Electronic patient-reported outcomes from home in patients recovering from major gynecologic cancer surgery: A prospective study measuring symptoms and health-related quality of life.

Purpose: We previously reported on the feasibility of a Web-based system to capture patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the immediate postoperative period. The purpose of this study was to update the experience of these patients and assess patient and provider satisfaction and feedback regarding the system.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of patients scheduled to undergo laparotomy for presumed gynecologic malignancy.

A prospective study of quality of life in patients undergoing pelvic exenteration: interim results.

Objective: Little prospective data exist on quality of life (QOL) after pelvic exenteration (PE). This ongoing study prospectively examines the QOL changes following this radical procedure using a comprehensive battery of psychological instruments.

Methods: Since 2005, enrolled patients were interviewed (EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-CR38, EORTC QLQ-BLM30, BFI, BPI-SF, IADL, CES-D, IES-R) preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months after PE for physical/psychological symptoms.

A prospective study of the feasibility and acceptability of a Web-based, electronic patient-reported outcome system in assessing patient recovery after major gynecologic cancer surgery.

Purpose: The purposes of this study are to evaluate the feasibility of capturing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) electronically and to identify the most common distressing symptoms in women recovering from major gynecologic cancer surgery.

Methods: This was a prospective, single-arm pilot study. Eligible participants included those scheduled for a laparotomy for presumed or known gynecologic malignancy.

Review article: palliative care in gynecologic oncology.

Patients with advanced gynecologic malignancies have a multitude of symptoms; pain, nausea, and vomiting, constipation, anorexia, diarrhea, dyspnea, as well as symptoms resulting from intestinal obstruction, hypercalcemia, ascites, and/or ureteral obstruction. Pain is best addressed through a multimodal approach. The optimum palliative management of end-stage malignant intestinal obstruction remains controversial, with no clear guidelines governing the choice of surgical versus medical management.

Use of resveratrol to improve the effectiveness of cisplatin and doxorubicin: study in human gynecologic cancer cell lines and in rodent heart.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether resveratrol adds to the growth inhibitory effects of cisplatin and doxorubicin on ovarian and uterine cancer cells and to evaluate whether resveratrol diminishes the cardiac toxicity of doxorubicin in rodent heart.

Study Design: Human ovarian (OVCAR-3) and uterine (Ishikawa) cancer cells in culture were treated with cisplatin and doxorubicin, respectively, with and without resveratrol; and cell growth and viability were evaluated. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes received doxorubicin in the presence and absence of resveratrol, and cell viability was evaluated.

Prolonged survival following salvage surgery for chemorefractory ovarian immature teratoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Data regarding salvage surgery for ovarian immature teratoma (IT) are lacking despite its established role in the management of chemorefractory testicular germ cell tumors. In this report, a case of advanced IT that was salvaged by secondary cytoreduction following failure of both primary therapy and salvage chemotherapy is described, and the available literature is reviewed.

Case: A 28-year-old patient underwent primary cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy for stage IIIC, grade 3, ovarian IT.

Effect of glutamine on preimplantation mouse embryo development in vitro.

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to study the independent effect of the amino acid glutamine on preimplantation mouse embryo development in vitro.

Study Design: Two-cell stage mouse embryos were cultured in human tubal fluid medium in the presence and absence of 1 mmol/L of glutamine. Outcomes for morphology and cleavage rates were compared with Fisher's and Mann-Whitney's tests, respectively.