The impact of inter-cycle treatment delays on overall survival in patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Chemotherapy forms the cornerstone of systemic treatment for advanced ovarian cancer, extending overall survival; however, drug-related toxicity can lead to treatment delays, potentially diminishing treatment efficacy. This study evaluated the impact of treatment delays on all-cause mortality of patients with ovarian cancer, to better inform decisions on patient management.

Methods: This retrospective, population-based cohort study included 1517 women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer, receiving first-line adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 2014 and 2015.

Top advances of the year: Immunotherapy in endometrial cancer.

In the past year, notable advances were achieved toward improving oncological outcomes in patients with advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer because of reporting of high-level results of several phase 3 clinical trial combining an immune checkpoint inhibitor with chemotherapy in the first-line setting. For the first time, patients with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer have options for treatment that are superior to traditional chemotherapy alone. What remains to be determined is population specificity of these recommendations.

Medical cannabis and its effect on oncological outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer treated with PARP inhibitors.

Background: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) play a pivotal role in ovarian cancer management. With medical cannabis emerging as a novel component of supportive care, this study investigated the impact of medical cannabis use on oncological outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing PARPi therapy.

Methods: The study included patients from a single institution database treated for ovarian cancer between January 2014 and January 2020 who received PARPi maintenance therapy in a first-line or recurrent disease setting after a confirmed response to platinum-based treatment.

Effectiveness and safety of standard chemotherapy in older patients with ovarian cancer: a retrospective analysis by age group and treatment regimen.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of standard chemotherapy administered to patients >70 years with advanced ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods: Medical records of 956 advanced-stage patients with OC treated between 2002-2020 with standard surgery and paclitaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy in a three-weekly (PC-3W) or weekly (PC-1W) regimen were reviewed. Treatment response and tolerability were compared between patients ≤70 years (N=723) and >70 years (N=233) with stratification to septuagenarians (>70-80 years) and octogenarians (>80 years).

Cost-Utility Analysis of Open Radical Hysterectomy Compared to Minimally Invasive Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer.

We aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of open surgery, compared to minimally invasive radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer, using updated survival data. Costs and utilities of each surgical approach were compared using a Markovian decision analysis model. Survival data stratified by surgical approach and surgery costs were received from recently published data.

Prognostic significance of delayed complete metabolic response on PET/CT after primary chemoradiation treatment of cervical cancer.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of near-complete metabolic response on initial follow-up PET/CT after primary chemoradiation treatment of cervical cancer.

Methods: Survival data were retrospectively compared between patients who had complete metabolic response on first follow-up PET/CT, 3 months after chemoradiation (group 1) with those who had near-complete metabolic response on first PET/CT and later showed complete metabolic response at subsequent PET/CT, 6 months or more after treatment (group 2).

Results: Of the 108 patients included in the final analysis, 74 (68.

Effect of BMI change on recurrence risk in patients with endometrial cancer.

Objective: Our study aimed to explore the effect of body mass index (BMI) change on cancer recurrence risk during the routine surveillance of endometrial cancer patients.

Methods: Data on patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma that had a staging procedure and continued follow-up was retrospectively collected. We compared patients' BMI at time of surgery and during the last clinic follow-up.

Outcomes associated with treatment to all sites of disease in patients with stage IVB cancer of the cervix.

Objective: The use of chemoradiation in patients with stage IVB cancer of the cervix was evaluated to determine if definitive treatment offers benefit.

Methods: A database of 546 patients with cancer of the cervix treated between January 2005 and May 2021 at a tertiary academic medical center was reviewed retrospectively to identify patients with stage IVB disease. Log rank test, regression analysis, and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to identify and compare variables and estimate progression free survival and overall survival.

Implementation of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling in Ovarian Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) allows for the detection of driver alterations at high resolution, but the limited number of approved targeted therapies and their high costs have contributed to its limited clinical utilization. We retrospectively compared data of 946 women with ovarian cancer (11.4% were referred to CGP, and 88.

Brain metastases in patients with ovarian cancer.

