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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment for ovarian cysts, which are developed during tamoxifen use due to breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study including the patients who were under tamoxifen treatment due to stage I-III breast cancer and who were administered leuprolide acetate for ovarian cysts with low malignancy risk between 2012-2020. RESULTS: Leuprolide acetate was administered to a total of 16 patients with ovarian cysts. The median age was 39.5 (33-52), the median size of the ovarian cyst was 42.5 (39-79) mm, and the median duration of tamoxifen use was 22 (7-36) months. Leuprolide acetate was administered at doses of 3.75 mg for 1 month at 10 (62.5%) patients, 7.5 mg in two months at 3 (18.75%) patients, and 11.25 mg in three months at 3 (18.75%) patients. Ovarian cysts were regressed after treatment at 13 patients, while 3 patients underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: Leuprolide acetate can be used as an option in the treatment of ovarian cysts that develop in breast cancer patients under tamoxifen therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our goal was to address the safety of major gynaecologic cancer surgery without routine preoperative COVID-19 testing in the COVID-19 era. The databases of seven gynaecologic cancer centres were searched in order to identify all consecutive gynaecologic cancer patients undergoing major surgery between March 11, 2020 and May 15, 2020 for this retrospective, case-control study. The case group consisted of patients with histopathologically confirmed gynaecologic cancers, and each case was matched with two counterparts who had undergone primary surgery before the COVID-19 pandemic. The case and the control groups were compared in terms of length of hospital stay, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), intraoperative and postoperative complications. During the study period, 154 women with gynaecologic cancer undergoing major surgery were identified. Although the case group had more co-morbidities compared to the control group (103/154 vs. 178/308, respectively; p =.04), the median length of hospital stays, the rate of ICU admission, intraoperative complication rates and postoperative complication rates were similar in the two groups. Gynaecologic cancer surgery may be performed safely in the COVID-19 era with similar rates of ICU admission, intraoperative and postoperative complications compared to the patients operated before the COVID-19 pandemic. What is already known on this subject? Many societies have announced their guidelines about the surgical management of gynaecologic cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, most of them are not evidence-based and mostly on expert opinions. What do the results of this study add? The main findings of this retrospective, case-control study indicate that the short-term (30 day) outcomes of gynaecologic cancer patients undergoing major surgery in the COVID-19 era are similar to those who had been operated before the COVID-19 pandemic. The length of hospital stays, the rates of admission to the ICU, intraoperative and postoperative complications were comparable between women undergoing major gynaecologic cancer surgery in the COVID-19 era and the women who had been operated before the pandemic. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We can suggest that definitive surgery may be performed for gynaecologic cancer patients in the COVID-19 era if the resources permit and appropriate precautions such as social distancing, isolation and the use of personal protective equipment are taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate the prognostic factors of the elderly group and their effects on survival by examining the histopathological features, surgical treatment protocols, and treatment modalities of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: The records of 397 EC patients who completed their treatment and follow-up at a single center between 2012 and 2019 were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were evaluated in two groups as <70 years old (n: 301; 75.8%) and >70 years old (n: 96; 24.2%). Following the evaluation of histopathological features and treatment protocols, independent risk factors influencing survival were investigated with the Cox regression model. RESULTS: The incidence of non-endometrioid histology (16.3% vs. 32.3%, p: 0.001), high-grade tumors (50.5% vs. 69.8%; p: 0.001), and >50 myometrial invasion (19.6% vs. 36.5%, p: 0.003) in the >70 age group was more frequent than that in the <70 age group. The independent risk factors on overall survival in the >70 age group were determined as non-endometrioid histology (HR: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.4-24.7) and lymph node metastasis (HR: 6.4; 95% CI: 1.6-25.0). In the <70 age group, non-endometrioid histology (HR: 11.3; 95% CI: 4.0-32.0) was identified as the only independent risk factor affecting 5-year survival. CONCLUSION: EC, with non-endometrioid histology, which is observed at a higher rate in elderly patients despite equal surgery and adjuvant therapy, is the primary factor that affects survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 683 patients with endometrial cancer (EC) after comprehensive surgical staging were classified into four risk groups as low (LR), intermediate (IR), high-intermediate (HIR) and high-risk (HR), according to the recent consensus risk grouping. Patients with disease confined to the uterus, ≥50% myometrial invasion (MI) and/or grade 3 histology were treated with vaginal brachytherapy (VBT). Patients with stage II disease, positive/close surgical margins or extra-uterine extension were treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT)±VBT. The median follow-up was 56 months. The overall survival (OS) was significantly different between LR and HR groups, and there was a trend between LR and HIR groups. Relapse-free survival (RFS) was significantly different between LR and HIR, LR and HR and IR and HR groups. There was no significant difference in OS and RFS rates between the HIR and HR groups. In HR patients, the OS and RFS rates were significantly higher in stage IB - grade 3 and stage II compared to stage III and non-endometrioid histology without any difference between the two uterine-confined stages and between stage III and non-endometrioid histology. The current risk grouping does not clearly discriminate the HIR and IR groups. In patients with comprehensive surgical staging, a further risk grouping is needed to distinguish the real HR group.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? The standard treatment for endometrial cancer (EC) is surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and/or chemotherapy is recommended according to risk factors. The recent European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) guideline have introduced a new risk group. However, the risk grouping is still quite heterogeneous.What do the results of this study add? This study demonstrated that the current risk grouping recommended by ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO does not clearly discriminate the intermediate risk (IR) and high-intermediate risk (HIR) groups.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Based on the results of this study, a new risk grouping can be made to discriminate HIR and IR groups clearly in patients with comprehensive surgical staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine factors influencing overall survival following recurrence (OSFR) in women with low-risk endometrial cancer (EC) treated with surgery alone. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective department database review was performed to identify patients with recurrent "low-risk EC" (patients having less than 50% myometrial invasion [MMI] with grade 1 or 2 endometrioid EC) at 10 gynecologic oncology centers in Turkey. Demographic, clinicopathological, and survival data were collected. Results: We identified 67 patients who developed recurrence of their EC after initially being diagnosed and treated for low-risk EC. For the entire study cohort, the median time to recurrence (TTR) was 23 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=11.5-34.5; standard error [SE]=5.8) and the median OSFR was 59 months (95% CI=12.7-105.2; SE=23.5). We observed 32 (47.8%) isolated vaginal recurrences, 6 (9%) nodal failures, 19 (28.4%) peritoneal failures, and 10 (14.9%) hematogenous disseminations. Overall, 45 relapses (67.2%) were locoregional whereas 22 (32.8%) were extrapelvic. According to the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) Trial-99, 7 (10.4%) out of 67 women with recurrent low-risk EC were qualified as highintermediate risk (HIR). The 5-year OSFR rate was significantly higher for patients with TTR ≥36 months compared to those with TTR <36 months (74.3% compared to 33%, p=0.001). On multivariate analysis for OSFR, TTR <36 months (hazard ratio [HR]=8.46; 95% CI=1.65- 43.36; p=0.010) and presence of HIR criteria (HR=4.62; 95% CI=1.69-12.58; p=0.003) were significant predictors. Conclusion: Low-risk EC patients recurring earlier than 36 months and those carrying HIR criteria seem more likely to succumb to their tumors after recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer related death in women. Platin-based doublet regimens plus bevacizumab is standard treatment in relapse. Due to formal regulation of Turkish Ministry of Health, adjuvant bevacizumab has not been reimbursed and clinicians can use bevacizumab at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg/3wk in platin-resistant and sensitive relapse settings. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate 7.5 mg/kg/3wk bevacizumab dosing in platin-resistant and sensitive relapse ovarian cancer and compare these findings with the current literature., Methods: A total of 106 patients with relapsed ovarian cancer and treated with bevacizumab (bevacizumab is not reimbursed as a part of adjuvant treatment in Turkey) on their first relapse were included., Results: At a median follow-up of 32.1 months (5.3-110.8), 56 (52.8%) patients died. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated at 18.8 months (14.4-23.3) vs 29.7 months (24.3-35.1) of the whole group overall survival. We observed that 78.4% of patients treated with primary surgery without neoadjuvant treatment and 59 (57.8%) out of the 102 patients with debulking surgery relapsed. A significant number of patients (81%) treated with primary surgery without neoadjuvant treatment and 59 (76.6 %) had secondary debulking surgery at relapse. In relapse, 38 patients were treated with single agent liposomal doxorubicin (LPD) plus bevacizumab. On the other hand, 68 patients were treated with carboplatin and LPD plus bevacizumab. Multivariate analysis failed to show any clinicopathological characteristics with significant effect on PFS. However, cytoreductive surgery at relapse showed significant effect on OS. Bevacizumab-related toxicities were detected in 23 (21.7%) patients; hypertension, pulmonary embolism, perforation, and other toxicities (nephrotic syndrome in 2, osteonecrosis in 2, cerebrovascular and cardiac ischemia in 3 patients) were seen in 12 (11.3%), 3 (2.8%), 1 (0.9%) and 7 (6.6%) patients, respectively., Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings showed that 7.5 mg/kg/3week dosing of bevacizumab in relapsed ovarian cancer could have similar effectiveness compared to standard 15 mg/kg/3week dosing. Increase of OS and PFS in patients treated with primary and secondary debulking surgery with no-visible disease was more pronounced. No new safety information was observed but lower rate of grade 3 or above hypertension with similar rate of severe vascular and intestinal complications were detected.