Antonio Pellegrino

Randomised study of systematic lymphadenectomy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer macroscopically confined to the pelvis

No randomised trials have addressed the value of systematic aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy (SL) in ovarian cancer macroscopically confined to the pelvis. This study was conducted to investigate the role of SL compared with lymph nodes sampling (CONTROL) in the management of early stage ovarian cancer. A total of 268 eligible patients with macroscopically intrapelvic ovarian carcinoma were randomised to SL (N=138) or CONTROL (N=130). The primary objective was to compare the proportion of patients with retroperitoneal nodal involvement between the two groups. Median operating time was longer and more patients required blood transfusions in the SL arm than the CONTROL arm (240 vs 150u2009min, P<0.001, and 36 vs 22%, P=0.012, respectively). More patients in the SL group had positive nodes at histologic examination than patients on CONTROL (9 vs 22%, P=0.007). Postoperative chemotherapy was delivered in 66% and 51% of patients with negative nodes on CONTROL and SL, respectively (P=0.03). At a median follow-up of 87.8 months, the adjusted risks for progression (hazard ratio [HR]=0.72, 95%CI=0.46–1.21, P=0.16) and death (HR=0.85, 95%CI=0.49–1.47, P=0.56) were lower, but not statistically significant, in the SL than the CONTROL arm. Five-year progression-free survival was 71.3 and 78.3% (difference=7.0%, 95% CI=–3.4–14.3%) and 5-year overall survival was 81.3 and 84.2% (difference=2.9%, 95% CI=−7.0–9.2%) respectively for CONTROL and SL. SL detects a higher proportion of patients with metastatic lymph nodes. This trial may have lacked power to exclude clinically important effects of SL on progression free and overall survival.

Total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with Ib1 stage cervical cancer: Analysis of surgical and oncological outcome

AIMnTo evaluate safety, feasibility and oncological outcome of total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) in patients with early invasive cervical cancer.nnnMETHODSnData of patients with Ib1 cervical cancer who underwent TLRH were prospectively collected. Inclusion criteria were: good general condition, tumor size <3 cm, and no evidence of lymph node metastases in imaging study (MRI and/or CT and/or PET). Radical hysterectomy was performed with a PlasmaKinetic tissue management system. Adjuvant therapy was administered according to surgical risk factors.nnnRESULTSnBetween September 2001 and October 2007 107 patients underwent laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 6 patients. Median number of resected pelvic lymph nodes was 26. Median blood loss was 200 ml and median duration of surgery was 305 min. Minor intraoperative complications were registered in two patients, while five patients needed a second surgery for postoperative complications. Thirteen patients had microscopic nodal metastasis. A total of 24 patients received adjuvant therapy. After a median follow-up of 30 months 11 patients had a recurrence; survival rate is 95%.nnnCONCLUSIONnTotal laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, in experienced hands, has to be considerate an adequate and feasible surgical technique. Considering historical data the oncological outcome can be considered comparable to patients treated with laparotomy, as the relapse rate in our population was 11% and the overall survival good.

BRAIN METASTASES FROM CERVICAL CARCINOMA

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement by cervical carcinoma is uncommon. Out of 1,184 patients registered for invasive cervical carcinoma at our Institution between 1982 and 1994, 14 (1.18%) developed brain metastases. Median age at the time of CNS metastasis diagnosis was 52 years. Median interval between diagnosis of cervical cancer and documentation of brain involvement was 18 months. Clinical manifestation included motor weakness, headache, seizures, dizziness and visual disturbances. All lesions (8 multiple, 6 single) were contrast enhanced on computerized tomography scans and were located in the cerebrum (n=10), in the cerebellum (n=2), or in both (n=2). The CNS was the only site of detectable disease in 7 patients with recurrent disease. Eleven patients received only steroids, and 3 patients received radiotherapy. All 14 patients died, and median survival from diagnosis of brain metastases for the entire series was 4 months (range, 1-21). CNS metastases from cervical cancer are rare, and the prognosis for such patients appears poor.