Background: Brain metastasis (BM) are uncommon among women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The frequency, risk factors and clinical repercussions of BM in these patients are not well described.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated EOC patients treated at our center from 2002 to 2020 and assessed their clinical parameters, risk for BM development and association with overall survival (OS).

Concomitant diagnosis of endometrial and breast cancer - does the sequence matters?

Objective: To examine whether patients with both breast cancer (BC) and endometrial cancer (EC) have different features of disease, and whether the sequence of appearance of these tumors is correlated with a more aggressive course.

Methods: A retrospective, multi-center observational cohort study of patients treated in two tertiary medical centers between 2014 and 2020. Files of patients who had a co-diagnosis of BC and EC were reviewed and clinical, epidemiological, pathological and genetic characteristics were collected.

Preimplantation genetic testing for BRCA gene mutation carriers: a cost effectiveness analysis.

Background: Gynecologic oncologists should be aware of the option of conception through IVF/PGT-M for families with high BRCA related morbidity or mortality. Our objective was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of preimplantation genetic testing for selection and transfer of BRCA negative embryo in BRCA mutation carriers compared to natural conception.

Methods: Cost-effectiveness of two strategies, conception through IVF/PGT-M and BRCA negative embryo transfer versus natural conception with a 50% chance of BRCA positive newborn for BRCA mutation carriers was compared using a Markovian process decision analysis model.

Cancer Therapeutics-related Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: An Understudied Manifestation.

The widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has become a mainstay of care for a variety of malignancies. However, these therapies portend a range of adverse effects, including a potentially fatal form of cardiotoxicity which to date has not been elucidated. We aimed to evaluate the baseline characteristics of ICI-mediated cardiotoxicity.

Extrapulmonary Small Cell Cancer: A New Insight into a Rare Disease.

Introduction: Extrapulmonary small-cell cancer (EPSCC) is a relatively rare malignancy. The management of EPSCC is usually extrapolated from small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). In spite of the morphological similarity of the 2 malignancies, there are many differences in clinical features, prognosis, and recommendations of treatment of these disorders.

Kambô-Induced Systemic Inflammatory Response: A Case Report of Acute Disease Progression of Cholangiocarcinoma.

Kambô is a cleansing ritual involving the application of a toxin produced by the giant leaf frog (). The Kambô ritual has increasingly been adopted among cancer patients in Europe. Accumulating data indicate various adverse effects.

Rapid Implementation of Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives and Preferences of Patients with Cancer.

Introduction: The use of telemedicine in oncology practice is rapidly expanding and is considered safe and cost effective. However, the implications of telemedicine on patient-physician interaction, patient satisfaction, and absence of the personal touch have not been studied to date. Following the spread of COVID-19, telemedicine services were rapidly incorporated at the Oncology Division of Tel Aviv Medical Center.

Comparison of Patient Susceptibility Genes Across Breast Cancer: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Outcomes.

Hereditary breast cancer syndromes affect a small (10-15% of cases) but significant group of patients. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most familiar and well-studied genes associated with inherited breast cancer. However, mutations in the high-penetrance genes, , and , and in the moderate-penetrance genes, , also correlate with high lifetime risks of breast cancer and other malignancies as well.

Diagnostic workup of early-stage breast cancer: can we choose more wisely?

Introduction: Current international guidelines, including the Choosing Wisely Initiative, recommends against the routine use of systemic imaging studies or tumor markers in early-stage breast cancer. Accumulating data suggests that adherence to these guidelines is low. We aimed to investigate the execution of unnecessary diagnostic tests among Israeli breast cancer patients and identify factors associated with their performance.

Re-introducing immunotherapy in patients surviving immune checkpoint inhibitors-mediated myocarditis.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have transformed the standard care of cancer treatment. Recent case reports describe ICI-mediated myocarditis with an atypical presentation and fatal potential which lead to permanent interruption of immunotherapy.

Objectives: To characterize ICI-mediated myocarditis and re-introduction to immunotherapy.

Endocrine resistance in breast cancer: focus on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Up to 75% of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor (ER)α and/or the progesterone receptor (PR). Patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer are typically treated with endocrine therapy.