Implementation of laparoscopic approach for type B radical hysterectomy: a comparison with open surgical operations.

Objective: To investigate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic approach in the management patients undergoing modified radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer.

Methods: Consecutive data of 157 women who had class II radical hysterectomy, for stage IA2 and stage IB1 <2 cm cervical cancer, were prospectively collected. Data of patients undergoing surgery via laparoscopy (LRH) were compared with those undergoing open surgical operations (RAH).

Phase II trial on cisplatin-adriamycin-paclitaxel combination as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical adenocarcinoma.

Objective: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery is a different therapeutic approach to locally advanced cervical adenocarcinoma (LACA) and seems to offer specific advantages over chemoradiation. This phase II trial was designed to evaluate the toxicity and activity of NACT with cisplatin-adriamycin-paclitaxel (TAP) in patients with LACA.

Methods: Patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2-IIB uterine adenocarcinoma were treated with NACT TAP for 3 cycles.

Role of paclitaxel and cisplatin as the neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Objective: The therapeutic outcomes of patients with advanced vulvar cancer are poor. Multi-modality treatments including concurrent chemoradiation or different regimens of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), and surgery have been explored to reduce the extent of surgery and morbidity. The present single-institution trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel and cisplatin in locally advanced vulvar cancer.

Class III NSRH: oncological outcome in 170 cervical cancer patients.

Objective: To analyze local recurrence rate (LRR), morbidities and oncologic outcome of class III nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy.

Patients And Methods: 170 consecutive class III NSRH cases were performed. Nineteen patients were addressed directly to surgery whilst neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 151 patients.

Quality of life and sexual, bladder, and intestinal dysfunctions after class III nerve-sparing and class II radical hysterectomies: a questionnaire-based study.

Background: To compare quality of life and bladder, intestinal, and sexual dysfunctions in 2 groups of patients undergoing different types of radical hysterectomies (RHs).

Methods: Patients with cervical cancer who underwent RH have been enrolled in a questionnaire-based study. Quality of life (QoL) and bladder, intestinal, and sexual dysfunctions were evaluated with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cervix (FACT-Cx).

Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer: evolution of concepts.

Objectives: This paper reviews the evolution of concepts concerning the nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH) in cervical cancer.

Methods: Research studies published between 1991 and 2006 were reviewed.

Results: Significant progress has been made in understanding the neuroanatomy and the neurophysiology of autonomic pelvic plexus.

Clinical and pathological prognostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Objective: The objective of this study was the prognostic analysis of clinicopathologic variables related to primary tumor and to lymph node metastases.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 389 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. The following variables were studied: patients' age, diameter and location of the tumor, clinical tumor characteristics, depth of invasion, grade, lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI) and lymph node status.

Type II versus Type III nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: comparison of lower urinary tract dysfunctions.

Objectives: According to our previous experience, Type III Nerve-sparing Radical hysterectomy (NSRH) for cervical cancer presented an acceptable urologic morbidity, without compromising radicality. The aim of this study was to compare Type NSRH with other types of RH in terms of incidence of early bladder dysfunctions and perioperative complications.

Methods: One hundred and ten patients with cervical cancer were submitted to Type II RH (group 1), Type III NSRH (group 2) and Type III RH (group 3).

Trabectedin for women with ovarian carcinoma after treatment with platinum and taxanes fails.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of the marine-derived alkaloid trabectedin (ET-743) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer refractory to or experiencing disease relapse after platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-nine patients from four institutions either resistant (n = 30) or sensitive (n = 29) to prior platinum and taxanes were treated with a 3-hour infusion of trabectedin every 3 weeks. Patients were monitored weekly for toxicity and restaged every two cycles for response.

Gemcitabine combined with oxaliplatin (GEMOX) as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer refractory or resistant to platinum and taxane.

Objectives: The aim of this multicenter feasibility study was to determine the toxicity profile and antitumor activity of the gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin combination as second-line treatment in platinum plus paclitaxel resistant/refractory advanced ovarian cancer.

Methods: Twenty patients received a 30-60-min infusion of gemcitabine a week for 2 weeks, followed by 120-180 min infusion of oxaliplatin every 3 weeks. The doses used were 1,000 and 130 mg/m(2), respectively.

Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: a surgical technique for preserving the autonomic hypogastric nerve.

Objectives: Recently, a nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy has been proposed for cervical cancer to reduce morbidity. The aim of this study is (i) to describe the surgical anatomy of the autonomic nervous system, (ii) to describe a new nerve-sparing technique for Piver III radical hysterectomy (RH) using the CUSA, in which greater attention was paid to the autonomic nervous pathway, and (iii) to assess the feasibility and the impact of this nerve-sparing technique on the incidence of early bladder dysfunctions.

Methods: Twenty-three patients with cervical cancer were submitted to nerve-sparing Piver III RH with pelvic lymphadenectomy.

Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy: a pilot study.

Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy has increasingly been used for cervical cancer, with less morbidity. We aimed with this study: i) to describe an alternative technique of nerve-sparing radical Piver III hysterectomy, using the CUSA, in which attention was given to the uterosacral ligament and cardinal ligament; ii) to evaluate the feasibility of this new nerve-sparing technique; iii) to describe the surgical anatomy of the autonomic nervous system; iv) to assess the early incidence of bladder dysfunction. Twelve consecutive patients with local-regional advanced cervical cancer were enrolled in the study on nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy with extended pelvic lymphadenectomy.

Microinvasive squamous cell cervical carcinoma.

Several histologic tumor-related features are the key factors for further treatment planning in microinvasive cervical cancer (MIC) after conization. To better define the indications for conservative treatment of MIC we conducted a literature review for prognostic factors for MIC and we carried out a prospective observational study evaluating most important pathologic factors and the relationships between tumor and edges of the cone and incidence of recurrences. In our experience seven recurrences were observed.