Advanced low grade serous ovarian cancer: A retrospective analysis of surgical and chemotherapeutic management in two high volume oncological centers.

Simple Summary: Low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) represents an uncommon histotype of serous ovarian cancer (accounting for approximately 5% of all ovarian cancer) with a distinct behavior compared to its high-grade serous counterpart, characterized by a better prognosis and low response rate to chemotherapeutic agents. Similar to high-grade serous ovarian cancer, cytoreductive surgery is considered crucial for patient survival. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the outcomes of women affected by advanced stages (III-IV FIGO) of LGSOC from two high-volume oncological centers for ovarian neoplasm.

Talking with patients about sex: results of an interprofessional simulation-based training for clinicians.

Sexuality is often a neglected topic in healthcare consultations. Several factors have been identified by clinicians as barriers to communication around sexuality, including lack of time, inadequate training, and personal discomfort. Within the Program to Enhance Relational and Communication Skills (PERCS), we developed a half-day interdisciplinary workshop that focuses on communication skills around sexuality and management of sexual problems with patients (PERCS-sexuality).

Factors influencing illness representations and perceived adherence in haemophilic patients: a pilot study.

Illness representations of chronic patients are important to explain adherence and preventive behaviours. However, it is unclear if the patient's objective health status may influence illness representations and perceived adherence. This study explored if health status and socio-demographic characteristics influence illness representations and perceived adherence in haemophilic patients.

[Difficult conversations in nephrology: assessment of a formative experience].

Introduction: Nephrologists often have to discuss difficult news with patients such as discussing treatment and prognosis, forgoing dialysis or end-of-life. Despite this, there are few educational interventions in this field. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of a workshop on difficult conversations in dialysis.

Haptoglobin phenotype and epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Haptoglobin (H) is a glycoprotein that regulates the immune response. Serum haptoglobin levels are significantly higher in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with poor survival. Different isoforms of haptoglobin have been found in the serum of patients with EOC.

Clinical significance of microinvasion in borderline ovarian tumors and its impact on surgical management.

Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate the rate of recurrences in borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) with microinvasion and to evaluate the possibility to enlarge fertility-sparing surgery in this group of patients.

Methods: Between 1985 and 2010, 209 patients with BOTs were retrospectively divided into 2 groups: group 1 consisted of 28 women with microinvasive BOTs; group 2 consisted of 181 with BOTs without microinvasion. All of the patients were submitted to surgical treatment: in group 1, 10 patients underwent cystectomy (CYS), 11 patients underwent monolateral salpingo-oophorectomy (MSO), and 7 patients underwent bilateral oophorectomy with or without total hysterectomy (BSO); in group 2, 34 patients underwent CYS, 58 patients underwent MSO, and 89 patients underwent BSO.

Local α-tocopherol for acute and short-term vaginal toxicity prevention in patients treated with radiotherapy for gynecologic tumors.

Introduction: Data in literature about the use of adjuvant treatment to reduce acute adverse effects of radiotherapy on the pelvis are scant, with the exception of a few reports on the topical use of estrogen, which promotes proliferation of epithelium.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective trial, α-tocopherol acetate was topically administered to patients affected by endometrial and cervical cancer and undergoing radiation treatment to avoid acute vaginal complications.

Results: Vaginal application of α-tocopherol reduced vaginal toxicity and pain, although vaginal secretion was not significantly different in the 2 groups studied.

Performance of a panel of maternal serum markers in predicting preeclampsia at 11-15 weeks' gestation.

Objective: We evaluated whether a discriminant model of prediction based on quantitative distribution of a panel of biomolecules in maternal serum can discriminate normal pregnancies from those who will develop preeclampsia (PE) prior to onset of clinical symptoms at 11-15 weeks' gestation.

Methods: Case control study encompassing 56 women destined to develop PE cases matched 1:3 for gestational age with 168 controls. After multiple of median (MoM) conversion of all available markers, comprising total Activin A (t-activin A), P-selectin, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) the combined likelihood ratios generated for each marker were used to calculate, for each patient enrolled in the study, the odds of being affected given a positive results (OAPR) of developing PE.