Gynecologic Cancers

SAN DIEGO-Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) does not increase the risk of recurrence in patients who have had endometrial cancer and should not be categorically ruled out in these women, according to research presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO).

SAN DIEGO-Black women with cancer have generally worse outcomes than white cancer patients, and some cancer experts suspect underlying differ-ences in cancer susceptibility or progression. US military medical researchers suggest that, at least for cervical cancer, they are looking in the wrong place.

At the recent annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO), researchers announced findings suggesting that the putative tumor-suppressor gene-the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene-may be central to the development of

Research presented recently at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) annual meeting found that survival rates of African-American women with advanced-stage endometrial cancers are significantly worse than those of Caucasian women.

Although endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy diagnosed in US women, it has not received the same attention from health care professionals and the lay public as has its more lethal counterpart in the female gonad-epithelial ovarian cancer.

Cervical cancer has a high incidence and is a rapidly progressive illness among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women. This cancer has received increasing attention since 1993 following its addition to the list of AIDS-defining illnesses monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[1] With increased heterosexual transmission of HIV and frequent co-infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV),[1] invasive cervical cancers will appear more often among HIV-infected women.

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States. Most cases are diagnosed at an early stage. However, the outcome for women diagnosed with advanced-stage disease remains poor. The etiology of most endometrial carcinomas stems from the effects of excess estrogen, whether this comes from exogenous or endogenous sources. Differences in epidemiology and presentation suggest the existence of two forms of endometrial cancer: those related to and those unrelated to hormonal stimulation. Most women with endometrial cancer present with abnormal uterine bleeding; endometrial sampling is essential to exclude endometrial carcinoma in such patients. Endometrial cancer is surgically staged, and staging usually includes a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Lymphadenectomy also should be performed in selective cases to better assess disease spread and to evaluate the need for adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant treatment may include the use of radiation, progestins, or cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Several clinical trials are underway to compare these treatment modalities, as well as to determine the optimal combination of active chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin, platinum agents, and paclitaxel (Taxol). [ONCOLOGY 13(12):1665-1675, 1999]

We commend Chen et al for their comprehensive review of the evaluation and treatment of endometrial cancer. As the authors state, endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States. Fortunately, it is also one of the most curable. The majority of women with endometrial cancer are treated by surgery alone; primary radiation therapy is generally reserved for patients with unacceptable risks of surgical morbidity. In this commentary, we will address several areas of current controversy.

Endometrial cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer in women worldwide, with approximately 150,000 cases diagnosed each year, and is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in the United States. Dr. Chen and colleagues provide an excellent review of current clinical investigations focusing on the evaluation and treatment of this carcinoma.

The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, along with the American Hospital Association, has declared September 1999 the first annual Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, 82,000 women in the United States (ie, 1 in every 25 women) are

Standard radiation therapy for patients with latestage cervical cancer (stage IIIB) should be adjusted so that each patient receives moderate doses of external-beam radiation therapy plus radioactive implants, according to a study led by Dr. Mark

SAN FRANCISCO-A single-visit cervical cancer screening program conducted before and after church services may help extend the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment to underserved populations, according to research presented at the 30th annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

Laparoscopy dates back to 1901 when Kelling inspected a dog’s abdominal cavity with a cystoscope introduced transcutaneously. This technique was subsequently applied to humans in 1923.[1] Jacobaeus, in 1910, developed instruments

Dr. Chi very nicely reviews the history of operative laparoscopy in gynecologic oncology and covers most of the applications currently considered to be useful.

Minimally invasive surgery is simply the use of small incisions with specialized equipment to accomplish surgical objectives that would otherwise be completed through larger incisions with conventional equipment. A priority of gyne-cologic oncologists

One of the cornerstones of gynecologic cancer surgery is the assessment and removal of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Numerous reports have demonstrated that, when performed by highly skilled individuals, laparoscopic

SAN FRANCISCO-A major intergroup phase III study reported at the 30th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists has shown that adding chemotherapy to radiation therapy improves the overall survival rate for women with high-risk early-stage cervical cancer. William A. Peters III, MD, of the Puget Sound Oncology Consortium, Seattle, reported the results on behalf of researchers from the Southwest Oncology Group, Gynecologic Oncology Group, and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recommended that oncologists use a combination of chemotherapy and radiation instead of radiation alone to treat invasive cervical cancer.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently sent a clinical announcement to thousands of physicians stating that strong consideration should be given to adding chemotherapy to radiation therapy in the treatment of invasive cervical cancer.

NetMed, Inc., a developer and marketer of medical and health-related technologies, announced the commencement of a multicenter US clinical trial of the PAPNET cervical cancer detection system as a primary screening test for Pap smears. The

Several studies have evaluated the use of irinotecan (CPT-11 [Camptosar]), a topoisomerase inhibitor, in the treatment of refractory or recurrent cervical cancer. Various schedules have been used. Response rates have

Endometrial cancer is the most common type of female genital cancer in the United States, with an estimated 32,000 new cases and 5,600 deaths per year. During the first half of the 20th century, the incidence of cervical cancer was greater than

Invasive cancer of the uterine cervix is either the leading or second leading cause of death from cancer among women worldwide and is the leading cause of death from cancer among women in developing countries. In some developing

The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) have

Naturally occurring variants in human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) may put infected women at differing levels of risk for

BETHESDA, Md--A review of 10 years' experience with HIV-infected patients treated at University Hospital, Newark, NJ, revealed significantly elevated levels of several types of cancers, but a surprising dearth of invasive cervical cancers, which prompted the study's lead author to suggest dropping cervical cancer from the list of AIDS-associated malignancies.

Carcinoma of the cervix is one of the most common malignancies in women, accounting for 15,700 new cases and 4,900 deaths in the United States each year. Worldwide, cervical cancer is second only to breast cancer as the most common

VIENNA--A new study from the EORTC Gynecologic Cancer Cooperative Group (GCCG) has challenged the assumption that aggressive combination chemotherapy is worthwhile in chemotherapy-naïve women with metastatic squamous cell cancer of the cervix.

A total of 18 studies have been published concerning the possible relationship of tamoxifen to endometrial

For women diagnosed with stage I cervical cancer during pregnancy who are torn between the desire to maintain a healthy pregnancy and the need for cancer treatment, a recent study offers hope that both desires can be achieved. The study,