Efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in female reproductive system in the world,and the choice of its treatment is very important for the survival rate and prognosis of patients.Traditional open surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer,but it has the disadvantages of big trauma and slow recovery.With the continuous development of minimally invasive technology,minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia has been gradually applied to the treatment of ovarian cancer because of its advantages of less trauma and quick recovery.However,the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in the treatment of ovarian cancer are still controversial.AIM To explore the efficacy and safety of general anesthesia minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of ovarian cancer.METHODS The clinical data of 90 patients with early ovarian cancer in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.According to the different surgical treatment methods,patients were divided into study group and control group(45 cases in each group).The study group received minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer,while the control group received traditional open surgery for ovarian cancer.The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire(EORTC QLQ-C30),clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were compared.RESULTS The intraoperative blood loss,length of hospital stay,postoperative gas evacuation time,and postoperative EORTC QLQ-C30 score of the study group were significantly better than those of the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The two groups had no significant differences in the preoperative adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),androstenedione(AD),cortisol(Cor),cluster of differentiation 3 positive(CD3+),and cluster of differentiation 4 positive(CD4+)indexes(P>0.05).In contrast,postoperatively,the study group's ACTH,AD,and Cor indexes were lower,and the CD3+and CD4+indexes were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in patients with early ovarian cancer can significantly improve the efficacy and safety,improve the short-term prognosis and quality of life of patients,and is worth popularizing.

Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasms

Primary appendiceal neoplasms represent a relatively low percentage of all gastrointestinal cancers. A subset of these neoplasms, those of epithelial origin, are characterised by the production of a considerable amount of mucus, which is referred to as appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (AMN). Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (AMN) have a low incidence, are easily misdiagnosed, depend on postoperative examination for confirmation of the diagnosis, are prone to form a “diagnosis”, and have a high incidence of the disease. Furthermore, they are prone to form peritoneal pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), are controversial in surgical decision-making, are prone to recurring after surgery alone, and are tricky to manage clinically. In this paper, we review the pathological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of appendiceal mucinous tumours in the light of recent literature reports, with a view to providing certain references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease. .

Is There Re-staging Surgery Necessity for Borderline Ovarian Tumors

Objective:This study assessed the necessity of surgical re-staging in women with borderline ovarian tumors(BOTs)and evaluated the impact of complete surgical staging,lymphadenectomy,and omentectomy on disease recurrence and survival.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with BOTs.A total of 901 patients were eligible for inclusion in the study,and we evaluated some of the variables and clinical/surgical characteristics of the cases.The effects of the type of surgical procedure,surgical staging,and complete or incomplete staging on recurrence were calculated.The rates of disease-free survival,overall survival,and recurrence were compared according to complete surgical staging.A Cox regression analysis was performed to identify potential prognostic factors,and survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:The overall recurrence rate was 13.9%,and recurrence was comparable between the complete surgical staging group and the incomplete groups(P>0.05).The performance of complete surgical staging did not show an effect on long-term survival,and complete surgical staging,omentectomy,and lymphadenectomy had no effect on recurrence.In multivariate analyses,only radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy were risk factors for the recurrence of BOTs.Furthermore,we found that omentectomy led to a relatively low recurrence rate in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)stage>Ⅰ(P=0.022).Conclusion:Our results suggest that complete surgical staging should be considered a standard treatment for patients with advanced stage BOTs but not for those at FIGO stageⅠ.It might be safe to reduce the scope of surgical procedures in patients with early-stage BOTs.However,it is not necessary to perform re-staging operations for BOTs with a macroscopically normal extra-ovarian appearance.

Accuracy of Intraoperative Frozen Section in the Diagnosis of Ovarian Neoplasms

Objective: The aim of the work is to evaluate the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms in Zagazig University. Design: A prospective cross sectional cohort study. Method: This study was performed between March 2011 and March 2012, on 50 patients presented with ovarian mass. Gross examination of the tumor removed was done by inspection and palpation. The specimen was then cut with a sharp knife into two halves. The most appropriate area thought to be representative of lesion was chosen. The number of sections frozen was depended on the type and size of the tumor. Seven to eight μm sections were obtained and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The specimens were then fixed in formalin. Paraffin blocks of the sections were processed in the routine way and sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E). The diagnosis obtained by intraoperative frozen section based on cellularity and cell morphology was compared with final histopathological diagnosis in terms of diagnostic sensitivity, to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. Assessment of the overall accuracy of the intraoperative diagnosis was classified as concordant or discordant. Results: There was no statisticaly significant differencre in the studied patients as regard the clinical data, macroscopic and intraoperative picture, while there was statisticaly significat association as regard the laterality of the ovarian masses. The validity of frozen section in the diagnosis of benign tumour was 100% with 100% accuracy, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, while sensitivity & negative prediction for borderline tumour and specificity & positive prediction of malignant tumour were 100%, specifecity for borderline tumours was 95% while the positive predictive value was 33.3% with 96% accuracy for both malignant and borderline tumours. Conclusion: Intraoperative frozen section is accurate for rapid diagnosis of ovarian tumors. It can help surgeons avoid under-treatment or overtreatment of patients. Our study was designed prospectively using a small number of patients. The door is open to larger studies using a larger number of patients to be performed in order to substantiate our results.

Surgical management of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms are a rare and complex group of neoplastic lesions that develop from pancreatic islet cells.Their incidence has dramatically increased during the last two decades.Due to its complex nature and pathophysiological behaviour,surgical management continues to evolve.Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment for most non-functional and functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours,while lymphadenectomy remains a controversial subject.Different techniques,such as pancreas-preserving and minimally invasive approaches,continue to evolve and offer the same overall outcomes as open surgery.This comprehensive review describes in detail the current and most up-todate classification and staging of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours,explores the rationale for nonsurgical and surgical management,and focuses on surgical treatment and more specifically,on minimally invasive approaches.

TGF-β-regulated different iron metabolism processes in the development and cisplatin resistance of ovarian cancer

The impact of different iron metabolism processes(DIMP)on ovarian cancer remains unclear.In this study,we employed various gene chips and databases to investigate the role of DIMP in the initiation and development of ovarian cancer.cBioPortal was used to determine mutations in DIMP-associated genes in ovarian cancer.Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to examine the influence of DIMP on the prognosis of ovarian cancer.By analyzing 1669 serous ovarian cancer cases,we identified a range of mutations in iron metabolism genes,notably in those coding for the transferrin receptor(19%),melanotransferrin(19%),and ceruloplasmin(10%)in the iron import process,and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase(9%),hepcidin antimicrobial peptide(9%),metal regulatory transcription factor 1(8%),and bone morphogenetic protein 6(8%)in the iron regulation process.Compared to the unaltered group,the group with gene alterations exhibited a higher tumor mutation burden count(43 vs.54)and more advanced histologic grade(78.19%vs.87.90%).Compared to the normal ovarian counterparts,a reduction in expression was observed in 9 out of the 14 genes involved in iron utilization and 4 out of the 5 genes involved in iron export in ovarian cancer;in contrast,an increase in expression was observed in 2 out of the 3 genes involved in iron storage in ovarian cancer.Furthermore,in cisplatin-resistant cells compared to cisplatin-sensitive ones,the expression of all genes in iron storage and 13 out of 14 genes in iron import was decreased,while that of 8 out of the 10 genes in iron utilization was increased.In addition,survival curve analysis indicated that a higher expression in the majority of genes in the iron import process(12/21),or a reduced expression in most genes in the iron export process(4/5)correlated with poor progression-free survival.Additionally,TGF-βcould regulate the expression of most iron metabolism-associated genes;particularly,expression of genes involved in the iron storage process(2/2)was inhibited after TGF-β1 or TGF-β2 treatment.In conclusion,DIMP plays multifaceted roles in the initiation,chemo-resistance,and prognosis of ovarian cancer.Therapeutically targeting DIMP may pave the way for more tailored treatment approaches for ovarian cancer.

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas:A systematic review of clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of 1384 patients underwent pancreatic surgery

Background:Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumors(SPTs)are rare clinical entity,with low malignancy and still unclear pathogenesis.They account for less than 2%of exocrine pancreatic neoplasms.This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the main clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of pancreatic SPTs.Data sources:MEDLINE/PubMed,Web of Science and Scopus databases were systematically searched for the main clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of pancreatic SPTs up to April 2021,in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses(PRISMA)standards.Primary endpoints were to analyze treatments and oncological outcomes.Results:A total of 823 studies were recorded,86 studies underwent full-text reviews and 28 met inclusion criteria.Overall,1384 patients underwent pancreatic surgery.Mean age was 30 years and 1181 patients(85.3%)were female.The most common clinical presentation was non-specific abdominal pain(52.6%of cases).Mean overall survival was 98.1%.Mean recurrence rate was 2.8%.Mean follow-up was 4.2 years.Conclusions:Pancreatic SPTs are rare,and predominantly affect young women with unclear pathogenesis.Radical resection is the gold standard of treatment achieving good oncological impact and a favorable prognosis in a yearly life-long follow-up.

Risk of appendiceal neoplasm in patients with appendix disorders

The most common appendicular disease is acute appendicitis,with a lifetime risk of 7%–8%.Complicated cases,which can occur in 2%–7%of patients,can signi-ficantly impact the severity of the condition and may require different manage-ment approaches.Nonoperative management with possible delayed appende-ctomy has been suggested for selected patients,however,there is a non-negligible risk of missing an underlying malignancy,which is reported to be as high as 11%.Diagnostic work-up is paramount to achieve optimal treatment with good results.

Surgical resection and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis: A real-world study

BACKGROUND Regarding when to treat gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis(GCOM)and whether to have metastatic resection surgery,there is presently debate on a global scale.The purpose of this research is to examine,in real-world patients with GCOM,the survival rates and efficacy of metastatic vs non-metastasized resection.AIM To investigate the survival time and efficacy of metastatic surgery and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with GCOM.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 41 GCOM patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from June 2009 to July 2023.The diagnosis of all patients was confirmed by pathology.The primary study endpoints included overall survival(OS),ovarian survival,OS after surgery(OSAS),disease-free survival(DFS),differences in efficacy.RESULTS This study had 41 patients in total.The surgical group(n=27)exhibited significantly longer median OS(mOS)and median overall months(mOM)compared to the nonoperative group(n=14)(mOS:23.0 vs 6.9 months,P=0.015;mOM:18.3 vs 3.8 months,P=0.001).However,there were no significant differences observed in mOS,mOM,median OSAS(mOSAS),and median DFS(mDFS)between patients in the surgical resection plus neoadjuvant therapy group(n=11)and those who surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy group(n=16)(mOS:26.1 months vs 21.8 months,P=0.189;mOM:19.8 vs 15.2 months,P=0.424;mOSAS:13.9 vs 8.7 months,P=0.661,mDFS:5.1 vs 8.2 months,P=0.589).CONCLUSION Compared to the non-surgical group,the surgical group’s survival duration and efficacy are noticeably longer.The efficacy and survival time of the direct surgery group and the neoadjuvant therapy group did not differ significantly.

Immune pathway through endometriosis to ovarian cancer

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease,defined by the presence of functional endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity.This disease is one of the main gynecological diseases,affecting around 10%-15%women and girls of reproductive age,being a common gynecologic disorder.Although endometriosis is a benign disease,it shares several characteristics with invasive cancer.Studies support that it has been linked with an increased chance of developing endometrial ovarian cancer,representing an earlier stage of neoplastic processes.This is particularly true for women with clear cell carcinoma,low-grade serous carcinoma and endometrioid.However,the carcinogenic pathways between both pathologies remain poorly understood.Current studies suggest a connection between endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers(EAOCs)via pathways associated with oxidative stress,inflammation,and hyperestrogenism.This article aims to review current data on the molecular events linked to the development of EAOCs from endometriosis,specifically focusing on the complex relationship between the immune response to endometriosis and cancer,including the molecular mechanisms and their ramifications.Examining recent developments in immunotherapy and their potential to boost the effectiveness of future treatments.

The diagnostic value of multiple tumor markers in malignantovarian neoplasms

Objective:To study the diagnostic value of multiple tumor markers in malignant ovarian neoplasm.Methods:Sera obtained from 430 patients with ovarian masses (110 cases were malignant ovarian tumors,320 cases were benign ovarian tumors) before operation,and from 50 healthy women as control.Serologic examination of tumor markers included CA125,TSGF,SA,CEA,AFP,HCG and Fer.Results:The serum levels of CA125,TSGF,SA and Fer in patients with ovarian cancer were higher than those in patients with benign ovarian tumors (P<0.05),also in control group (P<0.05).In the diagnostic value of application for malignant ovarian neoplasm,CA125,TSGF and SA were better than the others.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy in diagnosis of ovarian cancer were 86.4%,82.8%and 83.7% respectively for CA125 alone,78.2%,81.3%and 80.5% for TSGF alone,74.5%,81.9%and 80.0% for SA alone,whereas 95.5%,45.6%and 58.4% for multiple tumor markers combined in which 1 or more indices showed positive,93.6%,80.6%and 84.0% for that in which 2 or more indices showed positive,and 87.3%,90.3%and 89.5% for that in which 3 or more indices show positive.Conclusion:multiple tumor markers examination could improve the diagnosis of ovarian cancer,and examination of CA125,TSGF and SA combined is most ideal.

Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: a multicenter study in South China

Background: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms(GEP-NENs) are a heterogeneous group of rare tumors. Many issues in terms of epidemiologic features, pathogenesis, and treatment of GEP-NENs are still under discussion. Our study aimed to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of Chinese patients with GEP-NENs.Methods: Complete clinicopathologic data and survival information of 1183 patients with GEP-NENs treated between 2005 and 2015 were collected from five medical centers in Guangdong Province, China. Patient survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and analyzed using the log-rank test; prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results: The most common tumor location was the rectum(37.4%), followed by the pancreas(28.1%), stomach(20.7%), small intestine(7.2%), appendix(3.4%), and colon(3.3%). After initial definitive diagnosis, 1016(85.9%) patients underwent surgery. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival(OS) rates for the entire cohort were 87.9%, 78.5%, and 72.8%, respectively. The 3-year OS rates of patients with G1, G2, and G3 tumors were 93.1%, 82.7%, and 43.1%, respectively(P < 0.001). The 3-year OS rates of patients with stage I, II, III, and IV tumors were 96.0%, 87.3%, 64.0%, and 46.8%, respectively(P < 0.001). Patients with distant metastasis who underwent palliative surgery had a longer survival than those who did not(P = 0.003). Similar survival benefits of palliative surgery were observed in patients with neuroendocrine tumor(P y, M category, and sur= 0.031) or neuroendocrine carcinoma(P gery were found to be independent prog= 0.046). In multivariate analysis, age, grade, N categornostic factors.Conclusions: Patients with GEP-NENs who are women, younger than 50 years old, have smaller tumor size, have lower tumor grade, have lower T/N/M category, and who undergo surgery can have potentially longer survival time. Our data showed that surgery can improve the prognosis of GEP-NEN patients with distant metastasis. However, randomized controlled trials need to be conducted to establish the optimal criteria for selecting patients to undergo surgery.

Current perspectives on pancreatic serous cystic neoplasms:Diagnosis, management and beyond

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms have been increasingly recognized recently. Comprising about 16% of all resected pancreatic cystic neoplasms, serous cystic neoplasms are uncommon benign lesions that are usually asymptomatic and found incidentally. Despite overall low risk of malignancy, these pancreatic cysts still generate anxiety, leading to intensive medical investigations with considerable financial cost to health care systems. This review discusses the general background of serous cystic neoplasms, including epidemiology and clinical characteristics, and provides an updated overview of diagnostic approaches based on clinical features, relevant imaging studies and new findings that are being discovered pertaining to diagnostic evaluation. We also concisely discuss and propose management strategies for better quality of life.

Defining the role of bariatric surgery in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women.To meet PCOS criteria,women must have a combination of hyperandrogenism,anovulation and ultrasound findings.Almost 10% of all reproductive age women worldwide show signs of PCOS.Although women often seek care for gynecological or body image concerns,many PCOS women are at risk for metabolic syndrome (MS).Many of the metabolic consequences are overlooked and un-dertreated by physicians because these patients tend to be young,reproductive age women.MS and obesity coexist commonly with PCOS.These young women are predisposed to glucose abnormalities and ulti-mately diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia and eventually cardiovascular disease.Bariatric surgery can be an ef-fective means of weight loss in PCOS women.Surgical techniques have become safer and less invasive over time and have been found to be effective in achieving significant weight loss.Surgical options have also in-creased,giving patients more choices.Bariatric surgery may prevent or reverse metabolic syndrome.Bariatric surgery may also have reproductive benefits in PCOS patients.Although bariatric surgery has historically been performed in older,reproductive aged women,it has recently gained favor in adolescents as well.This is of particular importance due to the prevalence of both PCOS and MS in adolescents.Treatment of PCOS and MS certainly requires a combination of medical therapy,psychological support and lifestyle modifications.These treatments are difficult and often frustrating for pa-tients and physicians.Bariatric surgery can be effective in achieving significant weight loss,restoration of the hypothalamic pituitary axis,reduction of cardiovascular risk and even in improving pregnancy outcomes.Ulti-mately,bariatric surgery should be considered part of the treatment in PCOS women,especially in those with MS.

