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Objective: Gynecological sarcomas account for 3% of all gynecological malignancies and are associated with a poor prognosis. Due to the rarity and heterogeneity of gynecological sarcomas there is still no consensus on optimal therapeutic strategies. This study's objective was to describe the treatment strategies used in patients with gynecological sarcomas in the primary course of disease., Methods: The German prospective registry for gynecological sarcoma (REGSA) is the largest registry for gynecological sarcomas in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Primary inclusion criteria for REGSA are histological diagnosis of sarcoma of the female genital tract, sarcoma of the breast or uterine smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP). We evaluated data of the REGSA registry on therapeutic strategies used for primary treatment from August 2015 to February 2021., Results: A total of 723 patients from 120 centers were included. Data on therapeutic strategies for primary treatment were available in 605 cases. Overall, 580 (95.9%) patients underwent primary surgery, 472 (81.4%) of whom underwent only hysterectomy. Morcellation was reported in 11.4% (n=54) of all hysterectomies. A total of 42.8% (n=202) had no further surgical interventions, whereas an additional salpingo-ophorectomy was performed in 54% (n=255) of patients. An additional lymphadenectomy was performed in 12.7% (n=60), an omentectomy in 9.5% (n=45) and intestinal resection in 6.1% (n=29) of all patients. Among 448 patients with available information, 21.4% (n=96) received chemo- or targeted therapies, more commonly as single-agent treatment than as drug combinations. Information about anti-hormonal treatment was available for 423 patients, among which 42 (9.9%) received anti-hormonal treatment, 23 (54.8%) of whom with low-grade endometrial stroma sarcomas. For radiotherapy, data of 437 patients were available, among which 29 (6.6%) patients underwent radiotherapy., Conclusion: Our study showed that treatment of patients with gynecologic sarcomas is heterogeneous. Further trials are needed along with more information on treatment modalities, therapy response and patient-reported outcomes to implement new treatment strategies., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© IGCS and ESGO 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become the standard approach in early stage cervical cancer (ECC). However, the recently published "LACC" trial and even others could show inferior PFS and OS of MIS compared to open radical hysterectomy. The results led to a widespread debate about the best surgical approach in ECC. The present survey aimed to get first insights after publication. NOGGO and AGE conducted a nationwide digital survey among 186 Gynecological Cancer Centers. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were performed using SPSS. A majority of the centers were of high expertise and/or experience in treatment of ECC and were highly aware of the LACC trial results. Trial quality and scientific value were rated as very good/good. However, still 40% would not change the standard of care to open surgery. Centers with higher volume and participating in clinical trials were more likely to change. This survey represents insights after the surprising results of recently published trials towards the surgical approach of ECC. There still seems to be a high need of future trials and possible explanations for the unexpected worse outcomes in the MIS group.

Background: Despite an increasing incidence with simultaneous decreasing age of onset, vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) is still a disease that mainly effects the elderly population. Data on the association of age with prognosis and treatment patterns in VSCC are sparse., Methods: This is an analysis of the AGO-CaRE-1 cohort. Patients with VSCC (FIGO stage ≥1B), treated at 29 cancer centers in Germany from 1998 to 2008, were included in a centralized database (n = 1618). In this subgroup analysis patients were analyzed according to age [<50 yrs. (n = 220), 50-69 yrs. (n = 506), ≥70 yrs. (n = 521)] with regard to treatment patterns and prognosis. Only patients with documented age, surgical groin staging and known nodal status were included (n = 1247). Median follow-up was 27.5 months., Results: At first diagnosis, women ≥70 yrs. presented with more advanced tumor stages (<0.001), larger tumor diameter (<0.001), poorer ECOG status (<0.001), more frequent HPV negative tumors (p = 0.03) as well as a higher rate of nodal involvement (<0.001). Disease recurrence occurred significantly more often in elderly patients (p = 0.001) and age as well as ECOG status, microscopic residual resection, tumor stage, grading, and (chemo)radiation were independent prognostic factors for death or recurrence in multivariate analysis. 