Distribution of platinum in human gynecologic tissues and pelvic lymph nodes after administration of cisplatin

Impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the postoperative pathology of locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinomas: 1:1 propensity score matching analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on postoperative pathology for stage IB2 and IIA2 cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

Postoperative pathology was compared between patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy (NACT group) and patients who received upfront radical hysterectomy (URH group). Then, patients in the NACT group were divided into a chemotherapy-sensitive group and a chemotherapy-insensitive group according to their response to chemotherapy.

RESULTS

After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), the positive rates of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (7.9% vs 17.7%, P = 0.001) and cervical deep stromal invasion (60.4% vs 76.2%, P < 0.001) in the NACT group were significantly lower than those in the URH group, while the positive rates of parametrial invasion, lymph node metastasis, and vaginal margin invasion were not significantly different between the two groups. The rate of positive lymph node metastasis in the chemotherapy-sensitive group was significantly lower than that in the URH group (18.1% vs 26.5%, P = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

Among patients with stage IB2 and IIA2 cervical squamous cell carcinomas, NACT can reduce the positive rate of intermediate-risk factors, such as deep cervical stromal invasion and LVSI, but cannot reduce the positive rate of high-risk factors. For patients who are chemotherapy sensitive, NACT can reduce the positive rate of lymph node metastasis.

Detection of cell apoptosis in pelvic lymph nodes of patients with cervical cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate if the administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) reduces pelvic lymph node metastasis by inducing tumour cell apoptosis in patients with cervical cancer.

METHODS

This study enrolled patients with stage Ib2-IIb cervical cancer who underwent surgery with (NACT group) or without (control group) prior cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Immunohistochemical staining of caspase-3 and an in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling assay were used to measure the levels of apoptosis in primary tumours and pelvic lymph nodes.

RESULTS

A total of 185 patients participated in the study: 102 in the NACT group and 83 in the control group. Treatment was considered to be clinically effective in 69.6% (71/102) of the NACT group. The rate of metastasis in the NACT group (20.6%; 21/102) was significantly lower than the control group (42.2%; 35/83). The level of caspase-3 immunostaining and the rate of apoptosis in primary tumours and pelvic lymph nodes in the NACT group were significantly higher than in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

NACT appeared to limit pelvic node metastasis by inducing tumour cell apoptosis in patients with cervical cancer.

An update in neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cervical cancer

More than two decades have passed since neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been introduced in the clinical practice. After several pilot studies, randomized trials and meta-analysis have confirmed the validity of this therapeutic strategy and in particular of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery. Several open questions still remain unanswered and in particular no standard drug regiment is unanimously accepted. In this paper we describe how this treatment has evolved since its original introduction in the early eighties and describe possible drug regimens with their supporting evidence that can be adopted by physicians worldwide.

Role of primary surgery in advanced ovarian cancer

Background

Major issues in surgery for advanced ovarian cancer remain unresolved. Existing treatment guidelines are supported by a few published reports and fewer prospective randomized clinical trials.

Methods

We reviewed published reports on primary surgical treatment, surgical expertise, inadequate primary surgery/quality assurance, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, interval debulking, and surgical prognostic factors in advanced ovarian cancer to help resolve outstanding issues.

Results

The aim of primary surgery is a well-planned and complete intervention with optimal staging and surgery. Surgical debulking is worthwhile as there are further effective treatments available to control unresectable residual disease. Patients of gynecologic oncology specialist surgeons have better survival rates. This may reflect a working 'culture' rather than better technical skills. One major problem though, is that despite pleas to restrict surgery to experienced surgeons, specialist centers are often left to cope with the results of inadequate primary surgical resections. Patients with primary chemotherapy or those who have had suboptimal debulking may benefit from interval debulking. A proposal for a better classification of residual tumor is given.

Conclusions

Optimal surgical interventions have definite role to play in advanced ovarian cancers. Improvements in surgical treatment in the general population will probably improve patients' survival when coupled with improvements in current chemotherapeutic approaches.

Influence of surgery and postoperative therapy and tumor characteristics on patient prognosis in advanced ovarian carcinomas

OBJECTIVES

The prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer depends on clinical, morphological, biological and therapeutic variables. However, little is known about their real influences and interrelationships.

STUDY DESIGN

One hundred and nineteen long-term, follow-up patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma were analyzed. Overall survival was related to the extent of debulking surgery, response to chemotherapy and several clinicomorphological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical variables.

RESULTS

Among all variables, both radical surgery and response to chemotherapy exerted the greatest influence on patient prognosis as shown in both univariate and multifactorial analyses. Most established prognostic factors were of minor importance. Success of chemotherapy correlated with lower residual tumor volume, CA125 expression, FIGO-stage, and serous tumor type.

CONCLUSION

Prognosis and chemotherapeutic success in advanced ovarian cancer seem to be interrelated and may be influenced by the intensity of surgical interventions. This demands for greatest cytoreduction during initial surgery and correction for residual tumor volume and success of therapy in studies of prognostic factors.

The effect of platinum-based combination chemotherapy on the lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: does it decrease the incidence of lymph node involvement?

This paper aims to determine the impact of platinum-based combination chemotherapy on the lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma. From 1997 to 2000, the patients in whom we performed lymphadenectomy before (group A) or after chemotherapy (group B) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine were enrolled in this study. A total of 47 cases were included in the study. Twenty five cases had lymphadenectomy during the initial laparatomy and 22 cases during second-look procedures. Lymph node metastasis was detected in 14 (56%) patients in group A and in 10 (45.4%) cases in group B (P > 0.05). Platinum-based combination chemotherapy does not decrease significantly the incidence of involved lymph nodes in advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma.