The acceptability of vaginal smear self-collection for screening for cervical cancer: a systematic review.

Cervical cancer is a major cause of death in adult women. However, many women do not undergo cervical cancer screening for the following reasons: fear, shame, physical limitations, cultural or religious considerations and lack of access to health care services. Self-collected vaginal smears maybe an alternative means of including more women in cervical cancer screening programs.

Sheep Model for Uterine Transplantation: The Best Option Before Starting a Human Program.

Objective:: This study reports the first four cases of a uterine transplant procedure conducted in sheep in Latin America. The aim of this study was to evaluate the success of uterine transplantation in sheep.

Method:: The study was conducted at Laboratory of Medical Investigation 37 (LIM 37) at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine.

Endometriosis doubles the risk of sexual dysfunction: a cross-sectional study in a large amount of patients.

Introduction: Endometriosis affects several aspects of a woman's life, including sexual function, but which specific aspects of sexual function remains unclear.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed involving 1001 women divided into two groups, according to the presence or absence of endometriosis. We assessed sexual function, anxiety and depression of patients and correlated these findings with symptoms, locations and types of endometriosis and the affected domains of sexual function.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 gene polymorphism in women with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a disease of unknown etiology; however, the major risk factors are genetic alterations. Studies have demonstrated an association between insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) gene polymorphism and cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis, in addition to its role in breast cancer growth and aggressiveness. Two polymorphic variants of the IGF-1 gene are highlighted in association with breast cancer, rs6220 and rs7136446, although controversy exists as to this relationship.

Papillomas of the breast: factors associated with underestimation.

The distinction between benign and malignant papilloma of the breast through percutaneous needle biopsy can be difficult because of limited samples; the underestimation rate can be up to 25%. The aim of this study is to identify clinical and histological factors associated with underestimation, invasive ductal carcinoma, or ductal in-situ carcinoma (DCIS) of the breast found in surgical specimens from papillary lesions. This may contribute toward selection of patients for a follow-up strategy without the need for surgical excision.

Ambient levels of concentrated PM2.5 affects cell kinetics in adrenal glands: an experimental study in mice.

We evaluated the effects of air pollution on the adrenal cortex using 30 female mice divided into two groups of fifteen animals each. One group was conditioned daily in a chamber with exposure to particulate matter (PM) 2.5 μm (GExp).

Potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of potentized estrogen compared to placebo in homeopathic treatment of endometriosis-associated pelvic pain (EAPP).

Study Design: The present was a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that included 50 women aged 18-45 years old with diagnosis of deeply infiltrating endometriosis based on magnetic resonance imaging or transvaginal ultrasound after bowel preparation, and score≥5 on a visual analogue scale (VAS: range 0 to 10) for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain. Potentized estrogen (12cH, 18cH and 24cH) or placebo was administered twice daily per oral route.

Frequency of infection in cervical intraepithelial lesions and the status of cytological p16/Ki-67 dual-staining.

Background: (Ct) is not a disease subject to mandatory reporting in Brazil, and the prevalence rate of this genital infection varies according to the region in which studies are conducted, as well as by the detection technique employed. Ct has been associated with persistence of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the facilitation of cervical carcinoma development. We evaluated the infection and its association with cytology, p16/Ki-67 dual-stained cytology and cervical intraepithelial lesions status in a screening cohort in Brazil.

Uterine transplantation: a systematic review.

Up to 15% of the reproductive population is infertile, and 3 to 5% of these cases are caused by uterine dysfunction. This abnormality generally leads women to consider surrogacy or adoption. Uterine transplantation, although still experimental, may be an option in these cases.

Accuracy of saline contrast sonohysterography in detection of endometrial polyps and submucosal leiomyomas in women of reproductive age with abnormal uterine bleeding: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To analyze the diagnostic accuracy of two- (2D) and three- (3D) dimensional saline contrast sonohysterography (SCSH) in the detection of endometrial polyps and submucosal uterine leiomyomas in women of reproductive age with abnormal uterine bleeding compared with gold standard hysteroscopy.

Methods: A systematic review of diagnostic studies that compared 2D- and/or 3D-SCSH with hysteroscopy and anatomopathology was conducted according to PRISMA and SEDATE recommendations. The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library were searched electronically using specific terms with no restriction on language or publication year.

