Perception about benefits and risks related to combined hormonal contraceptives use in women with Lynch syndrome.

Objective: Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary condition associated with an increased risk of colorectal and endometrial cancer. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of women with LS regarding combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) use compared to a control group of healthy women.

Methods: Pre-menopausal women with LS ( = 43) and an age-matched control group of healthy women ( = 128) participated in this prospective, cross-sectional study (NCT05909410).

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Prognostic Factors in High-Grade Non-Endometrioid Carcinomas of the Endometrium (HG-NECs): Is It Possible to Identify Subgroups at Increased Risk?

Unlabelled: Endometrial cancer is an emerging disease with an increase in prevalence of aggressive histotypes in recent years.

Background: In the present study, potential histopathological and immunohistochemical prognostic markers were investigated. Consecutive cases of high-grade non-endometrioid carcinoma (HG-NEC) of the endometrium were considered.

BRCA mutation carriers' perception about benefits and risks associated with combined hormonal contraceptives use.

Objective: To evaluate the actual perceptions about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) use in BRCA mutation carriers in comparison to women from the general population.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study involving two Italian referral centres for hereditary cancers. An identical questionnaire investigating how CHC use could affect the risk of developing some types of cancer, specific diseases, and symptoms was administered to 85 BRCA mutation carriers and 85 healthy women without this genetic mutation (control group).

Current and experimental drug therapy for the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects 8-13% of reproductive-age women. Irregular periods, hirsutism, or infertility are the most common clinical presentations of patients affected by PCOS. This syndrome is also linked to metabolic abnormalities such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis from ovarian paraganglioma: Report of a rare case and systematic review of the literature.

Paraganglioma is one of the rarest neoplasms involving the ovary, with only 10 previous reports. We present a case of peritoneal carcinomatosis from primary ovarian paraganglioma and a systematic review of the literature. Clinical information was retrieved from medical records, and a systematic review of the literature was performed according to meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology guidelines.

The IL-18 antagonist IL-18-binding protein is produced in the human ovarian cancer microenvironment.

Purpose: Interleukin (IL)-18 is an immune-enhancing cytokine, which induces IFN-γ production, T-helper 1 responses, and antitumor effects. In turn, IFN-γ stimulates IL-18-binding protein production, which blocks IL-18 activity. In view of the potential use of IL-18 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) immunotherapy, here, we studied IL-18BP expression and its regulation by cytokines in EOC cells in vitro and in vivo.

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule soluble form: a potential biomarker of epithelial ovarian cancer is increased in type II tumors.

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) is involved in cell-cell interactions in cancer. Shedding of its ectodomain by the metalloprotease ADAM17/TACE generates a soluble form (sALCAM). Here, we show that serum sALCAM levels were significantly higher in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) (p < 0.

Second-line treatment with intravenous gemcitabine and oral etoposide in platinum-resistant advanced ovarian cancer patients: results of a phase II study.

Objective: The outcome of advanced ovarian cancer patients has not significantly improved since the introduction of platinum. One of the major reasons for this failure is the lack of an effective second-line treatment. In this phase II trial we tested the combination of gemcitabine and etoposide in 2 different groups of patients.

Interleukin (IL)-18, a biomarker of human ovarian carcinoma, is predominantly released as biologically inactive precursor.

Interleukin (IL)-18 is a proinflammatory and immune-enhancing cytokine, which exerts antitumor effects in vivo, mediated by the induction of interferon (IFN)γ. We previously reported that IL-18 processing is defective in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) cells, which secrete an inactive precursor (pro-IL-18) in vitro. In addition, IL-18 was reported as a potential biomarker of EOC.

Vesicovaginal fistula caused by a vaginal foreign body in a 72-year-old woman: case report and literature review.

We report a case of vesicovaginal fistula associated to a vaginal foreign body. A 72-year-old woman consulted our clinic complaining of severe urinary incontinence. The leakage was continuous and significant and she was feeling a "vaginal mass".

The gluteal fold fascio-cutaneous flap for reconstruction after radical excision of primary vulvar cancers.

Objectives: Reconstructive surgery plays an important role in cosmetic and functional results of major excisional surgery performed as a treatment for invasive vulvar cancer. Traditional techniques -- gracilis myocutaneous o rectus abdominis flaps -- have several limits. We describe here a different surgical approach that we have used since 1998 in an effort to obtain better results in vulvar reconstruction.

A phase II trial with cisplatin-paclitaxel cytotoxic treatment and concurrent external and endocavitary radiation therapy in locally advanced or recurrent cervical cancer.

Background: Five randomized studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect of adding cisplatin-based chemotherapy to radiation therapy in the treatment of cervical carcinoma. In the present phase II study, we evaluated the response and toxicity of cisplatin-Taxol chemotherapy combined with concomitant radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma (LACC) and locally recurrent cervical carcinoma (LRCC).

Patients And Methods: In 2000, this phase II study was initiated with a chemotherapy regimen of cisplatin (75 mg/m(2)) and Taxol (175 mg/m(2)) every 21 days, for four cycles, concomitant with external radiotherapy and high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus cervical infection in an Italian asymptomatic population.

Background: In the last decade many studies have definitely shown that human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the major cause of cervical carcinogenesis and, in the last few years, HPV testing has been proposed as a new and more powerful tool for cervical cancer screening. This issue is now receiving considerable attention in scientific and non scientific press and HPV testing could be considered the most important change in this field since the introduction of cervical cytology. This paper reports our prevalence data of HPV infection collected in the '90s, while a follow up of these patients is ongoing.

Incisional hernia on the 5-mm trocar port site and subsequent wall endometriosis on the same site: a case report.

A 26-year-old nulliparous woman underwent a laparoscopy to remove a 10-cm endometrial cyst on the left ovary (type II Nezhat). The cyst was extracted from the 10-mm umbilical incision; the other 2 trocars were inserted through 5-mm incisions. One year later, in correspondence to the previous 5-mm incision site, a hernia occurred that contained omentum and was reduced easily with a local anesthetic.

The Italian multi-centre project on evaluation of MRI and other imaging modalities in early detection of breast cancer in subjects at high genetic risk.

This report presents the preliminary results of the first phase (21 months) of a multi-centre, non-randomised, prospective study, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray mammography (XM) and ultrasound (US) in early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) in subjects at high genetic risk. This Italian national trial (coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome) so far recruited 105 women (mean age 46.0 years; median age 51.

Treatment of FIGO stage Ib cervical carcinoma with nodal involvement.

One hundred and eighty one patients with stage Ib cervical cancer underwent hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. The overall incidence of lymph node metastases was 20%. Twenty seven (71%) patients with nodal involvement were treated by external radiotherapy (TCT) and 11 (29%) by both chemotherapy and radiotherapy (Lin.

In vivo reversal of doxorubicin resistance by a new tiapamil analog Ro11-2933.

The effectiveness of a calcium antagonist analog Ro11-2933 to modulate doxorubicin (DOX) response in DOX-sensitive (WT) and -resistant (DOXr, 200-fold) cell lines was investigated and compared to verapamil (VP) in vitro and in vivo in rats bearing mammary carcinoma using equivalent nontoxic doses. In vitro exposure to a nontoxic concentration of Ro11-2933 (2 microM) normalizes the DOX accumulation defect observed in DOXr cells, increases DOX-induced DNA single-strand breaks and effectively sensitizes DOXr cells to DOX. Ten microM VP was required to obtain an effect equivalent to that seen with 2 microM Ro11-2933.