowadays the more realistic diagnostic biomarker consists in a panel of biomarkers. The recent introduction of new technologies such as genomics and proteomics may represent the future perspective of endometriosis diagnosis

Possible role of glucose-6-phosphatase 3 in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas

Background and aim: Glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit 3 (G6PC3) has been recently described as a metabolite repair enzyme involved in the disposal of the phosphorylated glucose analog 1,5-anhydroglucitol-6-phosphate (1,5AG6P). This function is especially relevant in neutrophils; indeed, G6PC3 deficiency leads to neutropenia as the accumulated metabolite 1,5AG6P inhibits the first step of glycolysis. Like neutrophils, tumoral metabolism also mainly relies on glycolysis, and we wondered if G6PC3 is expressed in uterine leiomyoma samples and if it can eventually have a role in the pathogenesis of these tumors. Understanding the complex pathophysiology of leiomyomas is a prerequisite to develop new therapeutic strategies. Methods: We used human uterine leiomyoma and matched myometrial samples. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis has not evidenced appreciable differences between pathologic versus normal tissue samples. Indeed, qPCR analysis suggests a higher expression of G6PC3 in human uterine leiomyoma than in matched myometrial samples. Conclusion: A targeted therapeutic inhibition of G6PC3 in uterine leiomyoma samples is a potential strategy to slow down tumor growth

Dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopy features of two cases of vulvar basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant skin cancer. Its genital localization is rare, and the diagnosis in this site could be challenging. Here, we report two patients with vulvar BCC and describe their clinical, dermoscopic and in vivo and ex vivo reflectance confocal microscopic (RCM) features. Dermoscopy and RCM can be useful tools for helping the clinical diagnosis of vulvar BCC and for identifying the correct surgical margins

Oral Contraceptives after Myomectomy: A Short Term Trial

Following myomectomy the rate of fertility is restored and pregnancy may be attempted with a good outcome. In the present study a 3 month treatment with OCs in a group of women after a myomectomy was evaluated. The drug compliance and side effects, the benefits of OC in order to reduce symptoms, to increase post-surgical hemoglobin levels and to avoid an early pregnancy after myomectomy were analyzed. A group of women (n = 55) each with myoma ≥5 cm was recruited: they presented menorrhagia, pelvic pain, dyspareunia and dysmenorrhae. After laparotomic myomectomy the women were divided into 3 groups. Group 1: women (n = 16) treated with pill A (15 mcg of ethynilestradiol + 60 mcg of gestodene); group 2: women (n = 23) treated with pill B (20 mcg of ethynilestradiol + 100 mcg of levonorgestrel); group 3: women (n = 16) treated with a placebo (oral calcium). After three months from myomectomy and treatment patients in each group reported a reduced menorrhagia, dismenorrhea and pelvic pain. Serum haemoglobin levels increased in all women (P < .05). No pregnancy occurred in any group and the compliance was good. A post surgery treatment by using oral contraceptives guarentees pregnancy prevention, associated with reduction of pain, and improvement of haematologic conditions

PCOS Physiopathology and Vitamin D Deficiency: Biological Insights and Perspectives for Treatment

Recent literature has stressed the importance of vitamin D (VD) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS are deficient in VD, particularly those with a higher weight. Hypovitaminosis is a risk factor for glucose intolerance, and reduced levels of VD is associated with insulin resistance and increased diabetes risk. Since women with PCOS and hirsutism seem to have lower levels of VD than women with PCOS without hirsutism, a correlation between VD deficiency and hyperandrogenism may be suggested. Interestingly, VD is crucial for many human physiological functions, including to counteract inflammation and oxidative stress. Some studies evaluated effects of VD supplementation on glucose homeostasis variables, hormonal status, lipid concentrations, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress among VD-deficient women. Moreover, VD has been shown to play a role in egg quality and fertility. This review aims to show the relationship between VD and the endocrine and metabolic profile of PCOS patients, as well as its implications for their fertility. The supplement of VD to the common therapy can lead to an improvement of the insulin resistance and lipid metabolism, a reduction of circulating androgens, as well as a better response to the induction of ovulation in PCOS women

An organic khorasan wheat-based replacement diet improves risk profile of patients with acute coronary syndrome: a randomized crossover trial

Khorasan wheat is an ancient grain with previously reported health benefits in clinically healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to examine whether a replacement diet, thereby substituting all other cereal grains, with products made with organic khorasan wheat could provide additive protective effects in reducing lipid, oxidative and inflammatory risk factors, in patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) in comparison to a similar replacement diet using products made from organic modern wheat. A randomized double-blinded crossover trial with two intervention phases was conducted on 22 ACS patients (9 F; 13 M). The patients were assigned to consume products (bread, pasta, biscuits and crackers) made either from organic semi-whole khorasan wheat or organic semi-whole control wheat for eight weeks in a random order. On average, patients ingested 62.0 g dry weight (DW) day−1 khorasan or control semolina; and 140.5 g DW day−1 khorasan or control flour, respectively. An eight-week washout period was implemented between the respective interventions. Blood analyses were performed both at the beginning and end of each intervention phase; thereby permitting a comparison of both the khorasan and control intervention phases, respectively, on circulatory risk factors for the same patient. Consumption of products made with khorasan wheat resulted in a significant amelioration in total cholesterol (−6.8%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (−8.1%) glucose (−8%) and insulin (−24.6%) from baseline levels, independently of age, sex, traditional risk factors, medication and diet quality. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipoperoxidation of circulating monocytes and lymphocytes, as well as in the levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha. No significant differences from baseline in the same patients were observed after the conventional control wheat intervention phase. The present results suggest that a replacement diet with cereal products made from organic khorasan wheat provides additional protection in patients with ACS. Circulating cardiovascular risk factors, including lipid parameters, and markers of both oxidative stress and inflammatory status, were reduced, irrespective of the number and combination of medicinal therapies with proven efficacy in secondary prevention

Identification of novel proteins binding the AU-rich element of \u3b1-prothymosin mRNA through the selection of open reading frames (RIDome)

We describe here a platform for high-throughput protein expression and interaction analysis aimed at identifying the RNA-interacting domainome. This approach combines the selection of a phage library displaying "filtered" open reading frames with next-generation DNA sequencing. The method was validated using an RNA bait corresponding to the AU-rich element of \u3b1-prothymosin, an RNA motif that promotes mRNA stability and translation through its interaction with the RNA-binding protein ELAVL1. With this strategy, we not only confirmed known RNA-binding proteins that specifically interact with the target RNA (such as ELAVL1/HuR and RBM38) but also identified proteins not previously known to be ARE-binding (R3HDM2 and RALY). We propose this technology as a novel approach for studying the RNA-binding proteome