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Aim: Ovarian cancer is a gynecological malignancy with a poor prognosis. For platinum‐sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer, maintenance therapy with poly‐ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors after chemotherapy is considered; however, olaparib treatment does not always lead to sufficient progression‐free survival (PFS). This study aimed to identify factors that predict the efficacy of maintenance therapy using olaparib in platinum‐sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer. Methods: Twenty‐seven patients with platinum‐sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer, who received initial treatment and showed complete or partial response to prior chemotherapy at our hospital, were included. The primary outcome was the time from the end of previous platinum‐based chemotherapy to disease progression (PFS). The Kaplan–Meier method was used to generate time‐to‐event curves for PFS; multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: The median PFS was 12 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.3–15.8). Before olaparib administration, the median PFS was 12 months in the <4.1 neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio group and 4 months in the ≥4.1 group, with PFS being significantly better in the <4.1 group (log‐rank: p = 0.023). When comparing serum cancer antigen 125 (CA125) levels, the median PFS was 13 months in the <18 U/mL group and 6 months in the >18 U/mL group (log‐rank: p = 0.022). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that CA125 was the factor affecting PFS (hazard ratio: 4.85; 95% CI: 1.53–15.38). Conclusions: Serum CA125 levels at olaparib initiation in patients with platinum‐sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer may predict PFS as an effect of maintenance therapy using olaparib to treat recurrent disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of primary tumors in positron emission tomography can be used to predict prognosis in various cancers, but its significance in recurrent tumors remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the utility of the SUVmax for predicting therapeutic effects in recurrent gynecological malignancies. Methods From February 2012 to July 2014, patients with recurrent gynecological cancer who were treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy were enrolled in this study. The SUVmax of recurrent lesions before treatment were compared to the therapeutic effects. Results Fifty patients with recurrent gynecological cancer were enrolled. The mean SUVmax was significantly higher in patients with stable disease/progressive disease than in patients who achieved complete remission/partial remission (13.24 ± 9.78 vs 8.61 ± 5.34, P = 0.039). In patients who were administered chemotherapy, the SUVmax was significantly higher in those with stable disease/progressive disease than in those who achieved complete remission/partial remission (13.24 ± 9.78 vs 8.61 ± 5.34, P = 0.0392) as well as those administered radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiation therapy (18.15 ± 3.25 vs 11.33 ± 3.98, P = 0.0073). In ovarian cancer patients administered chemotherapy, when the cut-off value of the SUVmax was set as 6.94, the sensitivity and specificity of predicting therapeutic effects were 0.75 and 0.846, respectively. Conclusion Although the number of enrolled cases was small, our study revealed that the SUVmax in recurrent gynecological tumors might predict therapeutic effects. If the SUVmax is relatively high, multimodal therapy, including surgical removal, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain metastasis from uterine cervical cancer is rare, with an incidence of 0.5%, and usually occurs late in the course of the disease. We report a case of uterine cervical cancer with brain metastasis as the initial site of presentation. A 50-year-old woman with headache, vertigo, amnesia and loss of appetite was admitted for persistent vomiting. Contrast enhanced computed tomography showed a solitary right frontal cerebral lesion with ring enhancement and uterine cervical tumor. She was diagnosed with uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma with parametrium invasion and no other distant affected organs were detected. The cerebral lesion was surgically removed and pathologically proved to be metastasis of uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy, followed by cerebral radiation therapy, but multiple metastases to the liver and lung developed and the patient died 7 months after diagnosis of brain metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The incidence of preoperative deep venous thrombosis ( DVT) was examined in patients with pelvic organ prolapse ( POP). Material and Methods Preoperative screening for DVT was performed on the basis of D-dimer levels; if D-dimer levels were beyond the cut-off limit (0.5 μg/ mL), ultrasound examination of the lower extremities was performed. A total of 75 consecutive patients who were scheduled for POP operation in our department were examined retrospectively. Results D-dimer levels were elevated in 24 patients (31.6%). Further, DVT was detected in 10 of the 75 patients, resulting in an incidence rate of 13.3% in the present study. D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the patients with DVT (1.25 ± 0.52 μg/ mL vs 0.41 ± 0.26 μg/ mL). There was no significant difference in age, and although body mass index and the number of diabetes mellitus cases were relatively higher in the patients with DVT than in those without DVT, there were no statistically significant differences. According to a receiver-operator curve, the suggested cut-off D-dimer value was 0.71 μg/ mL (sensitivity and specificity was 0.9 and 0.877, respectively). Conclusions Although this was a preliminary study, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the incidence of preoperative DVT in patients with POP. Our study indicates that the incidence of DVT in patients with POP might have been underestimated thus far. Therefore, every surgeon should evaluate patients for DVT prior to any surgical procedure for POP, particularly in those patients with obesity or diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an extremely rare case of primary ovarian Burkitt lymphoma. A 15-year-old girl was referred to our department because of persistent constipation and abdominal distension. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 10-cm-diameter solid tumor located on the right side of the uterus. Serum lactate dehydrogenase and carbohydrate antigen-125 levels were elevated at 3250 IU/L and 235.7 U/mL, respectively. Initially, ovarian dysgerminoma was suspected, but poor performance and progressive disease were suggestive of malignant lymphoma. However, bone marrow aspiration and ascitic fluid cytology findings were not indicative of lymphoma. Laparotomy was performed to confirm pathology. On laparotomy, the right ovary was firm and enlarged, but the uterus and left ovary were normal. Diffuse thickness of retroperitoneal space was observed. Right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, and the tumor was diagnosed as Burkitt lymphoma. Although intensive chemotherapy was administered, the patient died 171 days after the initial operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]