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Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of gross visual assessment of myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma., Design: Prospective, descriptive study., Setting: University hospital., Population: Two hundred and fourteen consecutive patients operated between 2005 and 2008. All patients were preoperatively diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma or complex atypical hyperplasia considered by the pathologist to be at the border of highly differentiated endometrial cancer., Methods: Intraoperative gross visual assessment of myometrial tumor invasion (<50 or ≥50%), cervical tumor engagement and tumor diameter in millimeters were noted for all patients., Main Outcome Measures: The collected data were compared with final histopathology., Results: Intraoperative gross visual assessment of myometrial tumour invasion correlated well with final histology, with an accuracy of 87%. Agreement between gross visual assessment and final histology was reached in 91% of grade 1 tumors. Additionally, we found that 98.5% of tumors with a diameter <20mm had <50% myometrial invasion, regardless of grade., Conclusions: Intraoperative gross visual assessment of myometrial tumor invasion and tumor size measurements are simple, fast and inexpensive methods that may provide important information for the surgeon to decide upon the extent of staging when other more accurate methods are not at hand., (© 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Purpose: Overexpression of the oncogen Stathmin has been linked to aggressive endometrial carcinoma and a potential for PI3Kinase inhibitors in this disease. We wanted to validate the prognostic value of Stathmin expression in a large prospective multicenter setting. As lymph node sampling is part of current surgical staging, we also aimed to test if Stathmin expression in endometrial curettage specimens could predict lymph node metastasis., Experimental Design: A total of 1,076 endometrial cancer patients have been recruited from 10 centers to investigate the biological tumor marker Stathmin in relation to clinicopathologic variables, including lymph node status and survival. Stathmin immunohistochemical staining was carried out in 477 hysterectomy and 818 curettage specimens., Results: Seventy-one percent of the patients (n = 763) were subjected to lymph node sampling, of which 12% had metastatic nodes (n = 94). Overexpression of Stathmin was detected in 37% (302 of 818) of the curettage and in 18% (84 of 477) of the hysterectomy specimens investigated. Stathmin overexpression in curettage and hysterectomy specimens were highly correlated and significantly associated with nonendometrioid histology, high grade, and aneuploidy. Stathmin analysis in preoperative curettage samples significantly correlated with, and was an independent predictor of, lymph node metastases. High Stathmin expression was associated with poor disease-specific survival (P ≤ 0.002) both in curettage and hysterectomy specimens., Conclusions: Stathmin immunohistochemical staining identifies endometrial carcinomas with lymph node metastases and poor survival. The value, as a predictive marker for response to PI3Kinase inhibition and as a tool to stratify patients for lymph node sampling in endometrial carcinomas, remains to be determined., (©2011 AACR.)

Aim: Uterine transplantation is developing into a clinical treatment for uterine factor infertility. An animal model with a similar uterus size and vessels to humans and with pregnancy extending over several months would be beneficial for research on uterine transplantation. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate autotransplantation of the sheep uterus to an orthotopic position in the pelvis., Methods: Female sheep (n=7) were subjected to laparotomy with the uterus and its vascular supply and drainage being surgically isolated. The excised uterus was kept ex vivo at +4 degrees C for 60 min and then autotransplanted with vascular end-to-side anastomoses to the external iliac vessels. The effects of uterine blood-reperfusion were assessed by measurements of pCO(2), pO(2), lactate and pH in uterine venous blood. Uterine contractility and histology was assessed after 3 h of reperfusion., Results: Reperfusion of blood was observed in five out of seven transplanted uteri. The pCO(2)/pO(2)-ratio and the lactate level were initially elevated but decreased and became normal after 60 min. After 3 h of reperfusion there was a visible tissue blood flow and spontaneous uterine contractions were seen. Histological analysis revealed a mild inflammation, but no edema or stasis., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the sheep uterus can successfully be autotransplanted to an orthotopic position with novel vascular connections. This model is suitable for future experiments studying long-term results concerning uterine viability and pregnancy using a transplanted uterus of similar size to the human uterus.

Background: Borderline tumours of the ovary comprise >10% of all epithelial ovarian tumours, and about one-quarter of these tumours are seen in women of fertile age. In the present study, the outcomes with regard to fertility and recurrence were followed in patients with borderline tumours, who were treated with ovarian and uterus preserving surgery., Methods: Of 101 women surgically treated for borderline tumours in our institution, 22 underwent fertility preserving surgery, defined as the preservation of at least part of one ovary and the uterus. A retrospective follow up of these patients was conducted., Results: The 22 patients (mean age 30.5 years) underwent surgery with either unilateral salpingoophorectomy (USO; n=14) or USO combined with cystectomy of the contralateral ovary (n=8). All these patients had tumours of FIGO-stage 1 (1a = 13; 1b = 3; 1c = 6). No recurrence was seen during the follow up time (mean 8.1 years; range 5-12 years). Thirteen of the 22 patients have, since the surgery, been given a chance of pregnancy (10 actively aimed to achieve pregnancy; 3 with no contraceptive during the follow up period), and 9 of the 13 patients have become pregnant. Seven patients conceived spontaneously and 2 became pregnant through IVF. Eight of the 9 pregnant patients have given birth to a total of 14 infants, all born at term., Conclusion: This study shows that borderline ovarian tumours in patients of fertile age can be successfully treated conservatively to preserve fertility with no apparent risk of recurrence.

