Safety and feasibility of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy during interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with advanced high-grade serous ovarian, fallopian tube, peritoneal cancer in an Australian context.

Aims: To assess the safety and feasibility of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) during cytoreduction surgery (CRS) in advanced high-grade serous ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancer within an Australian context.

Methods: Data were collected from 25 consecutive patients undergoing CRS and HIPEC from December 2018 to July 2022 at the Peritoneal Malignancy Service at the Mater Hospital Brisbane, Australia. Data collected included demographics, clinical variables, surgical procedures and complications and intra-operative and post-operative indexes of morbidity.

Discovery and validation of serum glycoprotein biomarkers for high grade serous ovarian cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify serum glycoprotein biomarkers for early detection of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most common and aggressive histotype of ovarian cancer.

Experimental Design: The glycoproteomics pipeline lectin magnetic bead array (LeMBA)-mass spectrometry (MS) was used in age-matched case-control serum samples. Clinical samples collected at diagnosis were divided into discovery (n = 30) and validation (n = 98) sets.

Preclinical Evaluation of a Fluorescent Probe Targeting Receptor CDCP1 for Identification of Ovarian Cancer.

Optimal cytoreduction for ovarian cancer is often challenging because of aggressive tumor biology and advanced stage. It is a critical issue since the extent of residual disease after surgery is the key predictor of ovarian cancer patient survival. For a limited number of cancers, fluorescence-guided surgery has emerged as an effective aid for tumor delineation and effective cytoreduction.

Complete pathological response following levonorgestrel intrauterine device in clinically stage 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma: Results of a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Intrauterine levonorgestrel (LNG-IUD) is used to treat patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC) and endometrial hyperplasia with atypia (EHA) but limited evidence is available on its effectiveness. The study determined the extent to which LNG-IUD with or without metformin (M) or weight loss (WL) achieves a pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with EAC or EHA.

Patients And Methods: This phase II randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled patients with histologically confirmed, clinically stage 1 FIGO grade 1 EAC or EHA; a body mass index > 30 kg/m2; a depth of myometrial invasion of less than 50% on MRI; a serum CA125 ≤ 30 U/mL.

Disruption of Glycogen Utilization Markedly Improves the Efficacy of Carboplatin against Preclinical Models of Clear Cell Ovarian Carcinoma.

High stage and recurrent ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCC) are associated with poor prognosis and resistance to chemotherapy. A distinguishing histological feature of OCC is abundant cytoplasmic stores of glucose, in the form of glycogen, that can be mobilized for cellular metabolism. Here, we report the effect on preclinical models of OCC of disrupting glycogen utilization using the glucose analogue 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG).

L1 Retrotransposon Heterogeneity in Ovarian Tumor Cell Evolution.

LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons are a source of insertional mutagenesis in tumor cells. However, the clinical significance of L1 mobilization during tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here, we applied retrotransposon capture sequencing (RC-seq) to multiple single-cell clones isolated from five ovarian cancer cell lines and HeLa cells and detected endogenous L1 retrotransposition in vitro.

Tumor-derived exosomes in ovarian cancer - liquid biopsies for early detection and real-time monitoring of cancer progression.

Ovarian cancer usually has a poor prognosis because it predominantly presents as high stage disease. New approaches are required to develop more effective early detection strategies and real-time treatment response monitoring. Nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs, including exosomes) may provide an approach to enrich tumor biomarker detection and address this clinical need.

Cell line and patient-derived xenograft models reveal elevated CDCP1 as a target in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Background: Development of targeted therapies for high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) remains challenging, as contributing molecular pathways are poorly defined or expressed heterogeneously. CUB-domain containing protein 1 (CDCP1) is a cell-surface protein elevated in lung, colorectal, pancreas, renal and clear cell ovarian cancer.

Methods: CUB-domain containing protein 1 was examined by immunohistochemistry in HGSC and fallopian tube.

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and survival in women with ovarian cancer.

Background: Vitamin D status might be associated with cancer survival. Survival after ovarian cancer is poor, but the association with vitamin D has rarely been examined.

Objective: We evaluated the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], a marker of vitamin D status, and ovarian cancer survival.

