Incidence and prognostic significance of inguinal lymph node metastasis in women with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer

Neglected Anatomical Areas in Ovarian Cancer: Significance for Optimal Debulking Surgery

Ovarian cancer (OC), the most lethal gynecological malignancy, usually presents in advanced stages. Characterized by peritoneal and lymphatic dissemination, OC necessitates a complex surgical approach usually involving the upper abdomen with the aim of achieving optimal cytoreduction without visible macroscopic disease (R0). Failures in optimal cytoreduction, essential for prognosis, often stem from overlooking anatomical neglected sites that harbor residual tumor. Concealed OC metastases may be found in anatomical locations such as the omental bursa; Morison's pouch; the base of the round ligament and hepatic bridge; the splenic hilum; and suprarenal, retrocrural, cardiophrenic and inguinal lymph nodes. Hence, mastery of anatomy is crucial, given the necessity for maneuvers like liver mobilization, diaphragmatic peritonectomy and splenectomy, as well as dissection of suprarenal, celiac, and cardiophrenic lymph nodes in most cases. This article provides a meticulous anatomical description of neglected anatomical areas during OC surgery and describes surgical steps essential for the dissection of these "neglected" areas. This knowledge should equip clinicians with the tools needed for safe and complete cytoreduction in OC patients.

Synchronous ovarian and Bartholin gland carcinoma: Case report and review of literature

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of synchronous ovarian and vulva (Bartholin gland) cancer. A postmenopausal woman presented with a complex multiloculated left adnexal mass and 2-cm right Bartholin gland mass. CA 125 was 59 IU/mL. Computed tomography of chest, abdomen, and pelvis showed a very large (32 × 13.5 × 22.5 cm) complex mass arising from the pelvis and extending to the level of the T12/L1 disk space. A right Bartholin mass with suspicious right inguinal nodes was seen. Midline laparotomy, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy, infracolic omentectomy, pelvic peritoneal biopsies, and peritoneal washings were carried out. Wide local excision of the right Bartholin gland mass was carried out in the same setting. Histopathology came back as Stage 2B left ovarian clear-cell carcinoma and synchronous right Bartholin gland adenoid cystic carcinoma with lymphovascular invasion, incompletely excised, staged at least FIGO Stage 1B. Following local multidisciplinary team discussion and positron emission tomography scan review, the local committee agreed to start three cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy then proceed with Bartholin gland scar re-excision and bilateral groin lymph node dissection. After the three cycles, the groin lymph nodes came back as metastatic adenocarcinoma with overall morphologic and immunohistochemical features consistent with metastatic ovarian clear-cell carcinoma. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was given. Initial follow-up period over 9 months was uneventful.

The distribution pattern of pelvic lymph nodal metastases in cervical cancer

PURPOSE

Depiction of pelvic lymph node metastasis (LNM) sites among patients with cervical cancer facilitates accurate determination of the extent of dissection and radiotherapy regimens.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 1182 cervical cancer patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection between 2008 and 2018 was performed. The number of removed pelvic lymph nodes and metastasis status in different anatomical regions was analyzed. The prognostic difference of patients with lymph node involvement stratified by various factors was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

The median number of pelvic lymph nodes detected was 22, mainly from obturator (29.54%) and inguinal (21.14%) sites. Metastatic pelvic lymph nodes were found in 192 patients, with obturator accounting for the highest percentage (42.86%). The patients with lymph node involvement in single site had better prognosis that those in multiple sites. The overall- (P = 0.021) (OS) and progression-free (P < 0.001) survival (PFS) curves of patients with inguinal lymph node metastases were worse compared to those with obturator site. There was no difference in the OS and PFS among patients with 2 and more than 2 lymph nodes involvement.

CONCLUSION

An explicit map of LNM in patients with cervical cancer was presented in this study. Obturator lymph nodes tended to be involved. The prognosis of patients with inguinal lymph node involvement was poor in contrast to that with obturator LNM. In patients with inguinal lymph node metastases, clinical staging needs to be reconsidered and extended radiotherapy to the inguinal region needs to be strengthened.