Treatment of recurrent pelvic and selected primary gynecologic malignancies with 241Am

The purpose of this study was to update the experience and demonstrate the effectiveness and limitations of 241Am applicators for previously irradiated patients and for selected patients with primary gynecologic malignancies. Between October 1986 and May 1994, 30 patients were treated with 241Am. The median patient age was 68 years, ranging from 41 to 91 years. Patients were retrospectively categorized by treatment intent, i.e., palliative vs. curative. Patients undergoing curative therapy were further classified as to whether 241Am brachytherapy was directed at microscopic residua after surgery or to gross primary tumor. Of the 30 patients, 18 had recurrent pelvic malignancies from various primary sites and were reirradiated with 241Am for palliation. Six patients had microscopic disease after surgical resection and were managed with postoperative radiotherapy (RT) that included 241Am. Six patients had gynecologic cancers managed with primary RT that included treatment with 241Am. Overall, 50% (9/18) of the patients with recurrent pelvic malignancies were locally controlled after reirradiation with 241Am. Including surgical salvage, the ultimate local control rate was 61% (11/18). Postoperative 241Am with or without external beam radiation therapy (XRT) was effective in 83% (5/6) of the patients with microscopic disease. Including surgical salvage, 100% (6/6) of the patients were ultimately free of disease. Fifty percent (3/6) of the patients treated with primary RT that included 241Am brachytherapy experienced local control. Including surgical salvage, 67% (4/6) of the patients were ultimately controlled with 241Am. In conclusion, reirradiation utilizing 241Am was effective in palliating patients with recurrent pelvic malignancies. 241Am was effective in 83% (5/6) of the patients with microscopic disease managed with postoperative RT. 241Am was of marginal benefit in patients with gynecologic tumors managed with primary RT.

Clear cell tumors of the female genital tract

Clear cell adenocarcinomas of the vagina, cervix, endometrium, and ovaries show very similar histological features. Several other tumors and tumor-like lesions of the female genital tract may also contain clear cells and may occasionally be misinterpreted as clear cell adenocarcinomas. These conditions include microglandular hyperplasia, mesonephric hyperplasia, Arias-Stella change, smooth muscle tumors containing clear cells, dysgerminoma, yolk sac tumor, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, steroid cell tumors, hepatoid carcinomas, signet-ring-cell stromal tumors, and trophoblastic tumors. This review discusses the histological features of all of these lesions, emphasizing the morphological aspects that are essential to accurate differential diagnosis.

Expression of CD44 alternative splicing variants in primary and lymph node metastatic lesions of gynecological cancer

CD44 is known as an adhesion molecule which is involved in lymphocyte activation and lymphocyte homing. In recent years, its role in the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors has attracted the attention of investigators. In this study, the expression of CD44 variants was investigated in primary lesions and metastasis into the lymph node in 53 patients with gynecological cancer. The following patients with various types of gynecological carcinoma, established by operation and pre-treatment biopsy, were included in this study: 19 patients with cancer of the uterine cervix, 23 with cancer of the uterine endometrium, and 11 with ovarian cancer. Tissue samples were obtained from a primary lesion and a nodal metastasis of each patient, and immunohistochemical staining was performed by the ABC method through the use of monoclonal antibodies against CD44v1-10. Specimens proving CD44v1-10 positive were then submitted to immunohistochemical staining through the use of monoclonal antibodies against CD44v6 and CD44v9. Expression of CD44v was judged positive when DAB revealed color development, irrespective of the degree of staining intensity. CD44v were all expressed in the cancer cell membrane. In normal endometrium, expression of CD44v1-10 and v9 was observed in the endometrial gland cell membrane. In normal ovarian tissues, CD44v6 and v9 were not detected. The expression of CD44v6 in patients with endometrial cancer was noted in 13 (72.2%) of 18 patients with vascular invasion and in one (20.0%) of 5 patients without it, indicating a significant relation to vascular invasion. It was also remarkably higher in those for whom the invasion exceeded 1/2 of the myometrium than in those for whom the invasion did not exceed 1/2 of the myometrium, and was higher too in advanced stages and in node-positive patients. In one patient, CD44v6 was detected not in the primary lesion but in the nodal metastasis. The expression of CD44v6 in patients with ovarian cancer occurred more frequently in node-positive patients. Our study results suggest that the expression of CD44v6 in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells is involved in the progression of the carcinoma, nodal metastasis, myometrial invasion, and vascular invasion, and that in ovarian cancer, the expression of CD44v6 is involved in nodal metastasis.

