MYOMECTOMY DURING CESAREAN SECTION AND ADHESION FORMATION AS A LONG-TERM POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATION

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the incidence and features of postoperative adhesion related complications occurring following myolysis or myomectomy performed during cesarean section (C/S). Methods: This cross-sectional study consists of four groups of patients who underwent C/S: group I; myolysis is performed by electric cauterization for small superficial fibroids less than 2 cm. (n: 21), group II; myomectomy is performed for pedunculated fibroids (n: 18), group III; myomectomy is performed for intramural/subserous fibroids less than 5 cm. (n: 23), group IV; control group (n: 19) who did not go through myomectomy. Repeat C/S is performed to study subjects within 1-5 years. All cases are evaluated in terms of mild to moderate adhesions between omentum and uterus, mild to moderate adnexial area adhesions, mild to moderate incision area adhesions and surgical difficulty due to severe adhesions. Results: The incidence of adhesions of omentum and uterus (p= 0.278), mild to moderate adnexial area adhesions (p= 0.831), mild to moderate incision area adhesions (p= 0.804) were similar between the intervention groups (group I, II, and III) and the controls (group IV). Conclusion: Cesarean myomectomy is a safe procedure and can be performed without significant postoperative adhesion formation.Cel pracy: Celem naszego badania była ocena częstości występowania i charakter zrostów pooperacyjnych po zabiegu miolizy lub miomektomii w trakcie cięcia cesarskiego. Metoda: Do badania włączono cztery grupy pacjentek, które miały wykonane cięcie cesarskie (C/S) oraz miolizę powierzchniowego, mniejszego niż 2cm mięśniaka metodą elektrokauteryzacji – grupa I (n:21), usunięcie mięśniaka uszypułowanego – grupa II (n:18), miomektomię mięśniaka wewnątrzściennego/podsurowicówkowego, mniejszego niż 5 cm – grupa III (n:23), nie miały wykonanej miomektomii – grupa IV kontrolna (n:19). Ponowne cięcie cesarskie wykonano u badanych pacjentek w ciągu 1-5 lat. Wszystkie pacjentki oceniono pod kątem małych do średnich zrostów pomiędzy siecią większą i macicą, małych do średnich zrostów w okolicy przydatków, małych do średnich zrostów w okolicy nacięcia powłok i trudności operowania z powodu ciężkich zrostów. Wyniki: Częstość występowania zrostów pomiędzy otrzewną i macicą (p=0,278), małych do średnich zrostów w okolicy przydatków (p=0,831), małych do średnich zrostów w okolicy nacięcia powłok (p=0,804) była podobna pomiędzy badanymi grupami (I,II i III) a grupą kontrolną (IV). Wnioski: Miomektomia podczas cięcia cesarskiego jest bezpieczną procedurą i może być przeprowadzana bez istotnych, pooperacyjnych zrostów

Frequent demonstration of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in bone marrow biopsy samples from Turkish patients with multiple myeloma (MM)

In order to investigate the frequency of HHV-8 in MM patients from another geographic location, we obtained fresh bone marrow (BM) biopsies from Turkish patients with MM (n = 21), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) (n = 2), plasmacytoma (n = 1) with BM plasma cell infiltration, various hematological disorders (n = 6), and five healthy Turkish controls. The frequency of HHV-8 was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in two independent laboratories in the USA and in Turkey. Using fresh BM biopsies, 17/21 MM patients were positive for HHV-8 whereas all five healthy controls, and six patients with other hematological disorders were negative. Two patients with MGUS, and one patient with a solitary plasmacytoma were also negative. The data from the two laboratories were completely concordant. Also using primer pairs for v IRF and v IL-8R confirmed the results observed with the KS330233 primers. Furthermore, sequence analysis demonstrated a C3 strain pattern in the ORF26 region which was also found in MM patients from the US. Thus, HHV-8 is present in the majority of Turkish MM patients, and the absence of the virus in healthy controls further supports its role in the pathogenesis of MM

Extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma: a systematic literature review

