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BackgroundThe Global Gynecological Oncology Surgical Outcomes Collaborative (GO SOAR) has developed a network of gynecological oncology surgeons, surgical departments, and other interested parties that have the long-term ability to collaborate on outcome studies. Presented is the protocol for the GO SOAR2 study.Primary ObjectivesTo compare survival following interval and delayed cytoreductive surgery, between delayed cytoreductive surgery and no surgery (chemotherapy alone); and international variations in access to cytoreductive surgery for women with stage III–IV epithelial ovarian cancer.Study HypothesesThere is no difference in survival following interval and delayed cytoreductive surgery; there is poorer survival with no surgery compared with delayed cytoreductive surgery; and there are international disparities in prevalent practice and access to cytoreductive surgery in women with stage III–IV epithelial ovarian cancer.Trial DesignInternational, multicenter, mixed-methods cohort study. Participating centers, will review medical charts/electronic records of patients who had been consecutively diagnosed with stage III–IV ovarian cancer between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2021. Qualitative interviews will be conducted to identify factors determining international variations in prevalent practice and access to cytoreductive surgery.Major Inclusion/Exclusion CriteriaInclusion criteria include women with stage III–IV epithelial ovarian cancer, undergoing interval (after 3–4 cycles of chemotherapy) or delayed (≥5 cycles of chemotherapy) cytoreductive surgeries or no cytoreductive surgery (≥5 cycles of chemotherapy alone).Primary EndpointsOverall survival (defined from date of diagnosis to date of death); progression-free survival (defined from date of diagnosis to date of first recurrence); facilitator/barriers to prevalent practice and access to cytoreductive surgery.Sample SizeIn order to determine whether there is a difference in survival following interval and delayed cytoreductive surgery and no surgery, data will be abstracted from 1000 patients.Estimated Dates for Completing Accrual and Presenting ResultsIt is estimated that recruitment will be completed by 2023, and results published by 2024.Trial RegistrationNCT05523804

The authors sought to describe a reverse-integration intervention aimed at improving preventive health screening in a community mental health clinic. The intervention, CRANIUM (cardiometabolic risk assessment and treatment through a novel integration model for underserved populations with mental illness), integrated primary care services into a large urban community mental health setting. It was implemented in 2015 and included a patient-centered team, population-based care, emphasis on screening, and evidence-based treatment. CRANIUM’s strengths included provider acceptability, a patient-centered approach, sustained patient engagement, and economic feasibility. Challenges included underutilized staff, registry maintenance, and unanticipated screening barriers. The CRANIUM reverse-integration model can be feasibly implemented and was acceptable to providers.

ObjectivesFrailty has been associated with worse cancer-related outcomes for people with gynecological cancers. However, the lack of clear guidance on how to assess and modify frailty prior to instigating active treatments has the potential to lead to large variations in practice and outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate current practice and perspectives of healthcare practitioners on the provision of care for patients with frailty and a gynecological cancer.MethodsData were collected via a questionnaire-based survey distributed by the Audit and Research in Gynecological Oncology (ARGO) collaborative to healthcare professionals who identified as working with patients with gynecological malignancies in the United Kingdom (UK) or Ireland. Study data were collected using REDCap software hosted at the University of Manchester. Responses were collected over a 16 week period between January and April 2021.ResultsA total of 206 healthcare professionals (30 anesthetists (14.6%), 30 pre-operative nurses (14.6%), 51 surgeons (24.8%), 34 cancer specialist nurses (16.5%), 21 medical/clinical oncologists (10.2%), 25 physiotherapists/occupational therapists (12.1%) and 15 dieticians (7.3%)) completed the survey. The respondents worked at 19 hospital trusts across the UK and Ireland. Frailty scoring was not routinely performed in 63% of care settings, yet the majority of practitioners reported modifying their practice when providing and deciding on care for patients with frailty. Only 16% of organizations surveyed had a dedicated pathway for assessment and management of patients with frailty. A total of 37% of respondents reported access to prehabilitation services, 79% to enhanced recovery, and 27% to community rehabilitation teams.ConclusionPractitioners from all groups surveyed considered that appropriate training, dedicated pathways for optimization, frailty specific performance indicators and evidence that frailty scoring had an impact on clinical outcomes and patient experience could all help to improve care for frail patients.

