STAT1-Deficient HPV E6/E7-Associated Cancers Maintain Host Immunocompetency against Therapeutic Intervention.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) remains a global health concern because it contributes to the initiation of various HPV-associated cancers such as anal, cervical, oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancer. In HPV-associated cancers, oncogenesis begins with an HPV infection, which is linked to the activation of the Janus protein tyrosine kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling pathway. Various STAT signaling pathways, such as STAT3 activation, have been well documented for their tumorigenic role, yet the role of STAT1 in tumor formation remains unclear.

Clinical characteristics and treatment modalities in women with newly diagnosed advanced high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer in Taiwan.

Background: This study was designed to investigate the demographics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes of patients newly diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) in 3 medical centers in Taiwan before the integration of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in clinical practice.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from patients diagnosed with HGSOC between January 2014 and December 2018 and followed-up for a minimum of 12 months after diagnosis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, while survival rates were evaluated using the Kaplan‒Meier method.

Inguinal nodal metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) detected 7 years before the diagnosis of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma: A case report.

Objective: Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of inguinal lymph node region with unknown origin is a rare condition. A patient was diagnosed to have vulvar SCC 7 years after the initial diagnosis of inguinal nodal metastatic SCC of unknown primary.

Case Report: A 59-year-old woman with metastatic SCC of unknown origin in the right inguinal lymph node underwent tumor resection and no evidence of residual disease or possible tumor origin was detected after the surgery and a comprehensive work-up.

Ultrasonic presentation variation of patients with pathological evidence of endometrial atrophy.

Objective: Post-menopausal bleeding is one of the most common reasons for attending the gynecology outpatient clinic. The major proportion of the symptoms is endometrial atrophy (about 60%) despite of the endometrial thickness is over 4 mm. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the endometrial thickness under sonogram in the women with atrophic endometrium, with or without post-menopausal vaginal bleeding.

Association of malignant ascites with systemic inflammation and muscle loss after treatment in advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

Background: Malignant ascites is prevalent in advanced-stage ovarian cancer and may facilitate identification of the drivers of muscle loss. This study aimed to evaluate the association of ascites with changes in systemic inflammation and muscle after treatment of advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

Methods: We evaluated 307 patients with advanced-stage (III/IVA) ovarian cancer who underwent primary debulking surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy between 2010 and 2019.

Explainable machine learning model for predicting skeletal muscle loss during surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Background: Skeletal muscle loss during treatment is associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer. Although changes in muscle mass can be assessed on computed tomography (CT) scans, this labour-intensive process can impair its utility in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model to predict muscle loss based on clinical data and to interpret the ML model by applying SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method.

Association of prognostic nutritional index with muscle loss and survival in patients with ovarian cancer treated with primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy.

Purpose: Sarcopenia is prevalent in ovarian cancer and contributes to poor survival. This study is aimed at investigating the association of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) with muscle loss and survival outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 650 patients with ovarian cancer treated with primary debulking surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy at a tertiary center from 2010 to 2019.

A questionnaire study on disparity of cervical cancer prevention programs in Asia-Oceania.

Background: Despite the introduction of cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, the utilization pattern was not standardized. The aim of this study was to elicit the current prevention care in Asia-Oceania.

Methods: An online questionnaire was circulated to different countries/cities in Asia-Oceania.

EMPOWER CERVICAL-1: Effects of cemiplimab versus chemotherapy on patient-reported quality of life, functioning and symptoms among women with recurrent cervical cancer.

Background: In a phase III, randomised, active-controlled study (EMPOWER-Cervical 1/GOG-3016/ENGOT-cx9; R2810-ONC-1676; NCT03257267) and cemiplimab significantly improved survival versus investigator's choice of chemotherapy among patients with recurrent cervical cancer who had progressed on platinum-based therapy. Here we report patient-reported outcomes in this pivotal study.

Methods: Patients were randomised 1:1 to open-label cemiplimab (350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks) or investigator's choice of chemotherapy in 6-week cycles.

Optimal prophylactic para-aortic radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer: anatomy-based versus margin-based delineation.

