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Klamminger GG, Bitterlich A, Nigdelis MP, Schnöder L, Hamoud BH, Solomayer EF, Wagner M. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tumor Stage and Pathohistological Parameters of Vulvar Cancer. J Clin Med 2024; 13:4058. [PMID: 39064099 PMCID: PMC11277637 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13144058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Vulvar cancer (VC) comprises a small fraction of female neoplasms with notable high-incidence clusters among German regions. Despite a proposed impact of nationwide lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on oncological diseases, the effect on VC staging and tumor characteristics remains yet to be resolved; therefore, analyzing pathological data from patients with squamous cell VC pre-, during, and post-COVID in a high-incidence region may offer insights into potential epidemiological and clinical trends. Methods: We identified a total of 90 patients who were diagnosed at the Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Saarland, between 2018 and 2023, and defined three distinct cohorts: a pre-COVID cohort (2018-2019), a COVID cohort (2020-2021), and a post-COVID cohort (2022-2023). Histomorphological data were collected from the individual patient reports and statistically analyzed using Fisher's exact test or the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Although we found no statistically significant differences in age, T-stage, perineural infiltration, blood vessel infiltration, resection status, grading, or resection margin between our three cohorts, surprisingly, we determined a greater extent of lymphovascular infiltration (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.041), as well as deeper tumor infiltration depth (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.001) before the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we did not identify any soft indications of abnormalities in patient care within our center (unchanged status of the resection margins across all three cohorts). Conclusions: Our results clearly do not support a negative affection of clinical or pathobiological characteristics of VC during or after the pandemic. However, final assessments regarding the pandemic's effect on VC require additional study approaches in various regions, preferably with future extended timeframes of a longer follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Georg Klamminger
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University (USAAR), 66424 Homburg, Germany
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Annick Bitterlich
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University (USAAR), 66424 Homburg, Germany
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Meletios P. Nigdelis
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Laura Schnöder
- Saarland University Medical Center for Tumor Diseases (UTS), Saarland University (USAAR), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Bashar Haj Hamoud
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Erich-Franz Solomayer
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
- Saarland University Medical Center for Tumor Diseases (UTS), Saarland University (USAAR), 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Wagner
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University (USAAR), 66424 Homburg, Germany
- Department of General and Special Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), 66424 Homburg, Germany
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Mangone L, Marinelli F, Bisceglia I, Braghiroli MB, Mastrofilippo V, Pezzarossi A, Morabito F, Aguzzoli L, Mandato VD. Optimizing Outcomes through a Multidisciplinary Team Approach in Endometrial Cancer. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:64. [PMID: 38200970 PMCID: PMC10778853 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the impact of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach on outcomes with endometrial cancer (EC) patients, utilizing 2013-2020 data from the Reggio Emilia Cancer Registry. Recurrence rate, treatments, and outcome indicators were compared between the MDT (319 cases) and non-MDT (324 cases) groups. Among 643 cases, 52.4% were over 65 years old, 98% had microscopic confirmation, and 73% were in stage I. Surgery was performed in 89%, with 41% receiving adjuvant therapies. Recurrence rates (10%) were similar between the two groups, but MDT patients who were older and predominantly in stage I exhibited 79% recurrence within one year (21% in the non-MDT group). Disease-free survival (DFS) showed no significant difference [HR 1.1; 95% CI 0.7-1.6], while differences in overall survival (OS) were notable [HR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.4]. The 5-year OS rates were 87% and 79% in the MDT and non-MDT groups. Comparing the 2013-2015 to 2016-2020 study periods, a shift towards caring for older women, more advanced-stage patients, and those residing outside the metropolitan area, along with a greater number of relapsed cases (from 16% to 76%), were accounted for. These findings underscore the impact of an MDT on EC outcomes, highlighting the evolving patient demographics over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Mangone
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (F.M.); (I.B.); (M.B.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Francesco Marinelli
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (F.M.); (I.B.); (M.B.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Isabella Bisceglia
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (F.M.); (I.B.); (M.B.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Maria Barbara Braghiroli
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (F.M.); (I.B.); (M.B.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Valentina Mastrofilippo
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Azienda USL—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (V.M.); (L.A.); (V.D.M.)
| | - Annamaria Pezzarossi
- Epidemiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (F.M.); (I.B.); (M.B.B.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Lorenzo Aguzzoli
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Azienda USL—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (V.M.); (L.A.); (V.D.M.)
| | - Vincenzo Dario Mandato
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Azienda USL—IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy; (V.M.); (L.A.); (V.D.M.)
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