Clinical and histopathologic factors related to prognosis in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina

The goal of this retrospective study concerning primary carcinoma of the vagina (PCV) was to analyze clinical and histopathologic prognostic factors in one of the largest known material, which comprised 314 patients. PCV is a rare disease, and the majority of published studies are based on small materials; therefore, the established knowledge concerning prognostic factors is insufficient. Routine treatment is based on irradiation with risk for undertreatment or overtreatment, which leads to unnecessary complications in the absence of prognostic factors. The overall 5-year disease-specific survival rate in this study was 45% and in stage I 75%. In the univariate statistical analysis, several factors correlated significantly with disease-specific survival. However, in the multivariate analysis, there were only three factors that independently could predict poor survival-high age at diagnosis, large tumors (> or =4 cm), and advanced stage. Common background factors with no prognostic significance were prior hysterectomy, other gynecological malignancies, and pelvic irradiation. In conclusion, this study has elucidated three strong prognostic factors that might be considered in the choice of therapy and also for modification of the FIGO guidelines. Increased knowledge concerning complementary biologic markers to discriminate between low- and high malignant tumors is however of great importance.     

Prognostic importance of the time interval from surgery to chemotherapy in treatment of ovarian carcinoma

In a large study on 1,220 patients with ovarian carcinoma in FIGO stages I-IV, the prognostic importance of the time factor for start of postoperative chemotherapy was studied together with other important factors for long-term survival. The patient series was a total geographic material of ovarian carcinoma patients treated during the years 1975-1993. All patients were followed up for 10 years or until death. The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate of the complete series was 50%. Significant and independent prognostic factors with regard to long-term cancer-specific survival were FIGO stage, histology, tumor grade, and completeness of the primary surgery. Special attention was paid to the prognostic importance of the time interval between primary surgery and the first course of chemotherapy. Patient groups with intervals shorter or longer than the median value were compared. In early-stage disease, no significant difference was noted. In advanced and bulky disease, an interval longer than the median value seemed to be beneficial compared with a shorter interval. However, after correction for other prognostic factors, the interval was not a significant factor (P = 0.647) with regard to the cancer-specific survival rate. Therefore, the time factor should not be an important argument for how to best organize the gynecologic oncology service.     

卵巢癌肠道转移64例临床分析

目的回顾性分析卵巢癌肠道转移瘤的临床特点,评价手术切除的可行性及其与预后的关系。方法64例肠道转移卵巢癌术前全面评估肠道受累程度。采用肿瘤细胞减灭术并行盆腔淋巴结清扫和腹主动脉旁淋巴结切除或/及活检术。肠道手术包括肿瘤剥除术或/及肠修补术、肠切除吻合术和结肠造口术。术后予以规律化疗,分析术后并发症及预后。结果54例直肠/乙状结肠转移(84.4%),其他部位结肠转移26例,小肠转移18例;肠浆膜层及浅肌层浸润47例,深肌层及粘膜层浸润17例;上皮性癌侵及肠粘膜者4例(7.7%),生殖细胞肿瘤无一例侵及肠粘膜;行肿瘤剥除44例,肠切除20例;直肠乙状结肠切除 吻合14例,6例行结肠造口。达到理想细胞减灭术56例(87.5%),其化疗后缓解率为58.9%,部分切除者8例化疗缓解率为12.5%;49例规则化疗者缓解率为65.3%,未完成充分化疗者为15.4%。术后并发症发生率26.6%,2例死于腹膜炎。结论肠道是卵巢癌的常见转移部位,肠道的肿瘤剥除和肠切除术是达到理想肿瘤细胞减灭术的先决条件,术后规则化疗能改善卵巢癌患者预后。     

Physiological and Psychological Effects of Delivering Medical News Using a Simulated Physician–Patient Scenario

We examined the acute stress response associated with having to deliver either bad or good medical news using a simulated physician–patient scenario. Twenty-five healthy medical students were randomly assigned to a bad medical news (BN), a good medical news (GN), or a control group that read magazines during the session. Self-report measures were obtained before and after the task. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured throughout the task period. Four blood samples were obtained across the task period. The BN and GN tasks produced significant increases in self-reported distress and cardiovascular responses compared with the control group. There was also a significant increase in natural killer cell function 10 min into the task in the BN group compared with the control group. The BN task was also somewhat more stressful than the GN task, as shown by the self-report and cardiovascular data. These findings suggest that a simulated physician–patient scenario produces an acute stress response in the physician, with the delivery of bad medical news more stressful than the delivery of good medical news.     