Concurrent carboplatin/5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy for recurrent cervical carcinoma

BACKGROUNDnResults of salvage therapy in patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix recurrent after surgery have been dismal even when the disease was apparently confined to the pelvis. Concurrent chemoradiation is one of the several avenues being investigated to improve these results.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnThirty-five women with recurrent cervical carcinoma were enrolled in the trial. Twenty-eight patients (80%) had disease limited to the central pelvis (ten), lateral pelvis (fourteen) and vagina (four) and seven had paraortic metastases. Patients were treated with a combination of external radiotherapy (50-70 Gy) along with three cycles of 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2/24-hour continuous infusion days 1-4) and carboplatin (75 mg/m2 in bolus days 1-4).nnnRESULTSnTreatment was well tolerated, with 30 patients (86%) completing the protocol as planned. Acute toxicity was severe but manageable; 11 patients (31%) experienced grades 3-4 acute toxicity. Late morbidity occurred in five patients (14%). Overall response rate was 74% (11 partial responses and 15 complete). After a median follow-up of 27 months (range 18-90), 13 patients (37%) are alive without disease, 4 (11%) are alive with persistent disease and 18 (52%) are dead of their disease. Actuarial two-year survival rate for the series as a whole is 44% and three-year survival is 25%. Stage of the primary disease, site of recurrence, interval from the primary therapy to recurrence, lymph node involvement, ureterohydronephrosis at the time of recurrence and diameter of the relapse are the most significant factors for survival, while complete response is related to diameter and site of relapse and lymph node status at the time of relapse.nnnCONCLUSIONnThe acceptable toxicity, high response rate and satisfying survival would suggest that concomitant carboplatin/5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy is a safe and tolerable treatment for recurrent cervical carcinoma. Further studies are needed to demonstrate an eventual survival benefit of this type of chemoradiation over standard radiotherapy alone and to identify the subsets of patients who in particular might benefit from this.

Feasibility and morbidity of total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy with or without pelvic limphadenectomy in obese women with stage I endometrial cancer

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the feasibility and morbidity rates associated with total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy for stage I endometrial cancer in obese women.Patients and methodsObese patients with stage I endometrial cancer who underwent total laparoscopic radical surgery at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of San Gerardo Hospital were compared to nonobese patients. The same group of obese patients was compared with patients who underwent radical laparotomic surgery. Obesity was defined as a body mass index more than 30xa0kg/m2.ResultsBetween September 2003 and September 2007, 75 women underwent TLRH. Median age was 54xa0years and median body mass index was 28xa0kg/m2. Thirty-seven women were obese.There were no differences between nonobese and obese women in operative, time length of parametria and pelvic nodes removed and operative or late complications. Blood loss was significantly higher in obese patients.Comparing retrospectively laparoscopy and laparotomy in obese women treated in our center, laparotomy was associated with decreased operative time, but also with increased blood loss, transfusion rate, duration of hospitalization and frequency of post surgical complications.ConclusionsTotal laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (with pelvic lymphadenectomy) is a safe option in patients with endometrial cancer. Obesity is not a contraindication to perform a TRLH with no differences in surgical parameters between obese and nonobese population. TLRH show a significant decrease of complications compared to laparotomic radical surgery in obese women.

Platin-based chemotherapy and salvage surgery in recurrent ovarian cancer following negative second-look laparotomy.

AIMnTo evaluate the role of platin-based chemotherapy followed by salvage surgery in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer after negative second-look laparotomy.nnnMETHODSnA retrospective chart review was conducted on 38 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer after a pathologic complete response to first-line chemotherapy. After diagnosis of recurrence all patients underwent retreatment with platin-based chemotherapy followed by radical salvage surgery.nnnRESULTSnRecurrent disease was diagnosed at a median interval of 22 months after second-look surgery. All patients had complete surgical debulking with no macroscopic tumor at the completion of the surgical procedure. Eight patients (21%) required an intestinal resection but no colostomy was performed. Two operative deaths occurred (5%). Twenty-two patients (58%) experienced a second recurrence after salvage surgery The median survival time for all patients after diagnosis of recurrent disease was 29 months (range 6-96 months), with nine patients (25%) surviving more than three years. Survival time after diagnosis of recurrence was not significantly related either to known prognostic factors of ovarian cancer or to the length of the clinical remission time.nnnCONCLUSIONnRetreatment with platin-based chemotherapy followed by salvage surgery should be offered to recurrent ovarian cancer patients and would appear to prolong survival in a highly selected group of patients.

Harmonic scalpel versus conventional electrosurgery in the treatment of vulvar cancer

To compare differences in blood loss, operative time, and intra‐ and postoperative complications with the harmonic scalpel or conventional electrosurgery in the treatment of vulvar cancer.

