Identification of endometrial cancers and atypical hyperplasia: Development and validation of a simplified system for ultrasound scoring of endometrial pattern

OBJECTIVES

To derive and validate a practical scoring system for identification of endometrial cancer (EC) or atypical hyperplasia (AH) using transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) and gel infusion sonography (GIS) in women with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB).

STUDY DESIGN

Endometrial pattern was correlated with endometrial pathology in consecutive women with PMB in both a derivation study (N = 164) and a validation study (N = 711). Logistic regression was used to derive and validate two scoring systems (A and B) for prediction of EC/AH: scoring system A was Doppler score + interrupted endo-myometrial junction (IEJ) (2 points); and scoring system B was Doppler score + IEJ (1 point) + Irregular Endometrial Outline (IESO) by GIS (1 point); the Doppler score was based on the presence of more than one single or double vessel (1 point) + multiple vessels (1 point) + large vessels (1 point).

OUTCOME MEASURES

Diagnostic performance and calibration curves for identification of EC/AH.

RESULTS

Both scoring systems had good observer agreement.

VALIDATION DATA

Scoring was most effective with endometrial thickness (ET) ≥ 8 mm. Both scoring systems were well calibrated and performed satisfactorily in women with ET ≥ 8 mm. The sensitivity and specificity of a score of ≥ 2 points in system A were 92% and 84%; the respective values were 89% and 88% in system B.

CONCLUSIONS

Scoring was highly efficient in identifying EC/AH. Four risk groups of EC/AH may guide the management of women with PMB: very low (ET < 4 mm), low (ET 4-7.9 mm), intermediate (ET ≥ 8 mm and score < 2 points) and high risk (ET ≥ 8 mm and score ≥ 2 points).

Risk factors for readmission in patients with ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal carcinoma who are receiving front-line chemotherapy on a clinical trial (GOG 218): an NRG oncology/gynecologic oncology group study (ADS-1236)

BACKGROUND

Readmission within 30days is a measure of care quality. Ovarian cancer patients are at high risk for readmission, but specific risk factors are not defined. This study was designed to determine risk factors in patients with ovarian cancer receiving upfront surgery and chemotherapy.

METHODS

The study population was enrolled to GOG 0218. Factors predictive of admission within 30days of a previous admission or 40days of cytoreductive surgery were investigated. Categorical variables were compared by Pearson chi-square test, continuous variables by Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate independent prognostic factors and to estimate covariate-adjusted odds. All tests were two-tailed, α=0.05.

RESULTS

Of 1873 patients, 197 (10.5%) were readmitted, with 59 experiencing >1 readmission. One-hundred-forty-four (73%) readmissions were post-operative (readmission rate 7.7%). Significant risk factors include: disease stage (stage 3 vs 4, p=0.008), suboptimal cytoreduction (36% vs 64%, p=0.001), ascites, (p=0.018), BMI (25.4 vs 27.6, p<0.001), poor PS (p<0.001), and higher baseline CA 125 (p=0.017). Patients readmitted within 40days of surgery had a significantly shorter interval from surgery to chemotherapy initiation (22 versus 32days, p<0.0001). Patients treated with bevacizumab had higher readmission rates in the case of patients with >1 readmission. On multivariate analysis, the odds of re-hospitalization increased with doubling of BMI (OR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.07-3.07) and PS of 2 (OR=2.05, 95% CI 1.21-3.48).

CONCLUSION

Significant risk factors for readmission in ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary surgery and chemotherapy include stage, residual disease, ascites, high BMI and poor PS. Readmissions are most likely after the initial surgical procedure, a discrete period to target with a prospective intervention.

Biliary tract intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: Report of 19 cases

AIM: To gain a better understanding of biliary tract intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (BT-IPMN).

METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2013, 19 cases of BT-IPMN were retrospectively identified from a total of 343 biliary tract tumors resected in our single institution. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, pathology, surgical strategies, and long-term follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 19 BT-IPMN cases was 53.8 years (range: 25-74 years). The most common symptom was abdominal pain (15/19; 78.9%), followed by jaundice (7/19; 36.8%). Cholangitis was associated with most (16/19; 84.2%) of the BT-IPMN cases. Macroscopically visible mucin was detected in all 19 patients, based on original surgical reports. The most common abnormal preoperative imaging findings for BT-IPMN were bile duct dilation (19/19; 100%) and intraluminal masses (10/19; 52.6%). Thirteen (68.4%) cases involved the intrahepatic bile duct and hilum. We performed left hepatectomy in 11/19 (57.9%), right hepatectomy in 2/19 (10.5%), bile duct resection in 4/19 (21.1%), and pancreatoduodenectomy in 1/19 (5.3%) patients. One (5.3%) patient was biopsied and received a choledochojejunostomy because of multiple tumors involving the right extrahepatic and left intrahepatic bile ducts. Histology showed malignancy in 10/19 (52.6%) patients. The overall median survival was 68 mo. The benign cases showed a non-significant trend towards improved survival compared to malignant cases (68 mo vs 48 mo, P = 0.347). The patient without tumor resection died of liver failure 22 mo after palliative surgery.

CONCLUSION: BT-IPMN is a rare biliary entity. Complete resection of the tumor is associated with good survival, even in patients with malignant disease.

A 28-year-old pregnant woman with a very rare cause of jugular vein thrombosis

During pregnancy, venous thrombosis of the distal extremities is not uncommon. However, thrombosis in the upper part of the body, such as jugular vein thrombosis, is rare. If underlying causes such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) or septic thrombophlebitis (Lemierre's syndrome) are excluded, a serous borderline ovary tumour (BOT) must be considered and MR imaging of the abdomen could be performed to find a primary tumour mass.

Localized type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis superimposed upon preexisting intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms

A 70-year-old woman was found to have 2 cystic lesions in the head of the pancreas on abdominal ultrasonography during a routine medical examination. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed multilocular cysts in the head of the pancreas without dilation of the main pancreatic duct. The patient was followed-up semiannually with imaging studies for suspected branch duct-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). At 3 years after initial presentation, hypoechoic lesions were observed around each pancreatic cyst by EUS. Diffusion-weighted imaging showed high-intensity regions corresponding to these lesions. Therefore, a diagnosis of invasive carcinoma derived from IPMN could not be excluded, and subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The macroscopic examination of the surgical specimen showed whitish solid masses in the head of the pancreas, with multilocular cysts within each mass. Microscopically, each solid mass consisted of inflammatory cells such as lymphocytes and plasma cells. Furthermore, immunochemical staining revealed immunoglobulin G4-positive cells, and many obliterating phlebitides were observed. The cysts consisted of mucus-producing epithelial cells and showed a papillary growth pattern. Based on these findings, we diagnosed multiple localized type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis occurring only in the vicinity of the branch duct-type IPMN.

Serous cystic neoplasms of the whole pancreas in a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease

We describe here a case of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease with a serous cystic neoplasm of the whole pancreas. The patient was a 35-year-old woman suffering from a palpable abdominal tumor. She had a history of hemangioblastomas of the cerebellum. CT revealed large solid tumors in the pancreatic head and body, and multiple cystic lesions in the whole pancreas as well as a right renal tumor. When endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed, bleeding from the duodenal papilla was detected. Since she had some distinguishing clinical features, the diagnosis of VHL disease was made. The preoperative diagnosis of the pancreatic lesion was serous cystic neoplasms with hemosuccus pancreaticus and total pancreatectomy was performed. Histological examination of the specimen revealed serous cystic neoplasms which occupied the entire pancreas. VHL cases operated on for serous cystic neoplasms of the entire pancreas are very rare.