Extramedullary involvement (or extramedullary disease, EMD) represents an aggressive form of multiple myeloma (MM), characterized by the ability of a clone and/or subclone to thrive and grow independent of the bone marrow microenvironment. Several different definitions of EMD have been used in the published literature. We advocate that true EMD is restricted to soft-tissue plasmacytomas that arise due to hematogenous spread and have no contact with bony structures. Typical sites of EMD vary according to the phase of MM. At diagnosis, EMD is typically found in skin and soft tissues; at relapse, typical sites involved include liver, kidneys, lymph nodes, central nervous system (CNS), breast, pleura, and pericardium. The reported incidence of EMD varies considerably, and differences in diagnostic approach between studies are likely to contribute to this variability. In patients with newly diagnosed MM, the reported incidence ranges from 0.5% to 4.8%, while in relapsed/refractory MM the reported incidence is 3.4 to 14%. Available data demonstrate that the prognosis is poor, and considerably worse than for MM without soft-tissue plasmacytomas. Among patients with plasmacytomas, those with EMD have poorer outcomes than those with paraskeletal involvement. CNS involvement is rare, but prognosis is even more dismal than for EMD in other locations, particularly if there is leptomeningeal involvement. Available data on treatment outcomes for EMD are derived almost entirely from retrospective studies. Some agents and combinations have shown a degree of efficacy but, as would be expected, this is less than in MM patients with no extramedullary involvement. The paucity of prospective studies makes it difficult to justify strong recommendations for any treatment approach. Prospective data from patients with clearly defined EMD are important for the optimal evaluation of treatment outcomes

Extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma: a systematic literature review

Extramedullary involvement (or extramedullary disease, EMD) represents an aggressive form of multiple myeloma (MM), characterized by the ability of a clone and/or subclone to thrive and grow independent of the bone marrow microenvironment. Several different definitions of EMD have been used in the published literature. We advocate that true EMD is restricted to soft-tissue plasmacytomas that arise due to hematogenous spread and have no contact with bony structures. Typical sites of EMD vary according to the phase of MM. At diagnosis, EMD is typically found in skin and soft tissues; at relapse, typical sites involved include liver, kidneys, lymph nodes, central nervous system (CNS), breast, pleura, and pericardium. The reported incidence of EMD varies considerably, and differences in diagnostic approach between studies are likely to contribute to this variability. In patients with newly diagnosed MM, the reported incidence ranges from 0.5% to 4.8%, while in relapsed/refractory MM the reported incidence is 3.4 to 14%. Available data demonstrate that the prognosis is poor, and considerably worse than for MM without soft-tissue plasmacytomas. Among patients with plasmacytomas, those with EMD have poorer outcomes than those with paraskeletal involvement. CNS involvement is rare, but prognosis is even more dismal than for EMD in other locations, particularly if there is leptomeningeal involvement. Available data on treatment outcomes for EMD are derived almost entirely from retrospective studies. Some agents and combinations have shown a degree of efficacy but, as would be expected, this is less than in MM patients with no extramedullary involvement. The paucity of prospective studies makes it difficult to justify strong recommendations for any treatment approach. Prospective data from patients with clearly defined EMD are important for the optimal evaluation of treatment outcomes

Efficacy and safety of weekly carfilzomib (70 mg/m2), dexamethasone, and daratumumab (KdD70) is comparable to twice-weekly KdD56 while being a more convenient dosing option : a cross-study comparison of the CANDOR and EQUULEUS studies

The regimen of carfilzomib, daratumumab, and dexamethasone (KdD) shows activity in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. KdD at the twice-weekly 56 mg/m carfilzomib dose (KdD56) was used in the randomized phase 3 CANDOR study (NCT03158688), whereas KdD at the once-weekly 70 mg/m carfilzomib dose (KdD70) was used in the phase 1 b EQUULEUS study (NCT01998971). We analyzed efficacy data from comparable CANDOR and EQUULEUS patients using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted models. These weights were calculated from propensity scores derived to balance prespecified baseline covariates. The side-by-side and adjusted comparisons showed similar efficacy for overall response rates and progression-free survival in the two groups, with a series of sensitivity analyses showing consistent findings. Safety data were generally consistent with the known safety profiles of each individual drug. Once-weekly KdD70 is comparable to twice-weekly KdD56 in terms of efficacy and safety while being a more convenient dosing option