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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer care had to be reorganized; national and international recommendations were published to manage anticancer treatments safely and to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for patients and health workers. Objective: To evaluate whether the adoption of recommendations for the management of patients with gynaecologic cancer receiving treatment during the pandemic resulted in containment of infections and continuing oncologic care. Methods: Based on the published recommendations, and according to the local Health Direction guidelines, we developed and drafted a security protocol to modify access of patients with gynaecologic cancer to the "Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli-IRCCS, Rome" between February 1 and April 30, 2020 and compared results with the corresponding 3 months of 2019. Results: Between February and April 2019, we registered 3254 admissions, including 2253 patients receiving intravenous chemotherapies, 298 receiving oral therapies, and 703 having hospital visits. Between February and April 2020, we registered 3213 admissions, including 2221 patients receiving intravenous chemotherapies, 401 receiving oral therapies, and 591 having hospital visits. Oral treatments and general visits were different in the two time periods (p<0.001). Despite the elevated patient flow, only one patient (0.1%) tested positive for COVID-19 and there were no cases among healthcare staff. Conclusions: Based on the adopted security protocol we provided continuity of care for all patients and limited the spread of the COVID-19 infection.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women and the most lethal gynaecologic malignancy. Most women with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer will experience many episodes of recurrent disease with progressively shorter disease-free intervals. For women whose disease continues to respond to platinum-based drugs, the disease can often be controlled for 5 years or more. Enormous progress has been made in the management of this disease, and new targeted treatments such as antiangiogenic drugs, poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors offer potential for improved survival. A variety of combination strategies are being evaluated to leverage these agents. The objective of this review is to summarize results from clinical trials that tested cytotoxic drugs and target strategies for the treatment of ovarian cancer with particular attention to Phase III and ongoing trials.

Introduction To identify a subset of cervical cancer (CC) patients administered chemoradiation (CT/RT) plus radical surgery (RS), who can be spared lymphadenectomy, and complications. Patients and methods 430 Stage IB2-IIB patients without LN involvement at imaging were accrued (March 1996–December 2015) at Gynecologic Oncology Unit of the Catholic University of Rome/Campobasso. CT/RT consisted of pelvic irradiation plus cisplatin based chemotherapy. Objective response was evaluated according to RECIST criteria; radical hysterectomy and pelvic ± aortic lymphadenectomy was attempted in patients achieving response or stable disease. Surgical morbidity was classified according to the Chassagne grading system. Results 421 cases underwent RS; metastatic pelvic and aortic LNs were documented in 10.7%, and 8.8% of cases, respectively. In patients without residual tumor in the cervix, there was only 1 case (0.53%) with positive pelvic LNs, and 1 case (2.3%) with metastatic aortic LNs. Analysis of patients according to pre- and post-CT/RT imaging was able to select cases without any metastatic LNs: in patients with negative pelvic LNs at pre- and post-CT/RT imaging, none of cases without residual disease in the cervix had metastatic pelvic or aortic LNs. Of 149 early complications, 76 (51.0%) were lymphovascular. The most frequent late complications were lymphovascular (N = 25/61, 41.0%). Conclusion Lymphadenectomy could be avoided in stage IB2-IIB CC patients undergoing preoperative CT/RT, when a careful evaluation of pre- and post-CT/RT imaging and histological assessment of no residual disease in the cervix is made. This approach may avoid lymphadenectomy in 40% of patients with a favourable impact on lymphovascular morbidity.

Background Trabectedin (T) plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is approved for treatment of platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC). Despite the recommendations and guidelines, variations in managing T/PLD administration in routine clinical practice cannot be excluded. We aimed at setting up an Italian survey collecting data about management of T/PLD administration in ROC patients. Methods We carried out the development of a questionnaire-based survey on routine clinical practice in the management of ROC patients administered T/PLD. The survey registered the physicians' approach to modification/discontinuation of treatment, type of modifications, reasons why, and so on. The survey was transmitted to medical oncologists and gynecologic oncologists practicing in national centers/institutions. Results Fifty-eight Italian centers/institutions returned the compiled questionnaire; participants practiced at community cancer centers or hospitals (56.9%), academic institutions (36.2%), and other settings (private clinics, etc) (6.9%). There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of practice setting according to geographic areas. Most responders were medical oncologists (84.5%) and were members (82.8%) of at least 1 scientific society or cooperative group. Almost 31.5% of responders reported interruption of the whole treatment, mostly because of toxicity (41.2%), followed by patients' choice (29.4%), or achievement of clinical benefit (23.5%). Dose reduction was referred by 47.4% of responders. Reduction of dose for both drugs was referred by 88.5% of responders, and the extent of dose reduction ranged between 10% and 30%. Conclusions This survey highlights the gaps in transposing evidence-based or consensus guidelines in the real-world management of T/PLD administration; these findings could be useful in order to focus the attention on specific knowledge and/or experience gaps and plan pertinent educational programs.