[Left colon necrosis after endoscopic para-aortic lymph node exploration in a cervical carcinoma stage IIB]

Authors report a left colon ischemia six days after laparoscopic para-aortic lymphadenectomy in the staging of advanced cervical carcinoma. Before surgery, positron emission tomography scanning was performed: there were no para-aortic nodal metastasis. The histologic examination confirmed the radiological staging. Positron emission tomography scanning could avoid surgery in the case of patients with high risks morbidity factors.

[Present and potential uses of mifepristone in gynecology, obstetrics and other medical specialties]

Mifepristone, a derivative of norethindrone, a first generation synthetic progestative, has a very potent antiprogestative activity and to a lesser degree antiandrogenic and antiglucocorticoid activities. This action makes it potentially useful in the treatment of multiple hormone dependent diseases in obstetrics-gynecology as well as in a variety of medical specialties such as neurology, ophthalmology, and oncology. Nevertheless, the label of abortive pill has incited numerous ethical and political debates concerning the permission to market this drug, and this has contributed to the delay in the assessment of the potential indications of mifepristone. Largely under-utilized in practice despite its increasing theoretical benefit, clinical studies should now de conducted. Thus, based on an international review of literature during the last ten years, we have shed light on the present and potential indications of mifepristone in medical practice.

Non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma revealed by an ovarian tumor

BACKGROUND

The initial manifestation of a lymphoma as an ovarian mass is unusual, with a reportedly poor prognosis. An exploratory laparotomy is often performed as the ovarian tumor can mimic an advanced epithelial carcinoma. The criteria of lymphoma used in the selection of a nonsurgical approach, that is, chemotherapy possibly associated with radiation, are rarely defined.

CASE

We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with an ovarian tumor suggestive of advanced carcinoma. After an initial approach including optimal surgery, the diagnosis of large B-cell CD30+ non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma was established. Complete remission was obtained after a chemotherapy regimen, appropriate to the specific histologic type of the lymphoma.

CONCLUSION

The choice treatment of ovarian non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is chemotherapy. In the presence of an ovarian tumor, the possibility of ovarian NHL must be considered, and its clinical, biological, and/or radiological signs must be actively sought. Controlled biopsies must also be included to avoid mutilating surgery.

[Interest in intestinal resection for treatment of advanced ovarian cancer]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Digestive surgery is often necessary for surgical management of advanced ovarian carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a series of 62 patients with stage III ovarian carcinoma, postoperative morbidity and mortality, overall survival after 5 years and disease-free survival after 2 years were studied and corelated with several patients criteria (age, stage of the disease, residual disease, type of surgery, CA125 normalisation delay, postoperative complications and hospital stay). Patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical treatment. The first group (n = 17) included patients treated by gynecologic and digestive surgery, the second group (n = 45) included patients treated by gynecologic surgery only. All patients were proposed for chemotherapy included platyn salt. Mean age was 60 years (range: 20-83). The stage of the cancer was stage IIIa in 7 cases, stage IIIb in ten and stage IIIc in 45.

RESULTS

Postoperative mortality was 3.5% (2/62). Postoperative morbidity was 26% (13/62). No statistical differences were noted for hospital stay, general morbidity, surgical morbidity when a gastric resection or a colon resections or a splenectomy were performed. Overall survival at 5 years was 56%. Residual disease less than 2 cm3 is the only prognostic factor for overall survival (56% vs 23% [P = 0.03]) and disease-free survival (86% vs 46% [P = 0.02]).

CONCLUSION

This study including 62 patients confirmed the prognostic significance of extensive cytoreductive surgery for treatment in advanced ovarian epithelial cancer without increasing the postoperative morbidy and mortality.

Treatment strategy for pelvic actinomycosis: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Pelvic actinomycosis is a chronic granulomatous suppurative disease caused by an anaerobic Gram positive organism Actinomyces israelii usually associated with intra-uterine devices. Pelvic actinomycosis can mimick pelvic or intra-abdominal malignancy leading to mutilating surgical exeresis.

RESULTS

We present a pelvic actinomycosis secondary to long-standing intra-uterine device use in a 50-year old European woman treated by intravenous antibiotic therapy, and then by a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingoophorectomy to free the pelvis from abscess. We point out the difficulty in diagnosis, and the importance of high-dose intravenous antibiotic therapy to reduce the very high risk for nearby pelvic structure injuries, reported in the literature, leading to post-operative morbidity.

Prognostic factors in ovarian carcinoma in complete histologic remission at second-look surgery

Prognosis of ovarian carcinoma in complete histologic remission (CHR) at second-look surgery is still controversial. In a series of 83 patients in CHR we studied retrospectively several prognostic factors (age, stage, histologic grade, histologic type, initial residual disease after surgery, CA 125 normalization period) to determine which patients present a high risk of relapsing after CHR and could be included in therapeutic protocols for consolidation treatment. Univariate analysis showed that the combination of CA 125 normalization < 8 weeks with absence of macroscopic tumoral residue after initial surgery permits the definition of a group with a very good prognosis, while for patients with CA 125 normalization period > 8 weeks and an initial macroscopic residual tumor, the prognosis is relatively poor (progression-free survival 100% vs. 47%, at 2 years P < 0.05). Using the Cox multivariate analysis, only the initial tumoral residue is of prognostic significance for progression-free survival; there is no prognostic significance for overall survival. The therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer may be improved for patients in CHR after second-look surgery by determining those at high risk, making it possible to confine consolidation treatment trials to such a group.