Objective: Precise delineation of the para-aortic nodal region is critical for the optimal therapeutic ratio of prophylactic para-aortic radiotherapy. We aimed to evaluate the para-aortic control and patient-reported gastrointestinal toxicity in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received anatomy-based or margin-based prophylactic para-aortic radiotherapy.

Methods: We analyzed 160 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received prophylactic extended-field radiotherapy between January 2014 and November 2019 at two tertiary centers.

Survival with Cemiplimab in Recurrent Cervical Cancer.

Background: Patients with recurrent cervical cancer have a poor prognosis. Cemiplimab, the fully human programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody approved to treat lung and skin cancers, has been shown to have preliminary clinical activity in this population.

Methods: In this phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients who had disease progression after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy, regardless of their programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy enhances antitumor effects on ovarian cancer through immune-mediated cancer stem cell targeting.

Purpose: We aimed to determine the effects and possible mechanisms of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in targeting ovarian cancer stem-like cells (CSCs).

Methods: Murine ovarian cancer cell lines presenting CSC surface markers were grown intraperitoneally in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice, which were then treated by intraperitoneal hyperthermia with the chemotherapeutic agents: paclitaxel and cisplatin. Tumor growth was measured by non-invasive luminescent imaging.

Massive metastasis of breast cancer to female genital organs.

Objective: Breast cancer metastasis to the female genital tract is rare, and the ovaries are the most frequent site of extragenital cancer metastasis. The uterus and cervix have been rarely reported as the site of metastasis.

Case Report: A 57-year-old woman diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma of the left breast 2 years prior was undergoing tamoxifen treatment.

DNA methylation marker for the triage of hrHPV positive women in cervical cancer screening: Real-world evidence in Taiwan.

Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary cervical cancer screening followed by reflex cytology if high-risk HPV is present (hrHPV+) is recently adopted in some countries. However, reflex cytology's sensitivity is variable, and a suitable triage approach for hrHPV+ remains controversial. Here, we compared the performance of three triage tools in hrHPV+ women.

Association of bowel radiation dose-volume with skeletal muscle loss during pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy in cervical cancer.

Background: Radiation-induced bowel damage may compromise nutrient absorption and digestion and affect body composition during pelvic radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between bowel radiation dose-volume and body composition changes during pelvic radiotherapy.

Methods: Data of 301 LACC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy were analyzed.

Immune vulnerability of ovarian cancer stem-like cells due to low CD47 expression is protected by surrounding bulk tumor cells.

Recurrence of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer is common despite optimal surgical debulking and initial favorable responses to chemotherapy. Evidences suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) have inherent resistance to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and play a decisive role in cancer recurrence. Cancer stem cells are also believed to be able to evade immunological attack.

Outcomes in Advanced Stage Epithelial Ovarian, Fallopian Tubal, and Peritoneal Cancer after Primary Surgery and Adjuvant Chemotherapies: A Single-Institute Real-World Experience.

Debulking surgery followed by systemic chemotherapy-including three-weekly intravenous paclitaxel and carboplatin (GOG-158)-is the cornerstone for advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tubal, and peritoneal cancer (EOC) treatment. In this scenario, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, cell types, completeness of surgery, lymph nodes (LN) status, adjuvant chemotherapy regimens, survival status, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of 192 patients diagnosed as having stage IIIA1-IVB EOC over January 2008-December 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Of them, 100 (52.

Muscle Loss after Chemoradiotherapy as a Biomarker of Distant Failures in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer.

This study aimed to evaluate whether computed tomography (CT)-based muscle measurement predicts distant failure in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Data from 278 patients with LACC who underwent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) between 2004 and 2017 were analysed. Changes in the skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle density, and total adipose tissue index during CCRT were calculated from CT images taken at the baseline and after CCRT.

Muscle loss during primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy predicts poor survival in advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

Background: Sarcopenia is commonly observed in patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, the effect of body composition changes-during primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy-on outcomes of patients with advanced-stage EOC is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the association between body composition changes and outcomes of patients with stage III EOC treated with PDS and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy.