Fertility sparing surgery in sex-cord stromal tumors: oncological and reproductive outcomes

Analysis of the global burden of ovarian cancer in adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Ovarian cancer is the most prevalent gynecologic malignancy in adolescents, predominantly characterized by non-epithelial cancer. We aim to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of ovarian cancer in various regions and countries within this specific population.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, which included adolescents with ovarian cancer aged 15 to 24 years in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We retrieved data on incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years, and calculated estimated annual percentage changes to assess the temporal trends. In addition, we explored the relationship between the disease burden and the Socio-demographic Index and performed decomposition analysis.

RESULTS

Globally, in 2021, the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years for ovarian cancer among adolescents were reported as 11,087 (95% CI 8893-12,899), 1573 (95% CI 1249-1832), and 115,075 (95% CI 91,622-134,050), respectively, with all corresponding age-standardized rates showing increasing trends from 1990 to 2021. Among the 5 Socio-demographic Index regions, the middle Socio-demographic Index region exhibited the highest age-standardized incidence rate (2.27, 95% CI 1.75-2.66), while the region with the highest age-standardized mortality rate and the most significant increase in disease burden was the low-middle region. Furthermore, out of 21 geographical regions, Southeast Asia reported the highest age-standardized incidence rate (4.48, 95% CI 3.00-6.12), while Central Latin America had the highest age-standardized mortality rate (0.42, 95% CI 0.36-0.49). Andean Latin America had the greatest increase in disease burden, while Australasia had the greatest decrease.

CONCLUSIONS

The disease burden of ovarian cancer among adolescents continues to rise globally, particularly in regions and countries with moderate to low economic development. Enhancing the equitable allocation of health care resources to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment is essential for future treatment and research strategies.

Ovarian cancer in pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this manuscript is to review the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of ovarian cancers diagnosed during pregnancy.

FINDING

Ovarian cancer in pregnancy, although rare, is more likely to be diagnosed early during pregnancy due to the increased use of high resolution ultrasound. Treatment will depend on a multidisciplinary team. These cancers are usually treated with surgery alone during pregnancy, optimally between 13-20 weeks to reduce the risk of miscarriage or preterm labor. Chemotherapy is usually given after delivery if appropriate to the tumor type, unless the patient has widely metastatic disease.

CONCLUSION

The majority of ovarian cancers diagnosed during pregnancy are Stage I due to both young age and increased use of early ultrasound during pregnancy and have a better overall prognosis than the cancers detected in older women.

Oncologic and fertility outcomes in patients with juvenile granulosa cell tumor - a retrospective single centre analysis

BACKGROUND

Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare neoplasia that account for less than 5 % of all the ovarian tumors. Juvenile GCT histotype is generally observed in adolescent and young women, representing a very rare disease, so only a paucity of data are present in literature. The aim of this study is to analyse the oncologic and fertility outcome in our case series of juvenile GCTs.

METHODS

Clinicopathological data were retrospectively collected and analysed from a cohort of 30 patients ovarian juvenile GCTs treated at IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori Hospital, Monza, between 1980 and 2024.

RESULTS

The median age of disease onset was 21.5. Among patients enrolled in the study, 80.0 % (24/30) were stage I (16/26, 1/26 and 7/26 of stage IA, IB and IC, respectively), 6.7 % (2/30) were stage II and 13.3 % stage III (4/30). In 86.7 % (26/30) of patients, a fertility-sparing surgery was carried out, while 13.3.% (4/30) of patients underwent radical surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 20.0 % (6/30) of cases, while 80.0 % (24/30) were followed only with surveillance. Three patients in thirty (10.0 %) relapsed and died of disease despite multi-therapeutic approaches. All of them had advanced stages of disease at time of diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Juvenile GCT appears to have a good prognosis at stage I disease. However, advanced stage represents a hard challenge for clinicians, showing a high rate of relapse and mortality.

Sex cord ovarian tumours over 10 years: a retrospective analysis of clinicopathological profile and outcome

Objectives

To retrospectively describe the clinicopathological profile and treatment outcome of sex cord ovarian tumours (SCOTs), from a single institution.

Methods

Patients who operated for SCOT between January 2011 and December 2020 were identified from the institution's discharge summaries. Treatment details and oncologic outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, SPSS statistics version 21. Progression-free survival and overall survival were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

Over 10 years, 120 patients underwent surgery with 73 (61%) malignant SCOTs. Eight (6.6%) were referred with recurrence. Granulosa cell histology (61/73, 83.5%) and federation of gynaecology and obstetrics (FIGO) stage I disease (57/65, 78.62%) were predominant. Three (3/26,11.53%) had lymph node involvement. Adjuvant chemotherapy was advised in 53.4% (39/73).Over a median period of 47 months (1-130 months), eleven (15.06%) patients recurred (5-year recurrence rate: 9.58%) and 6 died (5-year survival rate: 89.04%).Among 65 patients with upfront disease, 9 (13.8%) recurred over a median period of 46 months (1-65 months) with 4 disease-related deaths. On univariate analysis, incomplete cytoreduction hazard ratios (HR 58.391, 95% CI 5.042-674.854), advanced FIGO stage (HR 15.931, 3.74-67.89) and nongranulosa histology was associated with recurrence. On multivariate analysis, advanced FIGO stage (HR 20.099, 95% CI 3.75-107.711) and non granulosa histology (HR 31.35, 95% 2.801-350.897 ) remained significant. Lymphadenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy did not prevent recurrence.

Characterization of tumour microenvironment reprogramming reveals invasion in epithelial ovarian carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage with tumour cell invasion. However, identifying the underlying molecular mechanisms and biomarkers of EOC proliferation and invasion remains challenging.

RESULTS

Herein, we explored the relationship between tumour microenvironment (TME) reprogramming and tissue invasion based on single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets. Interestingly, hypoxia, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis, which have biologically active trajectories during epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), were positively correlated. Moreover, energy metabolism and anti-apoptotic activity were found to be critical contributors to intratumor heterogeneity. In addition, HMGA1, EGR1 and RUNX1 were found to be critical drivers of the EMT process in EOC. Experimental validation revealed that suppressing EGR1 expression inhibited tumour cell invasion, significantly upregulated the expression of E-cadherin and decreased the expression of N-cadherin. In cell components analysis, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were found to significantly contribute to immune infiltration and tumour invasion, and the accumulation of CAFs was associated with poorer patient survival.

CONCLUSION

We revealed the molecular mechanism and biomarkers of tumour invasion and TME reprogramming in EOC, which provides effective targets for the suppression of tumour invasion.

Current limits of conservative treatment in ovarian cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Fertility-sparing surgery in ovarian cancer is an increasing need in gynecology-oncology clinical practice because of the frequent childbearing delay in developed countries. As the evidence in literature is based on observational studies, this review focuses on summarizing the most recent and relevant evidence for the conservative management of young patients with ovarian cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Staging surgery is mandatory in epithelial ovarian tumors. In sex cord-stromal tumors, fertility-sparing surgery is only recommended in FIGO stage IA. Due to its good prognosis, conservative treatment is possible in some cases of advanced disease of germ cell tumors and borderline tumors. Cystectomy is a reasonable option in serous borderline tumors but is not recommended in other tumor subtypes. Successful conception rates after fertility-sparing surgery ranges from 30 to 60%.

SUMMARY

Fertility-sparing surgery is a well tolerated option in young women with early-stage ovarian cancer with acceptable reproductive outcomes.

Upgrading Treatment and Molecular Diagnosis in Endometrial Cancer-Driving New Tools for Endometrial Preservation?

