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Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic potential of PET/MRI with [F]FDG in recurrent ovarian and cervical cancer in comparison to PET/CT. Methods: A group of 19 patients with suspected recurrence of pelvic malignancies (ovarian cancer, 11 patients; cervical cancer, 8 patients) scheduled for an [F]FDG PET/CT were subsequently enrolled for a PET/MRI. The scan protocol comprised: (1) a T1-W axial VIBE after contrast agent adminstration, (2) an axial T2-W HASTE, (3) a coronal TIRM, (4) an axial DWI, and dedicated MR sequences of the female pelvis including (5) a T1-W VIBE before contrast agent adminstration, (6) a sagittal T2-W TSE, and (7) a sagittal T1-W dynamic VIBE. The datasets (PET/CT, PET/MRI) were rated separately by two readers regarding lesion count, lesion localization, lesion conspicuity (four-point scale), lesion characterization (benign/malignant/indeterminate) and diagnostic confidence (three-point scale). All available data (histology, prior examinations, PET/CT, PET/MRI, follow-up examinations) served as standard of reference. Median values were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: Metastatic lesions were present in 16 of the 19 patients. A total of 78 lesions (malignant, 58; benign, 20) were described. Both PET/CT and PET/MRI allowed correct identification of all malignant lesions and provided equivalent conspicuity (3.86 ± 0.35 for PET/CT, 3.91 ± 0.28 for PET/MRI; p > 0.05). Diagnostic confidence was significantly higher for PET/MRI in malignant ( p < 0.01) and benign lesions ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Both PET/CT and PET/MRI offer an equivalently high diagnostic value for recurrent pelvic malignancies. PET/MRI offers higher diagnostic confidence in the discrimination of benign and malignant lesions. Considering the reduced radiation dose and superior lesion discrimination, PET/MRI may serve as a powerful alternative to PET/CT in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the present study, we examined the methylation status of six gene promoters (BRCA1, CST6, MGMT, RASSF10, SLFN11 and USP44) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). We evaluated the prognostic significance of DNA methylation of these six gene promoters in primary tumors (FFPEs) and plasma cfDNA samples from patients with early, advanced and metastatic HGSOC. We report for the first time that the DNA methylation of SLFN11 in plasma cfDNA was significantly correlated with worse PFS (p = 0.045) in advanced stage HGSOC. Our results strongly indicate that SLFN11 epigenetic inactivation could serve as a potential prognostic DNA methylation biomarker and a predictor of resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer. Background: Epigenetic alterations in ctDNA are highly promising as a source of novel potential liquid biopsy biomarkers and comprise a very promising liquid biopsy approach in ovarian cancer, for early diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment. Methods: In the present study, we examined the methylation status of six gene promoters (BRCA1, CST6, MGMT, RASSF10, SLFN11 and USP44) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). We evaluated the prognostic significance of DNA methylation of these six gene promoters in primary tumors (FFPEs) and plasma cfDNA samples from patients with early, advanced and metastatic HGSOC. Results: We report for the first time that the DNA methylation of SLFN11 in plasma cfDNA was significantly correlated with worse PFS (p = 0.045) in advanced stage HGSOC. Conclusions: Our results strongly indicate that SLFN11 epigenetic inactivation could be a predictor of resistance to platinum drugs in ovarian cancer. Our results should be further validated in studies based on a larger cohort of patients, in order to further explore whether the DNA methylation of SLFN11 promoter could serve as a potential prognostic DNA methylation biomarker and a predictor of resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cancer-field surgery by peritoneal mesometrial resection and targeted compartmental lymphadenectomy (PMMR+TCL) for the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC) aims at optimal locoregional tumor control without the need for adjuvant radiotherapy. In a previous publication we could demonstrate the feasibility of the method and presented encouraging first oncologic data., Methods: Following up our 2021 publication, we present data on the treatment of EC by PMMR+TCL in much larger cohort and with longer follow-up., Results: One hundred and thirty-five patients with EC International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) I-IV (75.6% FIGO I) underwent cancer field surgery via PMMR+TCL for EC in the years 2016-2023. Mean follow-up in our cohort was 27.5 months (0, 83; 19.7). The procedure was feasible and safe with favorable intra-and postoperative complication rates. Even though 50.4% of patients had an indication for postoperative radiotherapy following national and international guidelines, the rate of postoperative irradiation administered was 10.4%. The overall recurrence rate was 8.1% and we observed 2 (1.5%) isolated locoregional recurrences., Conclusion: Our results confirm the feasibility and safety of PMMR+TCL in EC patients. Oncologic data are very encouraging and hint at a superior locoregional control without adjuvant irradiation. Larger studies with longer follow-up will be needed to confirm these results., Competing Interests: Rainer Kimmig declares Proctoring and Presentations for Intuitive Surgical Inc., Advisory Board and Presentations for Medtronic; Advisory Board for Medicaroid. The other authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024. Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology, and Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology.)

Anatomical and functional aspects of the lymphatic drainage of the uterine corpus in endometrial cancer are demonstrated. Main lymphatic pathway runs along the upper pelvic pathway from the uterine artery first line to the medial external iliac nodes, followed by the lateral external and common iliac node basin. The second important pathway runs along the ovarian vessels directly to the paraaortic nodes. Pathways may visualized best by injection of indocyanine green (ICG) into the uterus. In contrast to the upper pelvic pathway visualized by cervical injection, the paraaortic drainage can only be marked by corporal injection. Lymphatic drainage works downstream (peripheral to central, with respect to vascular valves) only. Clinically, pelvic sentinel node excision replaced systematic lymphadenectomy for diagnostic purposes and even paraaortic node staging can be omitted in most of pelvic node negative patients. For therapeutic purposes compartmental resection of the uterus together with its lymphovascular system and first line nodes "en bloc" could be an option as performed in peritoneal mesometrial resection/targeted compartmental lymphadenctomy (PMMR/TCL)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Rainer Kimmig declares potential conflicts of interest: presentations, advisory boards, proctorings, travel fees for Intuitive Surgical, Medtronic, Medicaroid, Cambridge Medical Robotics, Avatera, Cava Robotics and Active Surgical. Fabinshi Thangarajah and Paul Buderath declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Peritoneal mesometrial resection (PMMR) plus targeted compartmental lymphadenectomy (TCL) aims at removal of the locoregional cancer field in endometrial cancer (EC). Optimal locoregional control without adjuvant radiotherapy should be achieved concomitantly sparing systematic lymphadenectomy (LNE) for most of the patients. However, intermediate/high-risk EC is often definitely diagnosed postoperatively in simple hysterectomy specimen. Our aim was to evaluate feasibility and safety of a completing PMMR + TCL in patients following prior hysterectomy., Methods: We evaluated data from 32 patients with intermediate/high-risk EC treated with PMMR + TCL or systematic pelvic and periaortic LNE following prior hysterectomy. Perioperative data on disease characteristics and morbidity were collected and patients were contacted for follow-up to determine the recurrence and survival status., Results: We report data from 32 patients with a mean follow-up of 31.7 months. The recurrence rate was 12.5% (4/32) without any isolated locoregional recurrences. Only 21.9% of patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Rates of intra- and postoperative complications were 6.3% and 18.8%, respectively., Conclusion: Our data suggest that robotic PMMR can be performed following prior hysterectomy when previously unknown risk factors arise, albeit with a moderate increase in morbidity. Moreover, despite a relevant reduction of adjuvant radiotherapy, follow-up data suggest an excellent locoregional control even without adjuvant radiotherapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: We recently showed that the presence of ERCC1+CTCs is an independent predictive biomarker for platinum-resistance and poor prognosis of ovarian cancer. The goal of our current research was to determine how the auxiliary assessment of ERCC1-transcripts influences overall CTC-detection rate. We extended this investigation from an initially predictive setting to paired pre- and post-therapeutic blood analysis in order to see, whether ERCC1+CTCs dynamics mirror response to chemotherapy., Methods: 65 Paired blood samples (10ml) of primary ovarian cancer patients at primary diagnosis and after chemotherapy were studied for CTCs with the AdnaTest Ovarian Cancer (QIAGEN Hannover GmbH). We analyzed the tumor-associated transcripts EpCAM, MUC-1 and CA-125. ERCC1-transcripts were investigated in a separate approach by singleplex RT-PCR., Results: Auxiliary assessment of ERCC1-transcripts enhanced the overall CTC-detection rate up to 17%. ERCC1+CTCs (defined as positive for one of the AdnaTest markers plus ERCC1-positivity) were detected in 15% of patients at primary diagnosis and in 12% after chemotherapy. The presence of ERCC1+CTCs after chemotherapy correlated with platinum-resistance (P=0.01), reduced PFS (P=0.0293) and OS (P=0.0008) and their persistence indicated poor post-therapeutic outcome (PFS: P=0.005; OS: P=0.0058). Interestingly, the assessment of ERCC1-transcripts alone was sufficient for the detection of prognostic relevant ERCC1-expressing CTCs., Conclusion: Auxiliary assessment of ERCC1-transcripts expands the phenotypic spectrum of CTC detection and defines an additional overlapping fraction of ERCC1-expressing CTCs, which are potentially selected by platinum-based chemotherapy. Specifically, we suggest that ERCC1+CTCs could additionally be useful as a surrogate for monitoring platinum-based chemotherapy and to assess the post-therapeutic outcome of ovarian cancer.

TFeasibility and favorable short term outcome with respect to complications has been already convincingly shown for robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy. With respect to oncological safety there are at present only few studies mainly retrospectively. However, these seem to confirm the data from classical laparoscopic surgery that oncological outcome is not impaired by minimal-invasive surgery. Since robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy is in fact technically supported laparoscopic radical hysterectomy it is reasonable to assume that results are at least equal compared to the classical laparoscopic approach.