Prognostic significance of gross myometrial invasion with endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To determine if intraoperative estimation of gross myometrial invasion is sufficiently precise to guide surgical aggressiveness in staging patients with endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Between September 1987 and September 1995, 236 women with endometrial cancer had visual estimation of gross myometrial invasion during surgical staging which included pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

In 213 patients (90.3%), the depth of gross myometrial invasion correctly predicted the microscopic depth of invasion on permanent histopathologic sections. Statistically significant associations were found between gross depth of myometrial invasion and tumor grade (P < .001), histopathology (P = .014), cervical metastases (P < .001), adnexal metastases (P < .001), omental metastases (P < .001), malignant pelvic cytology (P < .001), pelvic lymph node metastases (P < .001), para-aortic lymph node metastases (P = .001), and surgical stage (P < .001). Patients with more than 50% gross myometrial invasion were more likely to have poorly differentiated malignancies; nonendometrial histologies; malignant pelvic cytology; higher surgical stage; and cervical, adnexal, omental, pelvic lymph node, and para-aortic lymph node metastases. Patients with more than 50% gross myometrial invasion had a 6.4-fold higher prevalence of pelvic lymph node metastases, a 6.9-fold higher prevalence of para-aortic lymph node metastases, and a 6.7-fold higher prevalence of advanced surgical stage than patients with less than 50% myometrial invasion.

CONCLUSION

Patients with endometrial cancer and more than 50% myometrial invasion on gross visual intraoperative estimation are at marked risk for extrauterine metastases, including pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases. Such patients should be considered for more aggressive surgical staging, including pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

Primary and recurrent colorectal cancer masquerading as gynaecological malignancy

To make clinicians more aware of the phenomenon of primary and recurrent colorectal and anal carcinoma masquerading as primary gynaecological malignancy, we reviewed the records of 8 women referred to our gynaecological oncology unit with primary colorectal cancer (1), recurrent colorectal cancer (6) and primary anal cancer (1). Seven of these patients presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge. All patients had Papanicolaou smears performed; 7 were abnormal and 1 unsuitable for cytological assessment. None of the 6 patients with recurrent carcinoma had been previously treated with more than standard anterior or abdominoperineal resection; no radiotherapy had been given, and only 1 patient had received chemotherapy. These patients were treated in our gynaecological oncology unit for their recurrence by surgery and/or chemotherapy and/or irradiation. All 6 had further recurrences in the pelvis despite this aggressive therapy. Follow-up of colorectal cancer in women should involve gynaecological history, pelvirectal examination and Pap smear at each visit. Correct diagnosis of the colorectal origin of a genital tract tumour is made on careful history, examination and biopsy. An abnormal Pap smear may be the first indication of recurrent colorectal cancer in the cervix and vagina, although most patients ultimately present with abnormal vaginal bleeding. The presence of a tumour invading both cervix and posterior vaginal wall is suggestive of spread from a colorectal tumour compared to the more common lateral spread of a cervical primary.