In the United Kingdom, endometrial biopsy reports traditionally consist of a morphologic description followed by a conclusion. Recently published consensus guidelines for reporting benign endometrial biopsies advocate the use of standardized terminology. In this project we aimed to assess the acceptability and benefits of this simplified "diagnosis only" format for reporting non-neoplastic endometrial biopsies. Two consultants reported consecutive endometrial biopsies using 1 of 3 possible formats: (i) diagnosis only, (ii) diagnosis plus an accompanying comment, and (iii) the traditional descriptive format. Service users were asked to provide feedback on this approach via an anonymized online survey. The reproducibility of this system was assessed on a set of 53 endometrial biopsies among consultants and senior histopathology trainees. Of 370 consecutive benign endometrial biopsies, 245 (66%) were reported as diagnosis only, 101 (27%) as diagnosis plus a brief comment, and 24 (7%) as diagnosis following a morphologic description. Of the 43 survey respondents (28 gynecologists, 11 pathologists, and 4 clinical nurse specialists), 40 (93%) preferred a diagnosis only, with 3 (7%) being against/uncertain about a diagnosis only report. Among 3 histopathology consultants and 4 senior trainees there was majority agreement on the reporting format in 53/53 (100%) and 52/53 (98%) biopsies. In summary, we found that reporting benign specimens within standardized, well-understood diagnostic categories is an acceptable alternative to traditional descriptive reporting, with the latter reserved for the minority of cases that do not fit into specific categories. This revised approach has the potential to improve reporting uniformity and reproducibility.

Objective There are widespread efforts to increase symptom awareness of ‘pelvic/abdominal pain, increased abdominal size/bloating, difficulty eating/feeling full and urinary frequency/urgency’ in an attempt to diagnose ovarian cancer earlier. Long-term survival of women with these symptoms adjusted for known prognostic factors is yet to be determined. This study explored the association of symptoms, routes and interval to diagnosis and long-term survival in a population-based cohort of postmenopausal women diagnosed with invasive epithelial tubo-ovarian cancer (iEOC) in the ‘no screen’ (control) UKCTOCS arm. Methods Of 101,299 women in the control arm, 574 were confirmed on outcome review to have iEOC between randomisation (2001–2005) and 31 December 2014. Data was extracted from medical notes and electronic records. A multivariable model was fitted for individual symptoms, time interval from symptom onset to diagnosis, route to diagnosis, speciality, morphological Type, age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis (period effect), stage, primary treatment, and residual disease. Results Women presenting with symptoms listed in the NICE guidelines (HR1.48, 95%CI1.16–1.89, p = 0.001) or the modified Goff Index (HR1·68, 95%CI1·32–2.13, p, Highlights • This study explored the association of symptoms of ovarian cancer, interval and route to diagnosis with survival. • Focus on ‘high alert’ symptoms: pelvic/abdominal pain, increase abdominal size/bloating and difficulty eating/feeling full • The ovarian cancer ‘high alert’ symptom complexes identify postmenopausal women with a significantly poorer prognosis. • The study could not however exclude the possibility of better outcomes in those who are aware and acted on these symptoms.

IntroductionThe SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic has caused a crisis disrupting health systems worldwide. While efforts are being made to determine the extent of the disruption, the impact on gynecological oncology trainees/training has not been explored. We conducted an international survey of the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on clinical practice, medical education, and mental well-being of surgical gynecological oncology trainees.MethodsIn our cross-sectional study, a customized web-based survey was circulated to surgical gynecological oncology trainees from national/international organizations from May to November 2020. Validated questionnaires assessed mental well-being. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyse differences in means and proportions. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the effect of variables on psychological/mental well-being outcomes. Outcomes included clinical practice, medical education, anxiety and depression, distress, and mental well-being.ResultsA total of 127 trainees from 34 countries responded. Of these, 52% (66/127) were from countries with national training programs (UK/USA/Netherlands/Canada/Australia) and 48% (61/127) from countries with no national training programs. Altogether, 28% (35/125) had suspected/confirmed COVID-19, 28% (35/125) experienced a fall in household income, 20% (18/90) were self-isolated from households, 45% (57/126) had to re-use personal protective equipment, and 22% (28/126) purchased their own. In total, 32.3% (41/127) of trainees (16.6% (11/66) from countries with a national training program vs 49.1% (30/61) from countries with no national training program, p=0.02) perceived they would require additional time to complete their training fellowship. The additional training time anticipated did not differ between trainees from countries with or without national training programs (p=0.11) or trainees at the beginning or end of their fellowship (p=0.12). Surgical exposure was reduced for 50% of trainees. Departmental teaching continued throughout the pandemic for 69% (87/126) of trainees, although at reduced frequency for 16.1% (14/87), and virtually for 88.5% (77/87). Trainees reporting adequate pastoral support (defined as allocation of a dedicated mentor/access to occupational health support services) had better mental well-being with lower levels of anxiety/depression (p=0.02) and distress (pConclusionSARS-CoV-2 has negatively impacted the surgical training, household income, and psychological/mental well-being of surgical gynecological oncology trainees. The overall clinical impact was worse for trainees in countries with no national training program than for those in countries with a national training program, although national training program trainees reported greater distress. COVID-19 sickness increased anxiety/depression. The recovery phase must focus on improving mental well-being and addressing lost training opportunities.