2-year disease-free survival rates were 59.3% (≥70 yrs), 65.8% (50-69 yrs) and 81.1% (<50 yrs), respectively (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Older women with VSCC present with advanced tumor stages at first diagnosis and have an increased risk of recurrence as well as a decreased 2-year DFS in comparison to younger patients. Potential reasons could be self-awareness and/or more aggressive tumor biology due to HPV independent disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Dr. Prieske reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Molecular Health,Gsk, Roche, Clovis Oncology outside the submitted work. Prof. Woelber reports grants from medac oncology, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from med update GmbH, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from medac oncology, personal fees from promedics GmbH, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from Roche, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from Tesaro, personal fees from Teva, personal fees from OmniaMed, personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from Greiner, outside the submitted work; Prof. Hilpert discloses personal fees and other from AstraZeneca, Tesaro/ Gsk, PharmaMar, Roche, Clovis and MSD outside the submitted work. Dr. DeGregorio reports personal fees non-financial support from AstraZeneca, Roche, Gsk and MSD as well as personal fees from Clovis and Amgen outside the submitted work. Dr. Harter reports grants and personal fees from Astra Zeneca, grants and personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Sotio, grants and personal fees from Tesaro, personal fees from Stryker, personal fees from Zai Lab, personal fees from MSD, grants and personal fees from Public funding (ASCO, DKH, DFG), personal fees from Clovis, personal fees from Immunogen, grants and personal fees from GSK, grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, grants from Medac, grants from Genmab, outside the submitted work. Prof. Mahner reports grants and personal fees from MEDAC, during the conduct of the study; grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Clovis, grants and personal fees from Medac, grants and personal fees from MSD, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Olympus Europa, grants and personal fees from PharmaMar, grants and personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Sensor Kinesis, grants and personal fees from TESARO, grants and personal fees from Teva, personal fees from AbbVie, personal fees from GSK, personal fees from Pfizer, outside the submitted work; All other authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The aim of this study was to test if maternal serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) predicts abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) better. Secondary objective was to test whether the serum levels of VEGF and NT-proBNP can predict the degree of invasion. In a multicenter case-control study design, gestational age-matched serum samples from pregnant women with AIP (n = 44) and uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 55) who had been enrolled at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany and Centre Hospitalier Régional de la Citadelle in Liège, Belgium were analyzed. Maternal blood serum VEGF and NT-proBNP levels were immunoassayed from samples taken immediately before delivery (GA median: 35 weeks). Biomarker levels were compared between AIP and control group. The correlation of biomarker levels with the clinical AIP degree was assessed. The predictive biomarker ability was characterized through a multivariate regression model and receiver operating characteristic curves. Women with AIP had significantly lower maternal serum VEGF levels (AIP mean 285 pg/ml, 95% CI 248-322, vs. control: 391 pg/ml, 95% CI 356-426, p < 0.01) and higher NT-proBNP levels (AIP median 329 pg/ml, IQR 287-385, vs. control 295 pg/ml, IQR 273-356, p = 0.03). Maternal serum VEGF levels were able to predict AIP better (AUC = 0.729, 0.622-0.836, p < 0.001; VEGF + number of previous cesarean deliveries: AUC = 0.915, 0.853-0.977, p < 0.001). Maternal serum VEGF levels correlated inversely with the clinical AIP degree (r = - 0.32, p < 0.01). In short, maternal serum VEGF, more than NT-proBNP, can help in predicting AIP and hints at the degree of invasion.

Background: A Total Retroperitoneal en bloc resection Of Multivisceral-Peritoneal packet (TROMP operation) is a no-touch isolation technique in a retroperitoneal space to resect the parietal peritoneum and the affected organs in advanced ovarian cancer. The study prescribed and analysed the results of this novel technique for primary cytoreductive surgery., Methods: The study included 208 patients operated between January 2015 and December 2017 in Charité, Berlin. The TROMP operation was performed in 58 patients, whereas the other 150 patients were operated with the conventional cytoreductive method., Results: The complete tumor resection rate accounts for 87.9% in TROMP group and 61.3% in the conventional surgery group. (p=0.001). This difference was even stronger in the sub-group of very advanced stages (T3c+T4) (85.1% of TROMP group and in only 53.1% in the conventional surgery group, p=0.001). The duration of the primary cytoreductive surgery was about 33 minutes shorter in TROMP group (median: 335 minutes vs 368 minutes; TROMP vs conventional, respectively) in spite of the fact that the most advanced cytoreductive procedures were performed statically significant more in TROMP operation arm in comparison with the conventional surgery arm. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the postoperative complication, blood loss or the length of stay in intensive care unit., Conclusion: Total retroperitoneal en bloc resection of multivisceral-peritoneal packet (TROMP operation) is a feasible and very effective technique of surgical therapy in advanced ovarian cancer. This technique increased the complete tumor resection rate to 87.9% without increasing the blood loss, postoperative complications or the duration of surgery. A prospective randomized study is advised to validate these results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: M-ZM is an adviser for Stryker. In the last 2 years he has received honoraria from Olympus, Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson), Roche and AstraZeneca. JS has received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Eisai, Clovis, Olympus, Johnson & Johnson, PharmaMar, Pfizer, TEVA, TESARO, and MSD, and performs advisory roles for AstraZeneca, Clovis, Lilly, PharmaMar, Pfizer, Roche, TESARO, and MSD. He has received research funding (not for this study) from AstraZeneca, Clovis, Merck, Bayer, PharmaMar, Pfizer, TESARO, and MSD. He has disclosed travel, accommodation, and other expenses paid or reimbursed by AstraZeneca, Clovis, PharmaMar, Roche, Pfizer, TESARO, and MSD, and were part of his scientific activities in the last 2 years. AM, RR and JM have no conflicts of interest., (© IGCS and ESGO 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aim: The purpose of this study was to establish and analyze the laparoscopic technique of radical hysterectomy and para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy and to retrospectively evaluate its feasibility and morbidity., Patients and Methods: During a one-year period 12 patients underwent laparoscopic radical surgical procedures for cervical or endometrial cancer. All our patients underwent radical pelvic lymphadenectomy, whereas we performed radical para-aortic lymphadenectomy-alone in five patients and radical type-C hysterectomy in eight patients., Results: The mean operating time for para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy was 120 and 152 minutes respectively, and 153.75 minutes for type C hysterectomy. A mean of 41.6 pelvic lymph nodes and 21.2 para-aortic lymph nodes were removed. The mean extensions of parametrium in laparoscopic radical hysterectomy type C were 45×30 mm., Conclusion: Following a short learning curve, laparoscopic para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy is a safe and effective technique for staging cervical, and endometrial cancer.

Aim: To gain more information about the knowledge of the clinical management of uterine sarcoma., Materials and Methods: This survey was performed among members of the North-Eastern German Society of Gynecological Oncology (NOGGO) and the German Society of Psychosomatic Medicine in Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGPFG) on the treatment of uterine sarcomas., Results: Altogether, 374 gynecologists took part. When asked about the surgical therapy of leiomyosarcoma, 64% indicated hysterectomy with bilateral adenectomy and lymph node dissection. Answers on the extent of lymphadenectomy in leiomyosarcoma differed widely. When asked about the preferred chemotherapy regimen for metastatic uterine sarcoma, more than 60% of all gynecologists would not apply any chemotherapy. Almost 40% recommended any kind of radiotherapy in this situation., Conclusion: There is a great uncertainty about the standard treatment of uterine sarcoma, even among specialists of gynecological oncology. It is time for organized efforts to improve the treatment of uterine sarcoma.

Purpose: To gather standardized information about current practices and doctors' opinions on preoperative hair removal (PHR) from the surgical site and to evaluate the extent of PHR as one of the elements of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways that is established in the clinical routine in gynecology and gynecology-oncology departments in Germany.Methods: We performed a nationwide survey among 638 primary, secondary and tertiary health care gynecological departments in Germany. Data were obtained by sending a multiple-choice questionnaire about preoperative management of hair removal. The authors also evaluated the awareness of doctors regarding PHR as well as the method and time frames of PHR. The results were compared to the existing standard of procedure (SOP) and guidelines.Results: 148 units (23.2%) took part in the survey; participants in the survey were mostly chief physicians in 47.3% of the cases. Half (50.7%) of all the responses came from certified gynecological cancer centers. A SOP regarding PHR was reported as present in 113 clinics (76.4%). 83.8% of all units are performing PHR for midline laparotomy, 52.7% in laparoscopic operations, and 45.3% in vaginal operations. 48% used a clipper, while 43.2% utilized a single-use razor. 56.1% shaved instantly before the operation, whereas 35.8% did it the day before and earlier. 40.3% of chief physicians believe that PHR causes more surgical site infections (SSI) compared to only 11.5% of junior doctors.Conclusion: PHR in gynecological departments in Germany is performed very heterogeneously and SOPs are often not based on guidelines and ERAS principles. Around one-third of the German gynecological clinics keep strictly to the guidelines. The awareness on PHR and SSI among junior doctors is very low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]