Carcinosarcomas of the female genital tract. A pathologic study of 29 metastatic tumors: further evidence for the dominant role of the epithelial component and the conversion theory of histogenesis

Carcinosarcomas of the female genital tract have generally been regarded as a type of sarcoma. Recent evidence suggests, however, that they may be more closely related to carcinoma. The histologic features of 29 carcinosarcomas with documented metastases were analyzed to study the relative importance of the carcinomatous and sarcomatous components and attempt to provide further evidence on the histogenesis of these neoplasms. Patients' ages ranged from 33 to 81 years (mean, 68). The primary tumor originated in the uterus in 17 cases, the ovary in 11, and the fallopian tube in one. Heterologous sarcoma was present in 21 of the primary tumors (72%). Myometrial invasion was present in all 15 of the uterine tumors treated with hysterectomy and consisted only of the carcinomatous component in 12 cases (80%). In two cases, which possibly developed as "collision"-type carcinosarcomas, the myometrium was separately invaded by carcinoma and sarcoma. Myoinvasive tumor consisted solely of sarcoma in one case. Lymphatic-vascular invasion was found in 10 of the primary tumors (eight uterine, two extrauterine) and consisted of pure carcinoma in all instances. The cellular composition of 62 metastases was evaluated. Of these, 51 metastases were diagnosed concurrently with the primary tumor in 21 patients (73%). Eleven metastases were diagnosed from 2 to 26 months after initial treatment. Carcinoma only was found in 43 metastases (70%), both carcinoma and sarcoma in 15 (24%), and sarcoma alone in four (6%). A total of 35 lymph node metastases occurred in 10 cases, consisting of carcinoma alone at 34 sites. The sole example of a purely sarcomatous lymph node metastasis occurred in one of the possible uterine "collision"-type tumors. Intraperitoneal metastases to serosal surfaces or the omentum occurred in 19 cases and consisted of both carcinoma and sarcoma in 14 and carcinoma only in five. Vaginal metastases occurred in four cases and consisted of only carcinoma in two, carcinoma and sarcoma in one and only sarcoma in one. Four patients had distant organ metastases, including one each to the liver (carcinoma only), breast (carcinoma only), bone marrow (sarcoma only), and brain (sarcoma only). Of the 51 concurrent metastases, only carcinoma was present in 37 (73%), both carcinoma and sarcoma in 13 (26%), and sarcoma alone in one. Of the 11 subsequent metastases, carcinoma alone was found in six (55%), sarcoma alone in three (27%), and both carcinoma and sarcoma in two (18%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Steroid receptor concentrations in endometrial carcinoma: effect on survival in surgically staged patients

Estrogen and progesterone receptor concentrations were measured in the primary tumors of 137 surgically staged women with clinical stages I and II endometrial carcinoma. For each steroid, increasing receptor concentrations were associated with a decrease in hazard (increase in survival) and the effect was linear for each receptor. When expressed dichotomously, steroid receptor status was also significantly associated with a number of known risk factors, and the significance of the association was influenced by the receptor concentration used as the criterion for receptor positivity. In a multivariate analysis, only progesterone receptor concentration affected survival independently, but the effect disappeared when the analysis was restricted to women with disease confined to the uterus. We conclude that the estrogen and progesterone receptor status of the primary tumor is of limited prognostic significance in endometrial carcinoma unless extrauterine disease is present.

Gynecologic Oncology Group studies with ifosfamide

The Gynecologic Oncology Group has conducted a series of phase II studies with ifosfamide and mesna since 1985. Previously untreated patients received ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2 intravenously daily for 5 days. Mesna was given intravenously every 4 hours three times daily at 20% of the daily ifosfamide dose. Because of the toxic effects observed in previously treated patients with ovarian cancer, the ifosfamide dose was reduced to 1.2 g/m2/d in patients with prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In epithelial ovarian cancer, responses were observed in eight (20%) of 41 evaluable patients, with three (7%) complete responses. In patients with squamous carcinoma of the cervix, an 11.1% response rate (three of 27 patients) was observed in those who had received prior platinum therapy. In 51 previously untreated patients, the response rate was 15.7%. In nonsquamous cervical carcinomas, there were three partial responses among 25 patients (12%). An 8.6% response rate was observed among 23 patients with previously treated endometrial adenocarcinomas. In uterine sarcomas, response rates were 30.7% in mixed müllerian tumors, 17.2% in leiomyosarcomas, and 27.3% in endometrial stromal sarcomas. Patients with ovarian sarcomas responded in 27.8% of cases. Studies with ifosfamide combinations are currently under way by the Gynecologic Oncology Group.