Background Image guidance has been clinically available for over a period of 20 years. Although research increasingly has a translational emphasis, overall the clinical uptake of image guidance systems in surgery remains low. The objective of this review was to establish the metrics used to report on the impact of surgical image guidance systems used in a clinical setting. Methods A systematic review of the literature was carried out on all relevant publications between January 2000 and April 2016. Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched using a title strategy. Reported outcome metrics were grouped into clinically relevant domains and subsequent sub-categories for analysis. Results In total, 232 publications were eligible for inclusion. Analysis showed that clinical outcomes and system interaction were consistently reported. However, metrics focusing on surgeon, patient and economic impact were reported less often. No increase in the quality of reporting was observed during the study time period, associated with study design, or when the clinical setting involved a surgical specialty that had been using image guidance for longer. Conclusions Publications reporting on the clinical use of image guidance systems are evaluating traditional surgical outcomes and neglecting important human and economic factors, which are pertinent to the uptake, diffusion and sustainability of image-guided surgery. A framework is proposed to assist researchers in providing comprehensive evaluation metrics, which should also be considered in the design phase. Use of these would help demonstrate the impact in the clinical setting leading to increased clinical integration of image guidance systems. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00464-019-06876-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective – To compare surgical safety and efficiency of two image guidance modalities, perfect augmented reality (AR) and side-by-side unregistered image guidance (IG), against a no guidance control (NG), when performing a simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Background – Image guidance using AR offers the potential to improve understanding of subsurface anatomy, with positive ramifications for surgical safety and efficiency. No intra-abdominal study has demonstrated any advantage for the technology. Perfect AR cannot be provided in the operative setting in a patient, however it can be generated in the simulated setting. Methods – Thirty six experienced surgeons performed a baseline LC using the LapMentor™ simulator before randomisation to one of three study arms: AR, IG or NG. Each performed three further LC. Safety and efficiency-related simulator metrics, and task workload (SURG-TLX) were collected. Results –The IG group had a shorter total instrument path length and fewer movements than NG and AR groups. Both IG and NG took a significantly shorter time than AR to complete dissection of Calot’s triangle. Use of IG and AR resulted in significantly fewer perforations and serious complications than the NG group. IG had significantly fewer perforations and serious complications than AR group. Compared to IG, AR guidance was found to be significantly more distracting. Conclusion – Side-by-side unregistered image guidance (IG) improved safety and surgical efficiency in a simulated setting when compared to AR or NG. IG provides a more tangible opportunity for integrating image guidance into existing surgical workflow as well as delivering the safety and efficiency benefits desired.

Background/aim Radiology provides increasingly accurate and complex information. Understanding the clinicians' interpretation of scans could improve surgical planning, decision-making; informed training and development of augmented imaging. This was a survey exploring the interpretation of imaging by clinicians and its use in operative preparation and prediction. Materials and methods The survey was open for two-months and circulated online to British Gynaecological Cancer society members. Results Seventy-three (19%) members completed the survey. Respondents had a confidence level of 51% in their ability to interpret computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images independently. Preoperative imaging was commonly used to plan operations, predict complications and complete resection. Images were reviewed for primary (96.3%)/interval (92.6%) ovarian debulking, but less so for vulvectomy (45%). Scan (79.6%) and multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) (66.6%) reports were used more often than scan images (50%) for operative planning. Amount and pattern of disease on scan were the most important factors predicting operating time. Conclusion Imaging influences the surgeon's planning, however respondents lack confidence. Training of clinicians in radiological interpretation needs to improve. Augmented image interfaces could facilitate this.

Subcutaneous metastases at presentation in cervical cancer are rare and they are associated with ominous prognosis. In this literature review, we present a case of skin metastasis and systematically review the current literature with the aim to discuss trends, treatment and survival of the reported cases.

