[A critical assessment of morcellation in case of uterine malignancies and its impact on gynecologic surgery: From "precautionary principle" to "realism"]

Return to Work, Fatigue and Cancer Rehabilitation after Curative Radiotherapy and Radiochemotherapy for Pelvic Gynecologic Cancer

Simple Summary

Rehabilitation from cancer treatment and therapy-induced toxicity requires individualized and specialized expertise. Beyond the resolution of treatment-related morbidity, socio-economic and psychological factors must be considered, and lifestyle or household characteristics can have a notable impact on the gradual return to normality and return-to-work rates following cancer therapy. A better identification of patients at a higher risk of prolonged impairment, and a more in-depth understanding of the impacts of treatment is needed to optimize post-therapy recovery. We aim to add to a limited body of literature exploring the posttreatment rehabilitative factors for women following curative radiotherapy for primary gynecologic malignancies. Herein we observed therapy-induced pain and fatigue were significantly more likely to interfere with return-to-work rates. Social support services and post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation programs were helpful in keeping patients connected to their professional lives. Mental issues and the development of depression during follow-up remains an issue particularly for younger patients.

Abstract

Pain, fatigue, and depression are a common cluster of symptoms among cancer patients that impair quality of life and daily activities. We aimed to evaluate the burden of cancer rehabilitation and return-to-work (RTW) rates. Tumor characteristics, lifestyle and household details, treatment data, the use of in-house social services and post-treatment inpatient rehabilitation, and RTW were assessed for 424 women, diagnosed with cervical, uterine, or vaginal/vulvar cancer, receiving curative radio(chemo)therapy. Progression-free RTW rate at 3 months was 32.3%, and increased to 58.1% and 63.2% at 12 and 18 months, respectively. Patients with advanced FIGO stages and intensified treatments significantly suffered more from acute pain and fatigue. A higher Charlson-Comorbidity-Index reliably predicted patients associated with a higher risk of acute fatigue during RT. Aside from the presence of children, no other household or lifestyle factor was correlated with increased fatigue rates. Women aged ≤ 45 years had a significantly higher risk of developing depression requiring treatment during follow-up. Post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation, including exercise and nutrition counseling, significantly relieved fatigue symptoms. The burdens for recovery from cancer therapy remain multi-factorial. Special focus needs to be placed on identifying high-risk groups experiencing fatigue or pain. Specialized post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation can improve RTW rates.

Frequency of uterine sarcomas in patients admitted for uterine fibroid surgery

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the frequency of unsuspected uterine sarcoma identified postoperatively in women undergoing surgery for presumed benign uterine fibroids at a single university hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center study; the records of all 2275 patients with uterine fibroids and uterine sarcomas from 2003 to 2015 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics. To calculate confidence intervals (CIs), the Clopper-Pearson Exact method was applied.

RESULTS

Preoperatively, 2269 patients had presumed benign uterine fibroids, and six patients had suspected uterine sarcoma. Among the 2269 patients who underwent surgery for presumed uterine fibroids, endometrial stromal sarcoma was histopathologically revealed in only one patient [0.044%, 95% CI: (0.001-0.25)] after laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy with morcellation. All six patients who were preoperatively diagnosed having uterine sarcoma underwent direct conventional cancer treatment. Histopathologic analyses confirmed four cases of uterine leiomyosarcoma, one high-grade undifferentiated uterine sarcoma, and one embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Altogether, seven women were diagnosed as having uterine sarcomas over this twelve-year period.

CONCLUSION

In our institution, the frequency of unsuspected uterine sarcomas was 1/2269 (0.044%) among women who underwent myomectomies and hysterectomies to treat presumed benign uterine fibroids.

Laparoscopic surgery on broken points for uterine sarcoma in the early stage decrease prognosis

Uterine sarcoma, a rare solid tumor in uterus, is difficult to identify in the early stage from some benign uterine tumors, such as uterine fibroids. Hence, uterine sarcoma may be treated in the same way as uterine fibroids; and this may not be found until pathological diagnosis. Consequently, this can lead to tumor’s abdominal spread, planting and local invasive growth, resulting in an early uterine sarcoma, an increased relapse rate after surgery and a decreased survival. Therefore, it’s important to avoid these unintended and iatrogenic complications through an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate surgical approach. The surgical staging and a complete resection of the tumor are both important for patients’ prognosis. In this review, we will discuss the laparoscopic surgery for uterine sarcoma in the early stage and patients’ prognosis.

[Current controversies regarding power morcellation and future directions]

Modern surgery tends to the improvement of minimally invasive strategies. Laparoscopy, rooted in practices for years, supplanted laparotomy in many directions. Regarding the extraction of large uterus, morcellation is currently the only way to externalize surgical specimens (myomas, uterine), without increasing the skin opening while allowing to reduce postoperative complications compared to laparotomy. However, in 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discourages the use of uterine morcellation because of oncological risk. This recommendation has been challenged by a part of the profession. Our review has sought to identify the evidence for and against the use of morcellation. We also tried to quantify surgical risk and the current means of prevention. The incidence of uterine sarcomas is still poorly identified and preoperative diagnostic facilities remain inadequate. The small number of retrospective studies currently available could not enable any recommendation. The evaluation of morcellation devices and the improvement of preoperative diagnosis modalities (imaging, preoperative biopsy) are to continue to minimize the oncological risk.