Primary debulking surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery for patients with advanced ovarian cancer

Objectives： To compare the survival and perioperafive morbidity between primary debulking surgery （PDS） and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery （NAC/IDS） in treating patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer （EOC）. Methods： We retrospectively reviewed 67 patients with stage IIIC or iV EOC treated at Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2006 to June 2009. VVherein, 37 and 30 patients underwent PDS and NAC/ IDS, respectively. Results： No difference in overall survival （OS） or progression-free survival （PFS） was observed between NAC/IDS group and PDS group （OS： 41.2 vs. 39.1 months, P=0.23; PFS： 27.1 vs. 24.3 months, P=0.37）. The optimal debulking rate was 60% in the NAC/IDS group, which was significantly higher than that in the PDS group （32.4%） （P=0.024）. The NAC/IDS group had significantly less intraoperative estimated blood loss and transfusion, lower nasogastric intubation rate, and earlier ambulation and recovery of intestinal function than the PDS group （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： NAC/IDS is less invasive than PDS, and offers the advantages regarding optimal cytoreduction rate, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative recovery, without significantly impairing the survival compared with PDS in treating patients with stage IIIC or IV EOC. Therefore, NAC/IDS may be a valuable treatment alternative for EOC patients.

Differences between main-duct and branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas

In the last decade,intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms(IPMNs) have become commonly diagnosed.From a morphological standpoint,they are classified in main-duct IPMNs(MD-IPMNs) and branch-duct IPMNs(BD-IPMNs),depending on the type of involvement of the pancreatic ductal system by the neoplasm.Despite the fact that our understanding of their natural history is still incomplete,recent data indicate that MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs show significant differences in terms of biological behaviour with MD-IPMNs at higher risk of malignant degeneration.In the present paper,clinical and epidemiological characteristics,rates of malignancy and the natural history of MD-IPMNs and BD-IPMNs are analyzed.The profile of IPMNs involving both the main pancreatic duct and its side branches(combined-IPMNs) are also discussed.Finally,general recommendations for management based on these differences are given.

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND To date, the histopathological parameters predicting the risk of lymph node (LN) metastases and local recurrence, associated mortality and appropriateness of endoscopic or surgical resection in patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1 (GNENs1) have not been fully elucidated. AIM To determine the rate of LN metastases and its impact in survival in patients with GNEN1 in relation to certain clinico-pathological parameters. METHODS The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched through January 2019. The quality of the included studies and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) in accordance with the Cochrane guidelines. A random effects model and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95%CI were applied for the quantitative meta-analysis. RESULTS We screened 2933 articles. Thirteen studies with 769 unique patients with GNEN1 were included. Overall, the rate of metastasis to locoregional LNs was 3.3%(25/769). The rate of LN metastases with a cut-off size of 10 mm was 15.3% for lesions > 10 mm (vs 0.8% for lesions < 10 mm) with a random-effects OR of 10.5 (95%CI: 1.4 -80.8;heterogeneity: P = 0.126;I2 = 47.5%). Invasion of the muscularis propria was identified as a predictor for LN metastases (OR: 17.2;95%CI: 1.8-161.1;heterogeneity: P = 0.165;I2 = 44.5%), whereas grade was not clearly associated with LN metastases (OR: 2;95%CI: 0.3-11.6;heterogeneity: P = 0.304;I2 = 17.4%). With regard to GNEN1 local recurrence, scarce data were available. The 5-year disease-specific survival for patients with and without LN metastases was 100% in most available studies irrespective of the type of intervention. Surgical resection was linked to a lower risk of recurrence (OR: 0.3;95%CI: 0.1-1.1;heterogeneity: P = 0.173;I2 = 31.9%). The reported complication rates of endoscopic and surgical intervention were 0.6 and 3.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis confirms that tumor size ≥ 10 mm and invasion of the muscularis propria are linked to a higher risk of LN metastases in patients with GNEN1. Overall, the metastatic propensity of GNEN1 is low with favorable 5- year disease-specific survival rates reported;hence, no clear evidence of the prognostic value of LN positivity is available. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence supporting the prediction of local recurrence in GNEN1, even if surgery was more often a definitive treatment.

Update on surgical treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms(PNENs) are rare and account for only 2%-4% of all pancreatic neoplasms. All PNENs are potential(neurendocrine tumors PNETs) or overt(neuroendocrine carcinomas PNECs) malignant,but a subset of PNETs is low-risk. Even in case of low-risk PNETs surgical resection is frequently required to treat hormone-related symptoms and to obtain an appropriate pathological diagnosis. Low-risk PNETs in the body and the tail are ideal for minimallyinvasive approaches which should be tailored to the individual patient. Generally,surgeons must aim for parenchyma sparing in these cases. In high-risk and malignant PNENs,indications for tumor resection are much wider than for pancreatic adenocarcinoma,in many cases due to the relatively benign tumor biology. Thus,patients with locally advanced and metastatic PNETs may benefit from extensive resection. In experienced hands,even multi-organ resections are accomplished with acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality rates and are associated with excellent long term survival. However,poorly differentiated neoplasms with high proliferation rates are associated with a dismal prognosis and may frequently only be treated with chemotherapy. The evidence on surgical treatment of PNENs stems from reviews of mostly singlecenter series and some analyses of nation-wide tumor registries. No randomized trial has been performed to compare surgical and non-surgical therapies in potentially resectable PNEN. Though such a trial would principally be desirable,ethical considerations and the heterogeneity of PNENs preclude realization of such a study. In the current review,we summarize recent advances in the surgical treatment of PNENs.

Oncological and Reproductive Outcomes of Fertility-sparing Surgery in Women with Early-stage Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma:A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Summary:With delayed childbearing in women,preservation of fertility is an important issue for reproductive-age patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma(EOC).Fertility-sparing surgery(FSS)can be considered in patients with early-stage disease in order to preserve fertility and improve quality of life.In order to evaluate oncological safety,attitudes toward childbearing and reproductive outcomes in women with EOC who underwent FSS,this multicenter retrospective study was conducted.Between January 2005 and December 2014,total of 87 young women with FIGO stage I EOC were included,with their clinicopathologic parameters in relation to disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS)assessed.Attitudes toward childbearing,ovarian function and fertility were studied in women undergoing FSS(n=36).As a result,in contrast to radical sur ery,FSS did not affect prognosis by Kaplan-Meier curves(log-rank test;DFS:P=0.484;OS:P=0.125).However,two of the three recurrence cases and both death cases were in FSS group stage IC.All women undergoing FSS resumed regular menstrual periods after chemotherapy.Only 16(44.44%)had tried to conceive,and 17 pregnancies occurred in 15(93.75%)women.Among 20 women who did not attempt conception,the most common reason was not being married(70%),followed by already having children(15%).In summary,FSS is considered safe in young women with stage IA EOC.Regular menstruation and good obstetric outcomes can be achieved.This study also provides some insight into the attitudes and social factors regarding fertility in EOC patients.

Role of Surgery in the Elderly Patients Affected from Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer

The aim of this study is to compare morbidity, surgical treatment and post-operative complications in elderly patients underwent surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer, comparing to younger patients. Data of patients underwent surgery at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Cannizzaro Hospital (Catania) for advanced stage (IIIC-IV) ovarian cancer were collected from January 2000 to December 2013. Patients were stratified by age in two groups (I > 65 years and II < 65 years old). Following variables were collected: stage of the tumor, associated diseases, previous chemotherapy, the type of surgical procedures, blood transfusions, intraoperative and postoperative morbidity, mortality, and hospital stay. Median values between the two groups were compared using Mann-Whitney test and frequency data using?χ2. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. A total of 179 patients were identified, they were divided into 2 groups: 64 patients were age 65 years or older (group I) and 115 patients were younger than age 65 (group II). In the whole series, 157 patients (87%) did not experience any complication. Overall, postoperative complications occurred in 10 (15%) patients in the group I and in 12 (10%) in the group II (p =?NS). In conclusion, elderly patients may tolerate well surgical procedures within acceptable postoperative morbidity, a length of hospital stay and a need for intensive care quite similar to that of younger patients.