Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma arising from mature teratoma of the ovary: Description of multi-modality treatment including incorporation of adjuvant immunotherapy and maintenance PARP inhibitor therapy.

•Squamous cell carcinoma arising from mature teratoma of the ovary is a rare occurrence without clear agreement regarding optimal treatment.•Multimodality treatment should be considered, particularly for metastatic disease.•Maintenance therapy may be considered.

Performance of AGO score for secondary cytoreduction in a high-volume U.S. center.

Objectives: Determine the predictive value of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynaekologische Onkologie (AGO) score, and prognostic factors for survival, in patients undergoing secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCS) for recurrent ovarian cancer in a high-volume U.S. center.

Development of a prediction model for residual disease in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

Objectives: To construct a tool, using computed tomography (CT) imaging and preoperative clinical variables, to estimate successful primary cytoreduction for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Methods: Women who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery for stage IIIC/IV EOC at Mayo Clinic between 1/2/2003 and 12/30/2011 and had preoperative CT images of the abdomen and pelvis within 90days prior to their surgery available for review were included. CT images were reviewed for large-volume ascites, diffuse peritoneal thickening (DPT), omental cake, lymphadenopathy (LP), and spleen or liver involvement.

Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells in cancer pathogenesis.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment, which is known to affect disease progression in many human malignancies. Infiltration by mature, active DCs into the tumors confers an increase in immune activation and recruitment of disease-fighting immune effector cells and pathways. DCs are the preferential target of infiltrating T cells.

Lymphatic mapping and ligation for persistent ascites after surgery for gynecologic malignancy.

Background: Ascites after lymphatic dissection, usually amenable to conservative management, may require surgery. We describe a technique in the context of treatment for gynecologic malignancy to localize and ligate lymphatic leaks.

Case: The patient was a 37-year-old woman with recurrent ovarian carcinoma, who developed recurrent chylous and lymphatic ascites after secondary cytoreduction surgery including lymph node resection in multiple basins.

Vulvar and vaginal melanoma: case series and review of current management options including neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective: We report our experience with vulvar (Vu) and vaginal (Va) melanoma, with review of surgical and adjuvant therapy guidelines and description of our use of neoadjuvant therapy in selected cases.

Methods: We reviewed patients seen at Mayo Clinic for management of Vu or Va melanoma, January 1993-February 2012. Surgical treatment, pathologic and outcome data were abstracted.

Laparoscopic intraperitoneal port placement for optimally cytoreduced advanced ovarian cancer.

Study Objective: To evaluate complications of intraperitoneal ports placed laparoscopically as a separate procedure after initial debulking surgery for ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer.

Design: A retrospective case series (Canadian Task Force Classification III).

Setting: Inpatient, academic teaching institution.

The early detection of ovarian cancer: from traditional methods to proteomics. Can we really do better than serum CA-125?

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancy in the United States. More than 80% of patients present with advanced disease, with 5 year survival rates between 15% and 45%. In contrast, the survival rate for stage I disease, with malignancy confined to the ovary, is approximately 95%.