Concurrent Endometrial Cancer in Women with Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia: What Is the Predictive Value of Patient Characteristics?

Background: The rate of concurrent endometrial cancer (EC) in atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) can be as high as 40%. Some patient characteristics showed associations with this occurrence. However, their real predictive power with related validation has yet to be discovered.

[Day-surgery operative hysteroscopy with loco-regional anesthesia].

Background: Nowadays hysteroscopic surgery offers the opportunity of treating in Day Hospital even patients who cannot undergo a traditional surgery because of high anesthesiological risk. The aim of this study is to prove that minimal invasive hysteroscopic procedures in loco-regional anesthesia can replace laparotomic gynecological surgery in many intrauterine lesions with the same effectiveness on pain and outcome.

Methods: From September 1999 to December 2000 at the Obstetric and Gynecological Department in Asti 200 hysteroscopic procedures have been performed.

The new techniques of gynaecologic laparoscopy. Gasless, open Hasson, optic trocar.

Background: New techniques of laparoscopy: gasless, open Hasson, optic trocars allow to avoid the risks of vessel and bowel injuries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of a retractor system as an alternative to conventional technique without pneumoperitoneum and to assess if the system facilitates the use of conventional surgical instruments during gynaecological surgery.

Design: Prospective evaluation.

[Celio-assisted vaginal surgery].

Background: Remarkable progress has been made in laparoscopic surgery over the past few years. The evolution of laparoscopic techniques has enabled surgeons to undertake celio-assisted vaginal operations. In particular, the possibility of using mechanical retractors to lift the abdominal wall as an alternative to pneumoperitoneum now enables surgeons to operate simultaneously using a transvaginal and laparoscopic approach.

[Comparative study of diagnostic hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography in patients with abnormal uterine hemorrhage during the peri- and post-menopausal period].

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in the peri and postmenopausal period.

Methods: 302 patients with AUB, underwent hysteroscopy and in 86 cases, also a transvaginal ultrasonography before hysteroscopy was performed. Results were compared with the histological diagnosis.

[Role of radiotherapy in the combined treatment of invasive cancer of the vulva].

The authors review the literature on the different combinations of radiotherapy with chemotherapy and surgery with the aim of giving a state of art on the role of combined multimodality treatment of invasive vulvar carcinoma. From the data of the recent literature it appears that radiation integrated with surgery and chemotherapy can play an important role in reducing the risk of postoperative locoregional failure in patients with advanced primary or nodal disease and avoiding exenteration in patients with disease involving the anus or proximal urethra. This integrated multimodality therapy is a promising approach in the treatment of invasive vulvar carcinoma but further exploration in a larger number of patients is needed before giving consolidated data applicable in routine oncological clinical practice.

[Current knowledge about the natural history of intraepithelial neoplasms of the vagina].

The data on the natural history of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) available in the literature are scarce and incomplete. As a matter of fact the majority of the Authors report series with a small number of cases, which are predominantly represented by VaIN III and usually already treated. Nevertheless from the review of the literature it seems that VaIN, particularly those of low grade (I-II), tend to show a high rate of spontaneous regression.

Biologic behavior of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. Histologic and clinical parameters.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role by which different factors, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, age, dystrophic alterations, focal nature and size of the lesion, influence the biologic behavior of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). Sixty-nine cases of VIN were investigated (28 VIN 1, 9 VIN 2, 32 VIN 3). Follow-up was possible in 58 cases, with a mean of 31 months; no treatment was given to 3 patients, while 55 were treated either medically or surgically.

Histologic parameters of vulvar invasive carcinoma and lymph node metastases.

We evaluated seven histologic parameters (tumor diameter, histologic grading, depth of stromal invasion, vascular invasion, pattern of invasion, lymphoplasmocytic infiltration and amount of necrosis) of 50 cases of vulvar invasive carcinoma to assess their correlation with groin lymph node metastases. Of 50 patients, 25 had groin lymph node metastases. No lymph node metastasis was found in four cases with depth of invasion < or = 2.