Gynecologic Oncology

The use of APTIMA human papillomavirus (AHPV) assay for the detection of high-risk human papillomavirus E6/E7 oncogenic messenger RNA is an effective triage method for colposcopy referral in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance cytology (ASC-US).

From ASRM’s removal of the ‘experimental’ label from the procedure of oocyte cryopreservation, to discoveries into the complex genetic processes involved in ovarian cancer, 2012 was another important year in ob/gyn research. Here, the leaders of seven major ob/gyn societies reflect on the most exciting research of the last year.

Some may argue that the new ACOG, ACS and other cervical cancer screening guidelines will detect the majority of at-risk women. We should not be content with settling for identifying a majority of at risk women; rather, we should constantly reassess the availability of useful tests to see if we can improve reliability.

Nurse-delivered interventions that combined psychoeducation with supportive attention may help improve mood in patients in whom cancer has been newly diagnosed.

Using sophisticated gene sequencing methods, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have demonstrated a regulatory link between stem cell factors that fuel the growth of ovarian cancer and the prognosis of patients, according to a new report.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination may be beneficial for women with HIV infection even after previous exposure to HPV, according to the findings of a new study.

The effects of exercise during and after cancer treatment are different, according to the findings of a new systematic review. Researchers concluded that exercise has a palliative effect in patients during cancer treatment and a recuperative effect after treatment.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is an effective tool in the treatment of early-stage endometrial cancer in certain patients, according to the results of a small study presented at the International Gynecological Cancer Society’s 14th biennial meeting.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a reasonable alternative to primary debulking surgery in women with stage IIIc/IV ovarian cancer, according to new intervention review.

A review comparing laparoscopic hysterectomy versus abdominal hysterectomy for early-stage endometrial cancer has found that rates of overall survival and disease-free survival are similar for the surgical procedures.

Researchers in France have developed a nomogram based on pathological hysterectomy characteristics to predict lymph node metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer.

In patients with heavily pretreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, combination treatment with lapatinib and trastuzumab was associated with a median survival benefit of 4.5 months, according to the final results of a phase III study.

Postoperative use of a neoprene abdominal-pelvic binder significantly increases ambulatory events in the first 24 hours after surgery and may be of benefit particularly in a high-risk gynecological oncology surgical population, according to a study presented the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Annual Clinical Meeting.

Laparoscopy has short-term advantages and seemingly equivalent long-term outcomes as compared with laparotomy for endometrial cancer according to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Emerging information on the link between ovarian cancer and endometriosis gives us an unprecedented opportunity to develop comprehensive screening plans for early detection and prevention of specific types of ovarian cancer.

Human papillomavirus vaccines provide still some benefit to women who have undergone treatment for HPV-related diseases, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.

New screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer are now largely based on the patient’s age, and testing for HPV DNA has now been incorporated into the screening process.

New screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer are now largely based on the patient’s age and, for the first time, testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been incorporated into the screening process.

Laparoscopic staging of uterine cancer is associated with only a small increased risk of recurrence, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Your patient just received devastating news: she has cancer. As treatment options and anxieties swirl, more and more women are now faced with another issue: how will the cancer and its treatment impact their fertility?

Two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine point to the importance of using bevacizumab in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the vascular endothelial growth factor, has shown single-agent activity in women with recurrent tumors.

With its implications of sexual transmission and potential cervical cancer, a diagnosis of genital warts can be emotionally distressing to patients. Because no single treatment serves every patient, the best approach to selecting a therapeutic option considers the extent of the disease, wart location, and the patient's individual needs.

Who should have a Pap Smear?Any woman who is sexually active or is at least 18 years old should have a Pap smear. Cervical cancer is most commonly caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).

As the use of assisted reproductive technologies has increased, so, too, has the concern over its effects on the female reproductive system. Specifically, the increased gonadotrophin levels in ovarian cancer pathogenesis coupled with the multiple ovarian punctures and repeated ovarian stimulation associated with in vitro fertilization have raised concerns that IVF may increase the risk of ovarian malignancies.

A 35 year old patient presents with a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) Pap smear. There is an unsatisfactory colposcopy; the transformation zone was not sampled. The biopsy shows slight atypia. What’s your next move?

PCOS is a metabolic disorder that affects 5 – 7.5% of all women. It is the number one cause of infertility and if left untreated, can increase risk of endometrial cancer. In addition, women with PCOS are at a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes.

My husband Bryan and I have been married 10 years. We tried for the first 3 years of our marriage to get pregnant to no avail. Three months after we were married we found out that I had pre-cervical cancer and had laser surgery to get rid of the bad cells.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a new committee opinion urging clinicians to treat all patients presenting with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). The opinion is a result of an increasing incidence of VIN, particularly among US women in their 40s. The full opinion was published in the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Now open for public comment, the US Preventive Task Force (USPTF) has drafted a recommendation statement that updates their 2003 recommendations for screening for cervical cancer. Based on research examining benefits and risks associated with screening across various groups of women, the new draft recommendations note which women most benefit from cervical cancer screening.

Reassuring news for clinicians treating pregnant patients with cancer: chemotherapy does not appear to cause developmental problems in offspring. Dr Frederic Amant, assistant professor, staff gynecologic oncologist, and head of the scientific section of gynecologic oncology at Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven, Belgium, presented these findings at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress.