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ObjectivesVulvar cancer is a rare gynecological malignancy. However, the incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated vulvar disease is increasing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. HIV infection is associated with an increased risk of HPV-associated vulvar cancer. We evaluated treatment patterns and survival outcomes in a cohort of vulvar cancer patients in Botswana. The primary objective of this study was to determine overall survival and the impact of treatment modality, stage, and HIV status on overall survival.MethodsWomen with vulvar cancer who presented to oncology care in Botswana from January 2015 through August 2019 were prospectively enrolled in this observational cohort study. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment, and survival data were collected. Factors associated with survival including age, HIV status, stage, and treatment were evaluated.ResultsOur cohort included 120 women with vulvar cancer. Median age was 42 (IQR 38-47) years. The majority of patients were living with HIV (89%, n=107) that was well-controlled on antiretroviral treatment. Among women with HIV, 54.2% (n=58) were early stage (FIGO stage I/II). In those without HIV, 46.2% (n=6) were early stage (stage I/II). Of the 95 (79%) patients who received treatment, 20.8% (n=25) received surgery, 67.5% (n=81) received radiation therapy, and 24.2% (n=29) received chemotherapy, either alone or in combination. Median follow-up time of all patients was 24.7 (IQR 14.2-39.1) months and 2- year overall survival for all patients was 74%. Multivariate analysis demonstrated improved survival for those who received surgery (HR 0.26; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.86) and poor survival was associated with advanced stage (HR 2.56; 95% CI 1.30 to 5.02). Survival was not associated with HIV status.ConclusionsThe majority of women with vulvar cancer in Botswana are young and living with HIV infection. Just under half of patients present with advanced stage, which was associated with worse survival. Improved survival was seen for those who received surgery.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. The etiology of pancreatic cancer is heterogeneous with a wide range of alterations that have already been reported at the level of the genome, transcriptome, and proteome. The past decade has witnessed a large number of experimental studies using high-throughput technology platforms to identify genes whose expression at the transcript or protein levels is altered in pancreatic cancer. Based on expression studies, a number of molecules have also been proposed as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of this deadly cancer. Currently, there are no repositories which provide an integrative view of multiple Omics data sets from published research on pancreatic cancer. Here, we describe the development of a web-based resource, Pancreatic Cancer Database (http://www.pancreaticcancerdatabase.org), as a unified platform for pancreatic cancer research. PCD contains manually curated information pertaining to quantitative alterations in miRNA, mRNA, and proteins obtained from small-scale as well as high-throughput studies of pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines. We believe that PCD will serve as an integrative platform for scientific community involved in pancreatic cancer research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]