Publications by authors named "Vanessa Samouelian"
Article Synopsis
- The study focused on high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer survivors post-chemotherapy, analyzing their sleep quality, duration, efficiency, and insomnia, and how these factors relate to the risk of disease recurrence.
- Out of 97 women surveyed, over half reported poor sleep quality, efficiency, and duration, while a majority did not experience insomnia; these sleep patterns remained consistent after four months.
- The results indicated no significant correlation between sleep characteristics and cancer recurrence overall, but suggested a potential association for fully platinum-sensitive women, highlighting the need for further research with larger groups to clarify these relationships.
Background: Monitoring toxicities among patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is relatively recent. This scoping review aims to guide decision making in the development of PROMs programs for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Methods: Four electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2024.
Article Synopsis
- The SHAPE trial showed that simple hysterectomy is just as effective as radical hysterectomy in preventing pelvic recurrence in low-risk early-stage cervical cancer, but offers better quality of life and sexual health.
- A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model over 5 years found that simple hysterectomy costs less ($11,022) and provides more quality-adjusted life years (3.56 QALYs) compared to radical hysterectomy ($12,533 and 3.54 QALYs).
- The study concluded that simple hysterectomy is a better option overall due to being more cost-effective and yielding a higher quality of life post-surgery.
Mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer (EC) is an inflamed phenotype with poor outcomes when meeting high-risk criteria and limited treatment options in the adjuvant setting. We report protocol-prespecified subgroup analysis of patients with dMMR tumors from the phase III ENGOT-en11/GOG-3053/KEYNOTE-B21 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04634877) in newly diagnosed, high-risk EC after surgery with curative intent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: We assessed the global distribution and academic, administrative and research outcomes of international fellows (IFs) trained in Canadian gynecologic oncology (GO) programs.
Methods: A web-based survey was sent to IFs who completed GO training in Canada. Using the Web of science database, we identified the publication list, citation record and H-index of IFs and classified them according to their region of practice: high-income countries (HIC), middle income countries (MIC), and low-income countries (LIC).
Article Synopsis
- The SHAPE trial studied the effects of simple hysterectomy compared to radical hysterectomy on sexual health and quality of life in women with low-risk cervical cancer.
- Participants were assessed up to 36 months after surgery using specific questionnaires to measure sexual function and overall well-being.
- Results showed that simple hysterectomy led to better sexual health outcomes and quality of life, with lower rates of sexual dysfunction and greater global health status compared to radical hysterectomy.
Objective: Abdominal Radical hysterectomy (ARH) with pelvic lymph node assessment is considered the standard treatment for early-stage cervical cancer. Accepted routes have previously included laparoscopic or robotic approaches (LRH). Laparoscopy-assisted vaginal or vaginal radical hysterectomy (LVRH) are performed in some centers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEzabenlimab (BI 754091), an anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with advanced solid tumours.
Cancer Immunol Immunother
March 2024
Background: Ezabenlimab (BI 754091) is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death protein-1. We report results from open-label, dose-escalation/expansion, Phase I trials that evaluated the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics and antitumour activity of ezabenlimab at the recommended Phase II dose in patients with selected advanced solid tumours.
Study Design: Study 1381.
Background: Retrospective data suggest that the incidence of parametrial infiltration is low in patients with early-stage low-risk cervical cancer, which raises questions regarding the need for radical hysterectomy in these patients. However, data from large, randomized trials comparing outcomes of radical and simple hysterectomy are lacking.
Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial comparing radical hysterectomy with simple hysterectomy including lymph-node assessment in patients with low-risk cervical cancer (lesions of ≤2 cm with limited stromal invasion).
Importance: The KEYNOTE-826 randomized clinical trial showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful survival benefits with the addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. Treatment effects in patient subgroups of the study population are unknown.
Objective: To assess efficacy outcomes in patient subgroups of KEYNOTE-826.
Importance: Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) occurs in various cancers, and these tumors are attractive candidates for anti-programmed cell death 1 therapies, such as dostarlimab, a recently approved immune checkpoint inhibitor.
Objective: To assess the antitumor activity and safety of dostarlimab in patients with advanced or recurrent dMMR solid tumors.
Design, Setting, And Participants: The GARNET trial was a phase 1, open-label, single-group, multicenter study that began enrolling May 8, 2017.
Article Synopsis
- The KEYNOTE-826 trial tested the effectiveness of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer, showing significant improvements in survival rates compared to placebo plus chemotherapy.
- At the final data analysis, median overall survival (OS) for those receiving pembrolizumab was significantly higher than for those on placebo, with results of 28.6 months vs. 16.5 months in one group and similar patterns in others, indicating strong benefits across various patient populations.
- However, there were more grade ≥3 adverse events reported in the pembrolizumab group (82.4%) compared to the placebo group (75.4%), highlighting the need to consider potential side effects alongside treatment
Objective: Gastric-type adenocarcinoma of the endocervix (GAS) is a rare form of human papillomavirus-independent cervical cancer commonly described as an insidious disease bearing a poor prognosis. Based on scarce data, uncertainty persists pertaining to its oncologic management.