The influence of serum leptin concentration on bone mass assessed by quantitative ultrasonometry in pre and postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of serum leptin concentration on bone mass assessed by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in a large sample of healthy pre and postmenopausal women. DESIGN: 555 healthy pre and postmenopausal (n=261 and n=294) women (mean age, 49.5+/-17.2 years) not on hormone replacement therapy were recruited on the occasion of a routine gynecological visit. Before entry to the study, all women had answered a detailed questionnaire on important risk factors and gave written informed consent. Speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and stiffness index (SI) of the os Calcis were measured using the Achilles ultrasonometer (GE/lunar). We systematically investigated the relation of menopause, BMI and leptin on bone mass by allocating women into the following groups: (a) premenopausal women BMI<25 kg/m(2) (N=178); (b) premenopausal women BMI>25 kg/m(2) (N=83); (c) postmenopausal women BMI<25 kg/m(2) (N=125); and (d) postmenopausal women BMI>25 kg/m(2) (N=169). Additionally we investigated the relation of serum leptin concentrations, age and BMI on ultrasonometry variables by performing a multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: in the initial analyses premenopausal women showed a significantly (P<0.001) lower mean age, weight, BMI, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and leptin concentration, a higher mean height, serum estradiol and ultrasonometry variables in comparison to postmenopausal women. Irrespective of the menopausal status, women with a BMI>25 kg/m(2) had significantly higher leptin concentrations (P<0.001) and BUA (P<0.05) whereas SOS and SI was not significant different, compared to women with a BMI<25 kg/m(2). The multiple linear regression analyses showed that only BMI but not Leptin was related to higher ultrasonometry variables, whereas increasing age was associated with a decrease in ultrasonometry variables. Furthermore, the multiple linear regression analyses confirmed that age and BMI were the only statistically significant independent predictor for ultrasonometry variables. There was no significant influence of leptin on ultrasonometry variables even after controlling for BMI or age, or BMI and age. CONCLUSIONS: serum leptin concentrations are significantly higher in pre and postmenopausal obese women, compared with normal weight controls. Ultrasonometry variables are influenced by age and BMI but not by serum leptin concentrations.     

A Properly Balanced Reduction Diet and/or Supplementation Solve the Problem with the Deficiency of These Vitamins Soluble in Water in Patients with PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an increasingly common problem for women in the reproductive age throughout the entire world. A reduction diet with a low glycaemic index (GI) has proved to support the treatment of PCOS. The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of the diet on the level of vitamins soluble in water. The study included 55 women, 40 of which suffered from PCOS (identified by means of the Rotterdam Criteria) and 15 healthy women of the Caucasian race. The level of vitamins before and after the dietary intervention was measured. The diet was a reduction diet with a reduced glycaemic index (GI). Biochemical analyses were made on the basis of liquid chromatography—Infinity 1260 Binary liquid chromatography (LC) Agilent Technology. The level of vitamins in the serum was analysed together with the consumption before and after the dietary intervention. A higher level of vitamin C in the plasma was observed before and after the dietary intervention in the PCOS group in comparison to the control group despite the lower intake of this vitamin in the PCOS group. The remaining vitamins were at a comparable or lower level (B1, B3, B5, B6 and B12). After the dietary intervention, only B1 and B9 were at a clearly lower level (a trend of p = 0.093 and p = 0.085). A properly balanced reduction diet with reduced GI improves the supply of vitamins in women with PCOS. An additional recommendation should be the additional supplementation of B1, niacinamide and the combination of folates with inositol. The level of vitamin C in the plasma may not be a good marker of its supply in the PCOS group.     

吲哚菁绿荧光成像技术在宫颈癌根治术中的应用进展

宫颈癌是我国女性最常见的生殖系统恶性肿瘤,根治性手术是早期宫颈癌的主要治疗方式,但手术范围大,技术难度高,术后可能出现的并发症多。吲哚菁绿（indocyanine green,ICG）荧光成像技术在外科手术中的应用已十分广泛,并有越来越多的研究表明其在宫颈癌根治术中也展现出巨大的应用前景,在示踪前哨淋巴结、识别盆腔神经、评估子宫血流灌注和保护输尿管等方面发挥着积极作用。这不仅提高了术中肿瘤切除的准确性,还能实现重要解剖结构的可视化,进一步减少术后并发症、改善预后,使患者获益。但目前ICG荧光成像技术在宫颈癌手术治疗中的应用尚处于初步阶段,仍需进一步扩大样本去验证其安全性及有效性。