One emerging problem for onco-gynecologists is the incidence of premenopausal patients under 40 years of age diagnosed with stage I Endometrial Cancer (EC) who want to preserve their fertility. Our review aims to define a primary risk assessment that can help fertility experts and onco-gynecologists tailor personalized treatment and fertility-preserving strategies for fertile patients wishing to have children. We confirm that risk factors such as myometrial invasion and The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging should be integrated into the novel molecular classification provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We also corroborate the influence of classical risk factors such as obesity, Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and diabetes mellitus to assess fertility outcomes. The fertility preservation options are inadequately discussed with women with a diagnosis of gynecological cancer. A multidisciplinary team of gynecologists, oncologists, and fertility specialists could increase patient satisfaction and improve fertility outcomes. The incidence and death rates of endometrial cancer are rising globally. International guidelines recommend radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy as the standard of care for this cancer; however, fertility-sparing alternatives should be tailored to motivated women of reproductive age, establishing an appropriate cost-benefit balance between childbearing desire and cancer risk. New molecular classifications such as that of TCGA provide a robust supplementary risk assessment tool that can tailor the treatment options to the patient's needs, curtail over- and under-treatment, and contribute to the spread of fertility-preserving strategies.

Hormone replacement therapy in BRCA mutation carriers: how shall we do no harm?

Women with a BRCA mutation have an increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the only effective strategy to reduce this risk. Risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) is recommended between the ages of 35 and 40 for women carriers of BRCA1 and between the ages of 40 and 45 for women carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Most women undergo this procedure prior to their natural menopause subsequently developing an anticipated lack of hormones. This condition affects the quality of life and longevity, while it is more pronounced in women carrying a BRCA1 mutation compared to BRCA2 because they are likely to have surgery earlier. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the only strategy able to significantly compensate for the loss of ovarian hormone production and counteract menopausal symptoms. There is strong evidence that short-term HRT use does not increase the risk of breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 mutation. Few data are available on BRCA2 mutation carriers. Therefore, BRCA mutation carriers require careful counseling about the outcomes of their RRSO, including menopausal symptoms and/or the fear associated with HRT use.

Communications Is Time for Care: An Italian Monocentric Survey on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Risk Information as Part of Cervical Cancer Screening

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection could be considered a social disease, both for its high incidence, especially in younger subjects, and for the risk of neoplastic evolution linked to viral infection. Therefore, the National Health System, in collaboration with the state, must help women to understand the oncological risk of HPV and suitable methods of prevention. We conducted an Italian monocentric survey on HPV risk information as part of cervical cancer screening. An anonymous questionnaire was administered to 200 women with high-risk positive HPV and low-grade cervical lesions during second-level cervical cancer screening at the Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit of the "San Paolo" Hospital. From this survey, the need to improve communication for patients has emerged, as currently it is not exhaustive. In response to this need, organizational changes have been implemented to centralize the moment of counseling in the second levels of screening and to improve the training of health workers in level I as well as family doctors. In addition, psychological support was also proposed to patients who requested it, as was the dissemination of material such as that produced by GISCI (Italian Cervico-Carcinoma Screening Group) and updated in May 2018, which provides 100 answers to questions on HPV in order to achieve effective and comprehensive communication. This investigation requires further development, and the expansion of this investigation to the multicenter level is already underway. Therefore, this survey will represent a cornerstone for further discussion on the topic considering the necessity of appropriate communication in the oncological context.

Fertility after Cancer: Risks and Successes

The incidence of cancer in reproductive-aged women is 7%, but, despite the increased number of cancer cases, advances in early diagnosis and treatment have raised the survival rate. Furthermore, in the last four decades, there has been a rising trend of delaying childbearing. There has been an increasing number of couples referred to Reproductive Medicine Centers for infertility problems after one partner has been treated for cancer. In these cases, the main cause of reduced fertility derives from treatments. In this review, we describe the effects and the risks of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery in women with cancer, and we will focus on available fertility preservation techniques and their efficacy in terms of success in pregnancy and live birth rates.