Quality of life after early enteral feeding versus standard care for proven or suspected advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: Results from a randomised trial.

Background: Malnutrition is common in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and is associated with impaired quality of life (QoL), longer hospital stay and higher risk of treatment-related adverse events. This phase III multi-centre randomised clinical trial tested early enteral feeding versus standard care on postoperative QoL.

Methods: From 2009 to 2013, 109 patients requiring surgery for suspected advanced EOC, moderately to severely malnourished were enrolled at five sites across Queensland and randomised to intervention (n=53) or control (n=56) groups.

Radical trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer: the Queensland experience.

Background: Radical trachelectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection are an increasingly recognised treatment for early cervical cancer in women wishing to retain their fertility.

Aims: To analyse and summarise the outcomes of women having undergone radical trachelectomies at the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer (QCGC) between June 2000 and June 2012.

Methods: Retrospective study of data collected on the QCGC database.

AGR2 expression in ovarian tumours: a potential biomarker for endometrioid and mucinous differentiation.

Aims: To examine AGR2 expression in ovarian epithelial tumours and its potential role as a prognostic biomarker.

Methods: Tissue microarray technology and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate AGR2 expression in ovarian epithelial tumours and in non-neoplastic ovarian epithelium. For the carcinomas, the expression data were correlated with clinicopathological features and disease outcome.

Prospective, non-randomized phase 2 clinical trial of carboplatin plus paclitaxel with sequential radical pelvic radiotherapy for uterine papillary serous carcinoma.

Objective: Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma (UPSC) is uncommon and accounts for less than 5% of all uterine cancers. Therefore the majority of evidence about the benefits of adjuvant treatment comes from retrospective case series. We conducted a prospective multi-centre non-randomized phase 2 clinical trial using four cycles of adjuvant paclitaxel plus carboplatin chemotherapy followed by pelvic radiotherapy, in order to evaluate the tolerability and safety of this approach.

Pap smear screening history of women with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Background: Since the introduction of the Pap smear screening, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has decreased significantly, but the incidence of adenocarcinoma (AC) relative to SCC has increased.

Aim: To compare the Pap smear history of patients with AC and SCC of the cervix.

Methods: Patients for the study were identified from the database of Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer.

Efficacy of routine follow-up in patients with recurrent uterine cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of routine follow-up in patients with recurrent uterine cancer.

Methods: In a single institution study, a total of 2637 patients were treated curatively for uterine cancer from 1990 to 2006. A total of 438 patients experienced disease recurrence.

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy: the Brisbane learning curve.

Background: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is becoming more commonly used for gynaecological malignancies.

Aims: To describe our experience with TLH since its introduction to our tertiary referral centre for gynaecological cancer in 2003.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the first 120 consecutive cases of TLH performed at our gynaecological cancer centre.

The functional assessment of cancer-vulvar: reliability and validity.

Objectives: To assess the reliability and validity of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Vulvar (FACT-V).

Methods: Seventy-seven patients treated between January 1996 and January 2001 for cancer of the vulva completed the FACT-V, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Rating (ECOG-PSR) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) once, 20 consecutive patients treated between February 2001 and October 2001 completed the questionnaires twice, once before surgery and at 2 months follow-up. The FACT-V scores were compared by patients' performance status, FIGO stage, recurrence, and age, and correlated to the HADS scores.

Patterns of recurrence and disease-free survival in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

Objective: To compare patterns of recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) of node-positive and node-negative patients with advanced vulval squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods: Fifty-five patients with FIGO stage III/IVA vulval SCC who had surgery at the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer from 1989 to 1999 were included. Patients were grouped as follows: Group A, pT3 N0; Group B, pT3 N1; Group C, pT4 N2.

The impact of positive peritoneal washings and serosal and adnexal involvement on survival in patients with stage IIIA uterine cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of serosal involvement (SER), adnexal involvement (ADN), and positive peritoneal washings (PPW) in patients with Stage IIIA uterine cancer. We also sought to determine patterns of recurrence in patients with this disease.

Methods: The records of 136 patients with Stage IIIA uterine cancer treated at the Queensland Centre for Gynecological Cancer between March 1983 and August 2001 were reviewed.