Jerzy Korczyński

Long-term survival of endometrioid endometrial cancer patients

Introduction To establish risk factors for onset and progression of endometrioid endometrial cancer still remains the aim of scientists. The aim of the study was to determine disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in women with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Material and methods A retrospective review of 142 patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer after surgery treated with adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy in the Regional Cancer Centre in Lodz between 2002 and 2004 was performed. Clinical and pathological data were correlated with clinical outcome and survival. Results In 3 patients (2.1%) clinical progression was diagnosed during the treatment. In 23 patients (16.7%) after primary remission, relapse was diagnosed 2-56 months after treatment. DFS and OS were 81.7% and 83.1% respectively. Better DFS significantly correlated with larger number of pregnancies (> 1), stage I of the disease and optimal surgery. Lower stage of disease, pelvic lymph node dissection, optimal surgery and depth of myometrial infiltration ≤ 50% were independent prognostic factors for better OS. Conclusions The results of our study provided significant evidence that early detection of endometrioid endometrial cancer enables optimal surgery. It reduces the indications for adjuvant therapy in stage I of the disease, and makes the prognosis significantly better. Other clinical and pathological factors such as numerous pregnancies, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and depth of myometrial infiltration, although important, are of less significance. Further prospective, randomized studies are necessary to prove the role of these factors.

Comparison of FIGO 1989 and 2009 recommendations on staging of endometrial carcinoma: pathologic analysis and cervical status in 123 consecutive cases.

Incidences of endometrial carcinoma (EC) among women of Western countries is increasing, reaching a level of 18/100,000. In 2009, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) proposed a new staging system in EC. The purpose of this study included the evaluation of distribution of EC in categories of age, histologic grade, and surgical staging according to the 1989 and the 2009 FIGO guidelines. The original staging assessments have been updated to reflect the current staging system in 123 consecutive patients. Statistical analysis was carried out. The median age of patients was 61 years. A comparison of old and new staging systems shows that a significant number of patients moved to stage I: 78.05%, versus 56.91% based on the 1989 classification (P=0.044). The number of patients in stage II changed as well: 9.76% according to new staging system and 30.89% by definitions of FIGO 1989 (P=0.001). Of patients in stage II, 21.1% had G1 tumors according to the old versus 8.3% by the new classification (P=0.001). We have not identified any associations between the histologic status of a cervix and EC. The most common type of EC is the endometrioid subtype, found in 87.8% of patients. We have noted a significant association between the tumor grade and cervical stromal infiltration. The new classification system for EC seems to be an improved staging instrument. Having up to 80% of patients with endometrial cancer in stage I and following them, might elucidate the impact of current staging on survival and life quality.

Primary uterine rhabdomyosarcoma in a patient with a history of breast cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor

We describe a unique case of a 67‐year‐old patient with primary uterine rhabdomyosarcoma with a history of breast cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach. Uterine rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed in our patient during adjuvant treatment of breast cancer with anastrozole. To the best of our knowledge, the development of primary uterine rhabdomyosarcoma has never been described in patients treated with anastrozole. Due to the suggested causative role of tamoxifen in the development of uterine sarcomas, it is interesting to analyze whether the new drug, anastrozole, exerts any pathogenic effect on the development of uterine sarocomas.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix in a 24-year-old woman. Case report and review of the literature.

Carcinoma of the uterine cervix is the most common gynecologic malignant neoplasm all over the world [1, 2], but the second one in Poland after carcinoma of the endometrium [3]. In 2009 in Poland the number of its new cases was 3102, and the age-adjusted incidence rate was 10.2 per 100 000 women. In the age group 20-24 year the age-adjusted incidence rate of the cervical cancer was 0.4 per 100 000, and there were 6 new cases noted in Poland. It constituted 1.86% of the cancer incidence rate of all localizations in this age group in Poland [3]. The most common histological type of malignant cervical neoplasms is squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinomas account only for approximately 15% of malignant cervical tumors [1, 2, 4, 5]. The screening based on exfoliative cytology introduced in the 1950s by Papanicolau, followed by colposcopy in appropriate patients, is an effective method for identifying squamous intraepithelial lesions [1, 2].