Do the 2017 blood pressure cut-offs improve 10-year cardiovascular disease mortality risk prediction?

Background And Aims: High blood pressure (BP) is a significant predictor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline reclassified the BP categories; however, its impact on CVD mortality prediction is still unclear. Our study aimed to examine whether the application of new BP cut-offs could improve 10-year CVD mortality prediction among US adults.

Fertility-sparing treatment in early endometrial cancer: current state and future strategies.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the fifth most common cancer in women worldwide. Global estimates show rising incidence rates in both developed and developing countries. Most women are diagnosed postmenopausal, but 14-25% of patients are premenopausal and 5% are under 40 years of age.

Quality of life following minimally invasive hysterectomy compared to abdominal hysterectomy: A metanalysis.

Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis is to review quality of life (QoL) in patients who underwent simple minimally invasive (MIS) hysterectomy compared to abdominal hysterectomy (AH) for benign conditions or endometrial cancer.

Methods: A literature search was performed of electronic databases including Cochrane, Medline, Pubmed, Pubmed Central, clinicaltrials.gov and Embase from study inception until December 2019.

Can a symptom checklist improve the triage of patients following successful endometrial cancer treatment?

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the fifth most common cancer in women in developed countries. Clinical practice guidelines recommend patients should be followed-up every 3-6 months after primary treatment of EC. Evidence suggests that 40% to 80% of patients develop symptoms prior to being diagnosed with EC recurrence, however which symptoms are key remains unclear.

A healthy lifestyle and survival among women with ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer has a poor survival rate and, understandably, women often want to know whether there is anything they can do to improve their prognosis. Our goal was to investigate the association between a healthy lifestyle prediagnosis and postdiagnosis and survival in a cohort of Australian women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. We calculated a healthy lifestyle index (HLI) based on women's self-reported smoking status, height, weight, physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption before diagnosis (n = 678) and after completing primary treatment (n = 512).

Quality of life in patients with cervical cancer after open versus minimally invasive radical hysterectomy (LACC): a secondary outcome of a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3, non-inferiority trial.

Background: In the phase 3 LACC trial and a subsequent population-level review, minimally invasive radical hysterectomy was shown to be associated with worse disease-free survival and higher recurrence rates than was open radical hysterectomy in patients with early stage cervical cancer. Here, we report the results of a secondary endpoint, quality of life, of the LACC trial.

Methods: The LACC trial was a randomised, open-label, phase 3, non-inferiority trial done in 33 centres worldwide.

Improving response to progestin treatment of low-grade endometrial cancer.

Objectives: This review examines how response rates to progestin treatment of low-grade endometrial cancer can be improved. In addition to providing a brief overview of the pathogenesis of low-grade endometrial cancer, we discuss limitations in the current classification of endometrial cancer and how stratification may be refined using molecular markers to reproducibly identify 'low-risk' cancers which may represent the best candidates for progestin therapy. We also discuss constraints in current approaches to progestin treatment of low-grade endometrial cancer and perform a systematic review of predictive biomarkers.

Evaluating the impact of dose reductions and delays on progression-free survival in women with ovarian cancer treated with either three-weekly or dose-dense carboplatin and paclitaxel regimens in the national prospective OPAL cohort study.

Objectives: To determine the impact of chemotherapy dose reductions and dose delays on progression-free survival (PFS) in women with ovarian cancer receiving first line chemotherapy in a real world prospective cohort study.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian (or peritoneal, fallopian tube) cancer enrolled in a national Australian prospective study, OPAL, who commenced three-weekly carboplatin (AUC 5 or 6) and paclitaxel 175 mg/m (CP) or carboplatin (AUC 5 or 6) and dose-dense weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m (DD-CP) were eligible. Primary endpoint was PFS.

Unravelling animal exposure profiles of human Q fever cases in Queensland, Australia, using natural language processing.

Q fever, caused by the zoonotic bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is a globally distributed emerging infectious disease. Livestock are the most important zoonotic transmission sources, yet infection in people without livestock exposure is common. Identifying potential exposure pathways is necessary to design effective interventions and aid outbreak prevention.

Development and validation of a recommended checklist for assessment of surgical videos quality: the LAParoscopic surgery Video Educational GuidelineS (LAP-VEGaS) video assessment tool.

Introduction: There has been a constant increase in the number of published surgical videos with preference for open-access sources, but the proportion of videos undergoing peer-review prior to publication has markedly decreased, raising questions over quality of the educational content presented. The aim of this study was the development and validation of a standard framework for the appraisal of surgical videos submitted for presentation and publication, the LAParoscopic surgery Video Educational GuidelineS (LAP-VEGaS) video assessment tool.

