Progression-free interval in ovarian cancer and predictive value of an ex vivo chemoresponse assay.

The study objective was to determine the effectiveness of a phenotypic chemoresponse assay in predicting response to chemotherapy measured by progression-free interval (PFI) in a retrospective series of ovarian cancer patients whose tumor specimens had been tested with the ChemoFx assay. A statistically significant correlation between assay prediction of response and PFI was observed in 256 cases with an exact or partial match between drug(s) assayed and received. In 135 cases with an exact match, the hazard ratio for progression of the resistant group was 2.

Laser surgery in gynecologic oncology.

In the treatment of premalignant epithelial cancers of the female lower genital tract, the CO2 laser beam is used with precision through a surgical microscope for tissue ablation and excision. Intra-abdominal vaporization of abnormal tissues can be performed endoscopically through fiberoptics. Surgical lasers provide thermal scalpels for hemostatic excision of malignant lesions.

Prognostic factors and the significance of cytologic grading in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a clinicopathologic study.

Clinical staging, tumor size, histologic differentiation, cytologic grading, depth of stromal invasion, and vascular channel involvement by tumor cells were studied in 42 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva who were treated with radical vulvectomy and inguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy. All parameters were found to correlate well in predicting groin node metastasis. Cytological grading was found to be more significant compared to histologic grading in regard to nodal metastasis (P less than 0.

Significance of lymphoplasmocytic infiltration around tumor cell in the prediction of regional lymph node metastases in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a clinicopathologic study.

Histologic material from 42 patients treated for invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva was studied to determine the prognostic significance of lymphoplasmocytic infiltration around tumor cells in the prediction of regional lymph node metastases. No correlation was found between lymphoplasmocytic infiltration and nodal metastasis with respect to degree of tumor differentiation, stage of disease, and vascular channel involvement. The presence or absence of lymphoplasmocytic infiltration around tumor cells appears to have no prognostic value in predicting nodal metastases.

Comparison of wound healing between chopped mode-superpulse mode CO2 laser and steel knife incision.

The healing of surgical incisions made with the steel knife and CO2 laser chopped wave mode (ChW) or rapid superpulse (RSP) mode were compared using histologic parameters and breaking strength of the scars on postoperative day 14. Using a miniature pig model the Sharplan 1100 laser incisions were made with an average power of 15 W and power density of 7.68 kW/cm2.

Photodynamic therapy of gynecologic neoplasms after presensitization with hematoporphyrin derivative.

Five patients with various gynecologic neoplasms were treated with photodynamic therapy using 630-nm light delivered from an argon dye laser system following the intravenous injection of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD). A patient with multifocal squamous cell cancer of the vagina had no evidence of disease 15 months after her first photodynamic therapy treatment. Autopsy nine months after the first treatment of another patient with multifocal invasive cancer of the vagina and parametrium showed no evidence of tumor on the surface of the vagina.

The neodymium:YAG laser in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies.

The Nd:YAG laser has been used for tumor volume reduction of recurrent gynecologic malignant tumors after previous radiation therapy. The localization of the tumor did not allow conventional surgical resection or surgery was contraindicated because of severe medical problems. Hemorrhage caused by recurrent tumor was controlled by tissue coagulation.

Endometrial carcinoma in women 40 years of age or younger.

Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium in patients 40 years of age or younger is rare and accounts for 2.9% of all endometrial cancers diagnosed in the study community. However, the diagnosis of malignancy was confirmed in only 32 of 54 patients (59.

Microinvasive carcinoma of the vulva: a clinicopathologic evaluation.

Two types of neoplasms described as superficially invasive or microinvasive carcinoma of the vulva were identified. One type, which can be treated by conservative surgery, is commonly associated with extensive overlying intraepithelial neoplasia. Usually 1 focus of microinvasion, but occasionally more invades less than 2 mm into the underlying stroma.

Extraperitoneal surgical approach to the pelvis after radiation therapy or radical surgery.

Use of extraperitoneal surgical procedures in patients who have developed a retroperitoneal surgical problem after radiation therapy, primary radical surgery, or both has the advantages of excellence of exposure, shortness of operating time, isolation of infections, and avoidance of bowel manipulation. The surgical technique was adjusted to each individual patient's needs in the 21 patients involved in this study. Intensified pelvic fibrosis with constriction of ureter and pelvic vessels postoperatively was experienced in one patient.

Laser surgery in gynecology.

More experience and time are required to determine the advantages of laser surgery in gynecology. For precision surgery through the colposcope, the carbon dioxide laser beam appears to be useful in the control of neoplastic lesions of the vaginal mucosa and possibly of the cervix uteri. Tumor volume reduction through laser vaporization, especially when a recurrent tumor is attached to the bony pelvis, is an outstanding advantage.

Radiation-induced bladder tumors.

A recent 25-year experience with patients treated for carcinoma of the uterine cervix who subsequently had bladder tumors is presented. Of the 3,091 patients treated 2,674 had received radiotherapy and 8 suffered vesical malignancies of varied histopathological type 6 months to 20 years after irradiation. This incidence rate is 299.

Extraperitoneal para-aortic node dissection through an upper abdominal incision.

A surgical technique for para-aortic lymph node evaluation for metastatic tumor by the extraperitoneal approach is described. The procedure is devised to avoid gastrointestinal complications frequently found after transperitoneal evaluation of the para-aortic area followed by extended field irradiation. The surgical procedure was performed in 20 patients.