Impregnated Swiss mice were irradiated 2 h daily on days 1-18 of gestation in nonthermal (1 or 10 mW/cm2) or thermogenic (40 mW/cm2) 2,450-MHz microwave (MW) fields. On the 19th day of pregnancy all dams were killed to check the number of resorptions. Living fetuses were isolated, weighed and checked for the presence of macroscopically visible malformations of skeleton and cleft palate (CP) and/or lip (CLP). Some of the pregnant mice in each group were injected intraperitoneally on the 9th day of gestation with 10 mg/kg of cytosine arabinoside (ara-C), a well-known teratogen resulting under the above conditions in the appearance of about 15% (42 of 354) of resorbed implantation points and the development of CP or CLP in about 30% (96 of 312) of fetuses. Exposure to nonthermal MW fields during pregnancy did not lead to resorptions or detectable malformations; however, the body mass of 19-day fetuses was significantly lower than in sham-irradiated controls. MW hyperthermia (40 mW/cm2) applied during pregnancy led to an increased number of resorptions - about 25% (37 of 157) compared to 2% (6 of 306) in controls. Significant enhancement of the teratogenic potency of ara-C was observed after combined exposure to both ara-C and MWs during pregnancy. In dams treated with ara-C alone about 20% (62 of 358) resorptions and about 30% (91 of 296) fetuses with CL or CLP were found; additional exposure in MW fields (10 mW/cm2), not resulting per se in resorptions or detectable malformations, increased the numbers to 45% (213 of 448) of resorptions and to 70% (167 of 235) fetuses with CL or CLP.+

Microwave radiation does not result in development of congenital malformations in mice until hyperthermia is evoked. However, in the literature it is well established that certain environmental and occupational factors not being teratogenic per se may enhance and/or influence potency of established teratogens. As concerns the microwave radiation there are results suggesting cocarcinogenic properties of this radiation. In view of the above we set the hypothesis that microwave radiation may also interfere with teratogenic potency of the established teratogens. For the experiment we selected cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) under the trade name of Cytosar, produced by the Upjohn Co. The scheme of our experiment included injection of pregnant mice with 10 mg per kg of are-C on various days of gestation and further also irradiation in microwaves fields at power density of 10 mW/cm2. After checking the teratogenic potency of ara-C in further study on combination of ara-C and microwaves all the mice from the experimental groups were injected on the 9th day of gestation. The significant increase of the incidence of both malformations and resorptions was observed after combined action of are-C and microwaves. We conclude that the experimental pattern of teratogenic action of are-C can be used widely in experiments on combination with other environmental and occupational factors.

Teratology has grown from a little known discipline to a discipline embracing a vast accumulation of literature on experimental studies in many animal forms. Emphasis has shifted from preoccupation with descriptions of anatomical defects to concern about subtle and interacting causative factors. The aim of this work is to assemble a source of facts, concepts, methods and references within the broad scope of teratology. Our review summarizes reports of teratogenic effects in mammals. The major intent of this work, however, has been to introduce into a field of teratology. Special attention has been paid to the relation of animal studies to the problem in man and to the interactions between teratogens and environmental variables. We present a number of illustrative examples of various kinds of interactions that may occur and their possible significance. Striking degrees of potentiative interactions have been demonstrated in laboratory animals when two or more compounds were used simultaneously at doses at or below the threshold level for teratogenicity of the same compound when applied singly. We propose the name coteratogenesis for the agents which are not teratogenic but which aggravate teratogenicity of the other factors known as teratogens.

Scientific interest in the placenta derives not only from its enormous diversity of form and function but also from the unique metabolic, endocrine and immunologic properties. The steady increase in size and weight of the placenta throughout pregnancy has been investigated in the large number of studies. The data obtained from weighing the placenta vary considerably, depending upon how the placenta is prepared. If membranes and mass of the cord are left attached and adherent maternal blood clot is not removed, the weight is increased by nearly 50 percent. In our study we tried to asses the value of the feto-placental ratio and to correlate the weight of placenta with the other data obtained during pregnancy and labour and with outcome of pregnancy. A group of 1010 patients was assessed. The data obtained these patients were correlated with the length of pregnancy, the body weight of the baby and the status of the newborn estimated by Apgar score in 1 and 5 min. The feto-placental ratio was significantly affected by the length of pregnancy and the status of the newborn. Another comparisons were made with the medical illnesses during pregnancy, i. g. H--Gestosis, renal diseases and the cholestasis of pregnancy.

The effect of repeated expositions to 2450 cm2 microwaves at power densities of 10 or 40 mW/cm2 on fecundity of female Swiss mice was investigated. After microwave irradiations during whole pregnancy mice were allowed to have offsprings. On the day of birth litters were inspected, the number of pups noted. 30 days later female mice were mated with males for the second time and after delivery the litters were controlled, offsprings were counted. The size of first and second litters were compared. The size of second litters of irradiated animals were compared with controls. We concluded, that microwave repetitive exposure of female mice in presented conditions does not result in impaired fecundity measured as a litter size.