Methods: An international committee identified items for inclusion in the LAP-VEGaS video assessment tool and finalised the marking score utilising Delphi methodology.

Primary cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for FIGO stage III epithelial ovarian cancer: OVHIPEC-2, a phase III randomized clinical trial.

Background: The addition of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to interval cytoreductive surgery improves recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with FIGO stage III ovarian cancer who are ineligible for primary cytoreductive surgery. The effect of HIPEC remains undetermined in patients who are candidates for primary cytoreductive surgery.

Primary Objective: The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of HIPEC on overall survival in patients with FIGO stage III epithelial ovarian cancer who are treated with primary cytoreductive surgery resulting in no residual disease, or residual disease up to 2.

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) and Obesity-Related Cancer.

Obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. The increased risk of certain types of cancer is now an established deleterious consequence of obesity, although the molecular mechanisms of this are not completely understood. In this review, we aim to explore the links between MAPK signalling and obesity-related cancer.

Prevalence of three lifestyle factors among Australian adults from 2004 to 2018: an age-period-cohort analysis.

Background: It has been reported that current smoking, overweight/obesity and physical inactivity are significant modifiable risk factors of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the effects of age, period and cohort on the prevalence of the three lifestyle factors among Australian adults are still unclear.

Methods: Our study analysed data from 2004 to 2005, 2007 to 2008, 2011 to 2012, 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2018 National Health Survey.

How to do a uterine flap as a novel way to repair recurrent obstructed obturator hernia in an elderly female patient.

Here, we present a novel surgical technique to repair an obturator hernia with a uterine flap. The description is both written and in video format.

Incidence of adverse events in minimally invasive vs open radical hysterectomy in early cervical cancer: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Standard treatment of early cervical cancer involves a radical hysterectomy and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. The existing evidence on the incidence of adverse events after minimally invasive vs open radical hysterectomy for early cervical cancer is either nonrandomized or retrospective.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of adverse events after minimally invasive vs open radical hysterectomy for early cervical cancer.

A Bioimpedance Spectroscopy-Based Method for Diagnosis of Lower-Limb Lymphedema.

This study aimed at testing whether arm-to-leg ratios of extracellular water (ECW) and ECW normalized to intracellular water (ICW), measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), can accurately detect bilateral, lower-limb lymphedema, and whether accounting for sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) improves the diagnostic performance of cut-offs. We conducted a dual-approach, case-control study consisting of cases of bilateral, lower-limb lymphedema and healthy controls who self-reported absence of lymphedema. The diagnostic performance using normative data-derived cut-offs (i.

How to train practising gynaecologists in total laparoscopic hysterectomy: protocol for the stepped-wedge IMAGINE trial.

Introduction: Hysterectomy is the most common major gynaecological procedure in women and minimally invasive approaches should be used wherever possible; total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is one such surgical approach which allows removal of the uterus entirely laparoscopically. However, lack of surgical training opportunities is impeding its increased adoption. This study will formally test a surgical outreach training model to equip surgeons with the skills to provide TLH as an alternative to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH).

Incidence of adverse events, preventability and mortality in gynaecological hospital admissions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Adverse events (AEs) are unintended consequences of healthcare management that result in temporary or permanent disability, death or prolonged hospital stay. The incidence of AEs has been reported to be higher in surgical specialties compared to medical specialties but information on the incidence of AEs in gynaecology is sparse.

Aims: To collect evidence on the incidence, preventability and mortality of AEs in gynaecological hospital admissions by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Minimally Invasive versus Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer.

Background: There are limited data from retrospective studies regarding whether survival outcomes after laparoscopic or robot-assisted radical hysterectomy (minimally invasive surgery) are equivalent to those after open abdominal radical hysterectomy (open surgery) among women with early-stage cervical cancer.

Methods: In this trial involving patients with stage IA1 (lymphovascular invasion), IA2, or IB1 cervical cancer and a histologic subtype of squamous-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous carcinoma, we randomly assigned patients to undergo minimally invasive surgery or open surgery. The primary outcome was the rate of disease-free survival at 4.

Borderline Ovarian Tumors: Fifteen Years' Experience at a Scottish Tertiary Cancer Center.

Objectives: Since the recognition of borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) in the 1970s, the management of this subset of epithelial ovarian tumors has presented a challenge to clinicians. The majority present at an early stage, but their diagnosis is often only made following surgery, hence the heterogeneity of surgical management. Borderline ovarian tumors are morphologically diverse, and their behavior is subsequently also heterogeneous.