[Cutaneous and gynecologic metastases disclosing renal-cell carcinoma: the diagnostic and therapeutic implications]

The spread of is uncommon renal cell carcinoma to the female genital system it is even more uncommon to observe metastasis or its symptoms or signs, masking or preceding the clinical manifestations of the primary lesion. In the course of nephrectomy due to renal tumor, the early ligation of the gonadal vein during the control maneuvers of the vascular pedicle can reduce the risk of posterior genital metastasis. Similarly, the skin is an uncommon site of metastasis. The appearance of cutaneous metastasis from renal cell carcinoma may precede the detection of the underlying tumor, although most of the cutaneous metastases are observed after the primary lesion has been detected. In patients with solitary skin metastasis and no evidence of spread to other organ systems, nephrectomy and excision of the metastatic lesion have permitted a survival of 35% at 5 years.

Solitary cerebral metastases from gynaecological malignancy: the case for radical therapy

Three cases of solitary cerebral metastases from gynaecological malignancy are reported. Each was treated with surgical resection followed by radical radiotherapy resulting in prolonged disease-free survival. The reasons for the increasing incidence of cerebral metastases in these malignancies is discussed, the case for radical treatment made and the literature reviewed.

Comparison of smears and cell blocks in the fine needle aspiration diagnosis of recurrent gynecologic malignancies

A retrospective, seven-year study was conducted to evaluate the value of cell blocks as an adjunct to smears in the fine needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis of recurrent gynecologic malignancies. Eighty-four FNAs were performed on patients with previously diagnosed malignancies of the cervix (39 cases), ovary (27), uterus (14), vulva (2) and vagina (2). Material for the preparation of cell blocks was available in all cases. Smears and cell blocks were reviewed separately, and the findings were categorized as positive, negative, suspicious or unsatisfactory. Identical smear and cell block results were reported in 71 (84.5%) of the 84 cases (45 positive, 20 negative, 1 suspicious and 5 unsatisfactory). In 12 cases (14.3%) the smear was superior to the cell block in detecting malignant cells; while all 12 smears were positive, 8 cell blocks were negative, and 4 were suspicious. In no case was the cell block positive with a negative smear; in one (1.2%) the cell block was positive and the smear suspicious. The results of this study indicate that the additional study of cell blocks is of little benefit in the FNA cytodiagnosis of recurrent disease in patients with documented gynecologic malignancies.

[Value of colposcopy in diagnosing recurrent gynecologic malignancies]

From 1983 to 1988, colposcopic follow-up examination was done in 82 treated gynecologic tumor patients (68 cervical cancer, 7 vulval cancer and 7 other cancers) comprising 10% of all examined by colposcopy during the same period. Twenty-one cases were found to have recurrence or metastasis in the cervix, vagina or vulva proven by pathology. Ten of these 21 cases were initially diagnosed by colposcopy. The conformation rate between colposcopic examination and pathology was 85.7%. An accuracy of 86.7% was achieved by combination of cytology and colposcopy for recurrent tumors. The results suggest that tumor recurrence can be detected earlier by colposcopy than by clinical examination. Colposcopy combined with cytology as follow-up examination can improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment of treated patients.

[Clinical aspects and morphology of extra-ovarian serous cancer of the pelvis]

An extraovarian peritoneal serous carcinoma is characterised macroscopically by ovaries without pathology, histologically, however, by a serous carcinomatous structure in the pelvis, in an advanced tumour stage of usually marked peritoneal carcinomatosis. Extraovarian pelvic serous carcinomas are rarely described in literature. In our study on five patients with such carcinomas, laparotomy findings revealed peritoneal carcinomatosis as in advanced ovarian carcinomas, but without ovarian involvement. Histogenesis does not reveal any difference between the extraovarian mesothel, which is of Mullerian origin and the serous ovarian carcinoma. Therapy of extraovarian peritoneal carcinoma is similar to that of ovarian cancer with maximal tumour reduction and cisplatinum or carboplatinum containing chemotherapy. The prognosis is extremely unfavourable with little expectation of lengthy remission and survival rates are short. Extraovarian serous carcinomas deserve better recognition because they are underreported. They must be differentiated from malignant mesotheliomas, which are not of Mullerian origin.

[Radical and palliative combined surgery in the surgical treatment of cancer of the rectum]

Analysis of 186 combined resections and extirpations of the rectum for primary carcinoma, among which 31 were palliative operations, showed that the indications for them are limited with age from 21.7% in the young to 12.8% in patients over 60 years of age. Combined interventions were carried out irrespective of the site of the tumor in the rectum. Morphological verification of growth of the tumor into other organs in 32.3% of patients who had been operated on merely points to the expediency of a combined operation excluding ungrounded refusal of treatment. Combined operations failed to lead to an increase in postoperative mortality, which was 5.4%, and produce favourable late-term results--54.5 +/- 4.3% of patients have a survival period of 5 years.

Metastatic adnexal trophoblastic neoplasm: contribution of MR imaging

We report a case of pathologically proven metastatic trophoblastic neoplasm involving the adnexa which occurred after dilatation and curettage and chemotherapy. Duplex doppler ultrasound demonstrated increased vascularity in the adnexa. Angiography was sensitive but did not decisively distinguish between tumor in the adnexa and arteriovenous fistula in the uterus. In addition to abnormal vascularity, magnetic resonance also showed foci of abnormal signal in the adnexa not seen in the uterus and correctly suggested the presence of tumor.

The importance of peritoneal cytology in endometrial carcinoma

From 1971-1986, peritoneal washings were obtained for cytologic examination at the time of primary exploratory laparotomy in 340 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. Seventy-two samples (21.2%) contained malignant cells. The finding of malignant cytology increased with stage of disease: stage I, 17%; stage II, 19.5%; stage III, 68.7%; and stage IV, 85.7% (P less than .001). In 248 patients with clinical stage I disease for whom uterine evaluation was complete, there was an increasing incidence of malignant cytology with increasing grade (P = .002), depth of myometrial invasion (P = .003), and adnexal spread (P less than .001). Twelve of 41 patients (29.3%) with clinical stage I and positive cytology developed recurrent disease, compared with six of 207 (2.9%) with negative cytology (P less than .001). Survival for all stages together was poorer in patients with positive washings than in those with negative washings (P less than .001). This difference in survival was also observed in patients with clinical stage I disease (P less than .001). Among patients with surgical stage I disease, disease-free survival was also superior in the group with negative cytology. In both clinical and surgical stage I, intra-abdominal recurrences were more common among patients with malignant peritoneal cytology.

Influence of age on the metastatic behavior of breast carcinoma

The effects of aging on the biologic behavior of malignant neoplasms are poorly understood. To examine the question of a possible age effect on the metastatic behavior of tumors, we reviewed the clinical histories, autopsy protocols, and histologic slides of 187 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma who were subjected to complete autopsy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Patients were categorized in four groups according to the age of onset of breast carcinoma: group I had 12 young patients (less than 40 years old); group II had 41 patients, 40 to 46 years old, considered to be premenopausal; group II had 89 patients, 47 to 60 years old, considered to be early postmenopausal; and group IV had 45 patients over 60 years old, considered to be late postmenopausal. Group II patients survived about 50% longer than group III or IV patients (p less than 0.05), and groups I, II, and III patients had significantly greater numbers of metastases than group IV patients (p less than 0.05). There was a progressive decline in the frequencies of metastases in several locations as a function of age, such that group I and II patients had significantly more frequent metastases to the central nervous system (p less than 0.05), endocrine organs (p less than 0.01), ovary (p less than 0.05), pancreas (p less than 0.01), and gastrointestinal tract (p less than 0.05) than patients in group III or IV. These differences in number and distribution of metastases were not explainable on the basis of survival, therapy, or initial stage of disease. The results suggest that the process of aging may influence the metastatic behavior of breast carcinoma; hormonal and metabolic factors may be implicated.

