Sexual Function, Sexual Activity and Quality of Life in Women with Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer.

Gynecological cancer (GC) is assumed to have an impact on sexual function and activity, but pertinent evidence is currently limited. Sexual function and activity were investigated in patients with gynecological cancer (GC) and in a control group (C), using the "Sexual Activity Questionnaire" (SAQ), the "Female Sexual Function Index" (FSFI), and parts of the EORTC QLQ-C30. 727 women (335 GC and 392 C) were given a questionnaire and 22.

Prognostic and predictive value of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynaekologische Onkologie (AGO) score in surgery for recurrent ovarian cancer.

Objectives: The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynaekologische Onkologie (AGO) score was developed as selection criteria and validated as predictor of a high probability for complete resection in recurrent ovarian cancer. It is not defined whether the predictive value is independent from underlying tumor biology or is solely based on a selection of good prognostic risks.

Methods: We performed an exploratory analysis of all consecutive patients with cytoreductive surgery in recurrent ovarian cancer in a tertiary referral center 1999-2013, before and after introduction of the AGO score.

Outcome of early breast cancer treated in an urban and a rural breast cancer unit in Germany.

Background: Conflicting evidence has been published concerning survival disadvantages in the outcome of breast cancer patients in relationship to their residency in urban or rural communities.

Methods: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate differences in patients and treatment characteristics between an urban and a rural breast cancer unit. Therefore, all early breast cancer patients treated consecutively between 1999 and 2007 in a rural and an urban breast cancer unit were included.

Differences in the receptor status between primary and recurrent breast cancer--the frequency of and the reasons for discordance.

Objective: Receptor discordances between primary and recurrent breast cancer have been described for years, but only a few analyses have elucidated the factors that influence receptor changes.

Methods: Explorative analyses of prospective data from a breast cancer database of a tertiary breast cancer unit.

Results: Recurrent tumours that had expressed oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) as primary tumours were negative for the respective receptor in 22.

Clinicopathological differences between breast cancer in patients with primary metastatic disease and those without: a multicentre study.

Objective: Approximately 6% of breast cancer (BC) patients present with primary metastatic disease (pmBC) at first diagnosis. The clinicopathological differences between tumours from patients who have metastatic disease and those who do not are unclear.

Methods: This study was an exploratory analysis of patients with pmBC treated in 8 German breast cancer centres between 1998 and 2010.

Outcome of immediate re-operation or interval debulking after chemotherapy at a gynecologic oncology center after initially incomplete cytoreduction of advanced ovarian cancer.

Background: Prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer is largely determined by completeness of tumor resection achieved during primary surgery. Incomplete initial debulking occurs frequently in non-specialized centers and there is an ongoing discussion about the best time for re-surgery after referral to tertiary centers.

Methods: Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (FIGO IIIB-IV) admitted between 1999 and 2007 who had primary incomplete surgery including those with initiated chemotherapy at an outside institution were included.

Requirements to assess feasibility of phase 0 trials during major abdominal surgery: variability of PARP activity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of phase 0 trials in the setting of a routine surgical procedure. Logistic considerations, tissue sampling and tissue handling, and variability of a biomarker during surgery, in here PARP, were evaluated.

Experimental Design: Patients with highly suspicious or proven diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer, planned for debulking surgery were asked to allow sequential tumor biopsies during surgery.

Borderline tumors of the ovary: clinical course and prognostic factors.

Background: The prognosis in borderline tumors of the ovary (BOT) is generally favorable. However, some patients experience recurrence, and mortalities occur. There is a need to better characterize prognostic factors to be considered for individualized treatment planning.

Impact of a structured quality management program on surgical outcome in primary advanced ovarian cancer.

Objective: Surgical outcome in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) is an important prognostic factor and the only factor amendable to improvement by optimization. Therefore, introduction of quality management programs (QM) regarding the surgical therapy in ovarian cancer may help to improve outcome.

Methods: We introduced a specific ovarian cancer quality management program in 2001 in our gynecologic oncology center.

Re-operation outcome in patients referred to a gynecologic oncology center with presumed ovarian cancer FIGO I-IIIA after sub-standard initial surgery.

Background: Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for early ovarian cancer both as therapeutic and comprehensive staging. Only the latter allows appropriate tailoring of systemic treatment. However, the compliance with guidelines for comprehensive staging has been reported to be only moderate and, therefore, re-staging procedures are commonly indicated to avoid undertreatment.

Pattern and clinical predictors of lymph node metastases in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Para-aortic lymphadenectomy is part of staging in early epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and could be part of therapy in advanced EOC. However, only a minority of patients receive therapy according to guidelines or have attendance to a specialized unit. We analyzed pattern of lymphatic spread of EOC and evaluated if clinical factors and intraoperative findings reliably could predict lymph node involvement, in order to evaluate if patients could be identified in whom lymphadenectomy could be omitted and who should not be referred to a center with capacity of performing extensive gynecological operations.

DNA image cytometry: a prognostic tool in rectal cancer?

In 68 patients the DNA content of tumor cells was measured by image cytometry after resection of the rectum because of cancer. In the DNA histogram a differentiation between diploid (n = 19), polyploid (n = 24), hypotriploid (n = 17), and hypertriploid (n = 8) tumors was possible. The best relapse-free survival time was found in patients with diploid tumors.