Method: All cases of well-differentiated GAS treated at our institution from 2010 to 2021 were reviewed.
Article Synopsis
- Malignant primary melanoma of the vagina (PMV) is a rare and aggressive cancer predominantly found in postmenopausal women, characterized by a poor prognosis and a lack of consensus on optimal treatment.
- A case is presented involving a 68-year-old woman with PMV who experienced symptoms like vaginal pain and bleeding; various surgical interventions were undertaken after imaging revealed a significant vaginal lesion without distant metastasis.
- Despite initial surgical management, the patient's cancer recurred within four months, leading her to choose palliative care, prompting a discussion on treatment options including surgery and potential immunotherapy for PMV.
What Is This Summary About?: Dostarlimab, also known by the brand name JEMPERLI, is a medicine that can be used to treat certain types of endometrial cancer. GARNET is an ongoing phase 1 clinical study that is testing the safety and side effects of dostarlimab and the best way to administer it to patients. The results presented in this summary are from a time point in the middle of the study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Surgical margin status in women undergoing surgery for early-stage cervical cancer is an important prognostic factor. We sought to determine whether close (<3 mm) and positive surgical margins are associated with surgical approach and survival.
Methods: This is a national retrospective cohort study of cervical cancer patients treated with radical hysterectomy.
Background And Objectives: Endometrial cancer is a common malignancy and recurrences can be fatal. Although platinum-pretreated endometrial tumors are commonly treated with anthracyclines and taxanes, there is no current standard of care. Both immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been extensively assessed in this setting, including tumors selected for DNA mismatch repair (MMR)/microsatellite instability (MSI) and programmed death-ligand 1 expression status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In the KEYNOTE-826 study, the addition of the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody pembrolizumab to chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab improved overall survival and progression-free survival (primary endpoints) versus placebo plus chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab, with manageable toxicity, in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. In this Article, we report patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from KEYNOTE-826.
Methods: KEYNOTE-826 is a multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial in 151 cancer treatment centres in 19 countries.
Minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of macroscopic cervical cancer leads to worse oncologic outcomes than with open surgery. Preoperative conization may mitigate the risk of surgical approach. Our objective was to describe the oncologic outcomes in cases of cervical cancer initially treated with conization, and subsequently found to have no residual cervical cancer after hysterectomy performed via open and minimally invasive approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Endometrial carcinoma (EC) has four molecular subtypes, with the no specific molecular profile (NSMP) subtype being the most common, found in about 50% of cases. Although it generally has a favorable prognosis, it includes a wide range of tumor characteristics.
- - This study analyzed 1,110 NSMP ECs to identify factors that could predict outcomes, focusing on clinicopathologic features, immunohistochemical markers, and genetic information to categorize tumors as low-risk or high-risk.
- - Key findings revealed that low-risk NSMP tumors (grade 1-2, ER-positive) had a 5-year disease-specific death rate of only 1.6%, in contrast to high-risk NS
Article Synopsis
- Recent research indicates that the type of molecular subtype in endometrial cancer (EC) can help predict clinical outcomes and guide treatment decisions.
- In a study involving 2,472 EC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy showed significant benefits for patients with p53abn subtype but did not provide additional benefits for those with MMRd subtype.
- The findings suggest that while adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in p53abn EC patients, it may not enhance outcomes for MMRd patients, highlighting the need for further research tailored to specific molecular subtypes.
Article Synopsis
- A study analyzed the impact of molecular classification on the management of endometrial cancer patients by examining data from 1,357 cases diagnosed in 2016 across Canada, revealing significant molecular subtype diversity.
- Only a small percentage of patients underwent necessary immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing for MMR and p53 proteins, leading to missed opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment options.
- The findings highlight the need for standardized biomarker reporting and routine integration of molecular subtyping in pathology practice to improve patient outcomes.
Background: In a phase III, randomised, active-controlled study (EMPOWER-Cervical 1/GOG-3016/ENGOT-cx9; R2810-ONC-1676; NCT03257267) and cemiplimab significantly improved survival versus investigator's choice of chemotherapy among patients with recurrent cervical cancer who had progressed on platinum-based therapy. Here we report patient-reported outcomes in this pivotal study.
Methods: Patients were randomised 1:1 to open-label cemiplimab (350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks) or investigator's choice of chemotherapy in 6-week cycles.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze the differences in management practices for endometrial cancer (EC) across Canada and evaluate how molecular classification could improve patient care.
- Data was collected from 1336 EC patients across various cancer centers, revealing significant variations in surgical practices, preoperative imaging, and use of adjuvant therapies.
- The findings suggest that molecular subtyping can enhance treatment consistency and patient outcomes, addressing discrepancies in care and improving risk assessment.