Unusual behavior of low-grade, low-stage transitional cell carcinoma of bladder

A case report of low-grade, low-stage transitional cell cancer of the bladder with isolated metastases to the uterus, fallopian tube, and ovary is presented. The pathogenesis of such unusual behavior for a local bladder malignancy is discussed along with a review of similar cases from the literature.

Metastases to the female genital tract. Analysis of 325 cases

In order to better define the frequency and patterns of metastasis to the female genital tract, all cases of nonhematopoietic metastases to the adnexa, uterus, vagina, and vulva encountered in patients treated at Barnes Hospital between 1950 and 1981 were reviewed. Three hundred twenty-five metastatic cancers from 269 patients were recovered. One hundred forty-nine cases were from extragenital primaries; the remaining tumors were intragenital metastases. Ovary and vagina were the most frequent metastatic sites for both extragenital and genital primaries. The majority of the extragenital metastases were adenocarcinomas from the gastrointestinal tract, but a variety of other primaries did spread, on occasion, to the genital tract. Twenty-seven percent of the metastases presented as possible primary gynecologic lesions, and 75% of these tumors had an extragenital origin. It is shown that despite certain trends in the distribution of metastases, all sites in the female genital tract are at risk for the occurrence of metastases.

Metastases to the female genital tract. Analysis of 325 cases

In order to better define the frequency and patterns of metastasis to the female genital tract, all cases of nonhematopoietic metastases to the adnexa, uterus, vagina, and vulva encountered in patients treated at Barnes Hospital between 1950 and 1981 were reviewed. Three hundred twenty-five metastatic cancers from 269 patients were recovered. One hundred forty-nine cases were from extragenital primaries; the remaining tumors were intragenital metastases. Ovary and vagina were the most frequent metastatic sites for both extragenital and genital primaries. The majority of the extragenital metastases were adenocarcinomas from the gastrointestinal tract, but a variety of other primaries did spread, on occasion, to the genital tract. Twenty-seven percent of the metastases presented as possible primary gynecologic lesions, and 75% of these tumors had an extragenital origin. It is shown that despite certain trends in the distribution of metastases, all sites in the female genital tract are at risk for the occurrence of metastases.

Fibrosarcoma of ovary. A new component in the nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome

An 8-year-old child with nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome who developed abdominal pain underwent exploratory laparotomy. Both ovaries were enlarged and replaced by fibroblastic proliferations having cellular foci with high mitotic indices (greater than 4 mitoses/10 high-power fields) diagnostic of fibrosarcoma. Two years following salpingo-oophorectomy, a metastasis was excised from one adnexa. Further recurrence or distant metastasis was not evident after 6 more years of follow-up. The association of fibrosarcoma of the ovary in a patient with nevoid basal-cell carcinoma further expands the multifarious nature of this syndrome.

The neodymium:YAG laser in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies

The Nd:YAG laser has been used for tumor volume reduction of recurrent gynecologic malignant tumors after previous radiation therapy. The localization of the tumor did not allow conventional surgical resection or surgery was contraindicated because of severe medical problems. Hemorrhage caused by recurrent tumor was controlled by tissue coagulation. The laser beam was delivered by means of a handpiece using the Model 8000 of the Molectron Medical Corporation. A power of 40 to 100 W was used with the maximal pulse duration of 9.9 sec and multiple pulse irradiation. The total energy ranged between 620 and 13.105 Ws. Good palliation was achieved in patients with hemorrhaging tumors of the cervix and ovary metastatic to the vagina.