Postoperative Analgesia after Laparoscopic Ovarian Cyst Resection: Double-blind Multicenter Randomized Control Trial Comparing Intraperitoneal Nebulization and Peritoneal Instillation of Ropivacaine

STUDY OBJECTIVEnTo compare the effects of local anesthetic intraperitoneal nebulization with intraperitoneal instillation during laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy on postoperative morphine consumption and pain.nnnDESIGNnMulticenter, randomized, case-control trial.nnnDESIGN CLASSIFICATIONnCanadian Task Force Classification I.nnnSETTINGnUniversity hospitals in Italy.nnnPATIENTSnOne hundred forty patients scheduled for laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy.nnnINTERVENTIONSnPatients were randomized to receive either nebulization of ropivacaine 150 mg before surgery or instillation of ropivacaine 150 mg before surgery. Nebulization was performed using the Aeroneb Pro device (Aerogen, Galway, Ireland).nnnMEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTSnOne hundred forty patients were enrolled, and 123 completed the study. There was no difference between the 2 groups in average morphine consumption (7.3 ± 7.5 mg in the nebulization group vs 9.2 ± 7.2 mg in the instillation group; p = .17). Eighty-two percent of patients in the nebulization group required morphine compared with 96% in the instillation group (p < .05). Patients receiving nebulization had a lower dynamic Numeric Ranking Scale compared with those in the instillation group in the postanesthesia care unit postanesthesia care unit and 4 hours after surgery (p < .05). Ten patients (15%) in the nebulization group experienced shivering in the postanesthesia care unit compared with 2 patients (4%) in the instillation group (p = .035).nnnCONCLUSIONnNebulization of ropivacaine prevents the use of morphine in a significant proportion of patients, reduced postoperative pain during the first hours after surgery, and was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative shivering when compared with instillation.

Robotic Shaving Technique in 25 Patients Affected by Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis of the Rectovaginal Space

Minimally invasive surgery represents the gold standard for the management of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) involving the rectovaginal septum (RVS). This analysis aimed to evaluate the feasibility of robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) and clinical outcomes in terms of long-term complications, pain relief, and recurrence rate for the treatment of DIE of the RVS. A prospective cohort study of robotic procedures was performed between October 2010 and July 2014, including removal of endometriotic nodules from the RVS with rectal shaving alone or in combination with accessory procedures. In all cases, the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) score for endometriosis was >40 points (stage IV). Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent RAL, with a successful complete nodule debulking by the wall shaving technique. Pathology confirmed the adequacy of the surgical specimen and the median largest endometriotic nodule was of 21 mm (range, 10-60 mm), with free margins in all cases. The median operative time from skin opening to closure was 174 minutes (range, 75-300 minutes), and blood loss was close to 0 mL. The median revised Enzian score for location A (RVS) was 2 (range, 1-3). The most frequent Enzian class was A2B0C0 (48%), followed by A3B0C0 (12%). In 3 cases (12%), partial vaginal resection was required to remove endometriotic nodules of the RVS (1 each in classes A3B0C1FI, A3B0C0FO, and A3B0C0). No intraoperative complications occurred. This series has a median long-term follow up of 22 months (range, 6-50 months) currently available with an optimal operative time, demonstrating good long-term outcomes. Our data support robotics as a safe and attractive alternative for comprehensive surgical treatment of DIE.

Total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in early stage cervical cancer

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the adequacy, morbidity, and survival outcome of laparoscopic type II radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with early invasive cervical cancer. Patients and Methods Between February 2003 and December 2005, 57 patients underwent total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Eligibility criteria were good general condition, tumor size <3u2009cm, no evidence of lymph node metastases in imaging study (magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography and/or positron emission tomography) and body mass index ≤35. Results TLRH was completed in 56 patients; in 1 patient, surgery was converted to laparotomy because of positive nodal status at the frozen section. Median age was 43 years and median body mass index was 21.5u2009kg/m2. The majority of patients (86%) had FIGO stage Ib1 cervical cancer, and the predominant histotype was squamous (59%). Median operating time was 310 minutes and median blood loss 200u2009mL. No patient required hemotransfusion. Median number of resected lymph nodes was 24, and 6 patients had microscopic node metastasis. Margins were positive in one patient. The only intraoperative complication was a 1-cm cystotomy repaired laparoscopically during the intervention. Four patients required a second surgery, 2 for ureteral stenosis and 2 for the reparation of vaginal cuff diastasis. After a median follow-up of 13 months, 4 patients had a relapse; all 56 patients are alive at present. Conclusions TLRH with pelvic lymphadenectomy is an adequate and feasible surgical option in treating early invasive cervical cancer; however a longer follow-up is required to evaluate the oncologic outcome of these patients.