The Apocrine Profile of Triple-negative Breast Carcinomas in Patients Aged 45 Years or Younger: favorable but rare features.

 Triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs) represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasias, even though they generally exhibit a clinically more aggressive phenotype, and are more prevalent in young women. To date, targeted therapies for this group of tumors have not been defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of the apocrine subtype in TBNCs from premenopausal patients as defined by the immunohistochemical expression of the androgen receptor (AR) and its association with: histological type; tumor grade; proliferative activity; epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression; and a basal-like phenotype.

Lymphocyte-predominant triple-negative breast carcinomas in premenopausal patients: Lower expression of basal immunohistochemical markers.

Objectives: Triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs) correspond to a molecular heterogeneous disease defined by lack of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression, and the absence of overexpression and/or amplification of HER2. Recent data indicate that clinical outcome in TNBC is affected by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, suggesting that they can benefit from immunotherapies. We selected 116 consecutive premenopausal patients with TNBC to compare the immunohistochemical profile of the group rich in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with those without this characteristic.

Oncologic Safety of Laparoscopy in the Surgical Treatment of Type II Endometrial Cancer.

Background: Laparoscopy is considered the method of choice in the operative treatment of type I endometrial carcinoma (EC). However, there is a paucity of data regarding the safety of endoscopy for type II EC because these malignancies have several biological similarities with ovarian cancer.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, operative outcomes, and oncologic safety of laparoscopic surgery in patients with type II EC.

Protocol of randomized controlled trial of potentized estrogen in homeopathic treatment of chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes difficult-to-treat pelvic pain. Thus being, many patients seek help in complementary and alternative medicine, including homeopathy. The effectiveness of homeopathic treatment for endometriosis is controversial due to the lack of evidences in the literature.

Predictive factors for positive surgical margins in the treatment of breast ductal carcinoma in situ.

Context: Surgery is the main form of treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. Among other factors, treatment success requires that the surgical margins are free of disease, to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors that might be associated with positive margins in patients diagnosed with DCIS.

Outcomes of elective cryopreserved single or double embryo transfers following failure to conceive after fresh single embryo transfer.

The main adverse effect of IVF is the high multiple pregnancy rate resulting from the transfer of two or more embryos. The objective was to evaluate pregnancy rates in infertile women with a good prognosis who failed to conceive in a fresh elective single embryo transfer (eSET) and had a second cycle with elective double vitrified-warmed embryo transfer (eDFET) compared with elective single vitrified-warmed embryo transfer (eSFET). A total of 142 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using a conventional protocol were evaluated.

Melatonin influence in ovary transplantation: systematic review.

Melatonin is an indolamine produced by the pineal gland and it can exert a potent antioxidant effect. Its free radical scavenger properties have been used to advantage in different organ transplants in animal experiments. Several concentrations and administration pathways have been tested and melatonin has shown encouraging beneficial results in many transplants of organs such as the liver, lungs, heart, pancreas, and kidneys.

SPECT-CT-Guided Thoracoscopic Biopsy of Sentinel Lymph Nodes in the Internal Mammary Chain in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the use of single-photon emission computed tomography fused with computed tomography (SPECT-CT) on thoracoscopic biopsy of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in the internal mammary chain in patients with breast cancer by evaluating resultant changes in staging and their clinical implications.

Methods: Between September 2010 and January 2014, we performed lymphoscintigraphy-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy of the internal mammary chain SLN in 20 patients with breast cancer. Single-photon emission computed tomography fused with computed tomography was also used in 13 of these patients.

MRI to Predict Nipple Involvement in Breast Cancer Patients.

Objective: The selection of breast cancer patients as candidates for nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is dependent on the preoperative detection of neoplastic involvement of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). This cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of preoperative breast MRI as a noninvasive method to predict neoplastic involvement of the nipple.

Materials And Methods: We included 165 female breast cancer patients with a surgical plan that included total mastectomy or breast conservation surgery with the removal of the NAC.

Predictive value of clinical history compared with urodynamic study in 1,179 women.

Objective: to determine the positive predictive value of clinical history in comparison with urodynamic study for the diagnosis of urinary incontinence.

Methods: retrospective analysis comparing clinical history and urodynamic evaluation of 1,179 women with urinary incontinence. The urodynamic study was considered the gold standard, whereas the clinical history was the new test to be assessed.