Introduction Older patients undergoing cancer surgery are at increased risk of post-operative morbidity and mortality. Frailty is particularly prevalent in this patient cohort and is a major contributor to adverse outcomes. A survey was conducted to assess the confidence and knowledge of trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) regarding identification and management of perioperative issues encountered in frail gynaecological oncology patients. Methods A web-based survey on the management of frail perioperative patients was disseminated to doctors-in-training (trainees) in O& G in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. Results Of the 666 trainees who participated, 67% (n=425/666) reported inadequate training in the perioperative management of frail patients. Validated frailty assessment tools were used by only 9% (n=59/638) of trainees and less than 1% (n=4/613) were able to correctly identify the diagnostic features of frailty. Common misconceptions included the use of chronological age and gender in frailty assessments. The majority trainees (>75%) correctly answered a series of questions relating to mental capacity; however, only 6% (n=36/606) were able to correctly identify all three diagnostic features of delirium. 87% (n=495/571) of trainees supported closer collaboration with geriatricians and a multi-disciplinary approach. Conclusions O&G trainees reported inadequate training in the perioperative care of frail gynaecological oncology patients, and overwhelmingly favoured input from geriatricians. Routine use of validated frailty assessment tools may aid diagnosis of frailty in the perioperative setting. There is an unmet need for formal education in the management of frail surgical patients within the UK and Irish O&G curriculum.

IntroductionOlder patients undergoing cancer surgery are at increased risk of post-operative complications, prolonged hospital stay, and mortality. Identification of frailty can help predict patients at high risk of peri-operative complications and allow a collaborative, multidisciplinary team approach to their care. A survey was conducted to assess the confidence and knowledge of trainees in obstetrics and gynecology regarding identification and management of peri-operative issues encountered in frail gynecological oncology patients.MethodsA web-based survey was distributed via the Audit and Research in Gynaecological Oncology (ARGO) collaborative and UK Audit and Research Collaborative in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (UKARCOG) . The survey on the management of frail peri-operative patients was disseminated to doctors-in-training (trainees) working in obstetrics and gynecology in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. Specialty (ST1–7), subspecialty, and general practice trainees, non-training grade doctors, and foundation year doctors currently working in obstetrics and gynecology were eligible. Consultants were excluded. Study data were collected using REDCAP software hosted at the University of Manchester. Responses were collected over a 6-week period between January and February 2020.ResultsOf the 666 trainees who participated, 67% (425/666) reported inadequate training in peri-operative management of frail patients. Validated frailty assessment tools were used by only 9% (59/638) of trainees and less than 1% (4/613) were able to correctly identify all the diagnostic features of frailty. Common misconceptions included the use of chronological age and gender in frailty assessments. The majority of trainees (76.5%, 448/586) correctly answered a series of questions relating to mental capacity; however, only 6% (36/606) were able to correctly identify all three diagnostic features of delirium. A total of 87% (495/571) of trainees supported closer collaboration with geriatricians and a multidisciplinary approach.ConclusionsObstetrics and gynecology trainees reported inadequate training in the peri-operative care of frail gynecological oncology patients, and overwhelmingly favored input from geriatricians. Routine use of validated frailty assessment tools may aid diagnosis of frailty in the peri-operative setting. There is an unmet need for formal education in the management of frail surgical patients within the UK and Irish obstetrics and gynecology curriculum.

A 44-year-old woman presented to the spinal surgeons with mass over her sacrum. She was experiencing back pain, constipation and recent weight loss. MRI showed a 15 cm presacral mass displacing the rectosigmoid junction while being inseparable from S4 to the coccyx. In view of the anatomical

Introduction/Background Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is the preferred route for women with endometrial cancer. Although robotic surgery is not yet NHS standard, it was introduced at Royal London Hospital in November 2017. The effect of introducing robotic surgery (RAH) on the length of stay (LOS) and laparotomy rates in women undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer was assessed. Methodology Electronic patient records were reviewed for all women undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer in 2016 and 2018 and analysed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS. Results A total of 95 and 103 women (same mean age of 66) had surgery in 2016 and 2018 respectively. In 2016, after examination under anaesthetic (EUA), 53 (56%) proceeded to TAH and 42(44%) to TLH. 2 (0.02%) were converted from TLH to TAH. The median BMI, estimated blood loss (EBL) and LOS for the TAH group were 32 kg/m2, 350 ml and 6 days respectively whereas for TLH were 30 kg/m2, 100 ml and 2 days. In 2018, 37 (35%) had TAH and 67 (65%) MIS hysterectomy. In the MIS group, 21 (31%) had TLH and 45 (69%) RAH. 7 (11%) and 1(1%) were converted from RAH to TAH and vaginal hysterectomy respectively. Of these 8, 7 were draped but not docked. The median BMI, EBL and LOS for the TAH group were 28.6 kg/m2, 400 ml and 5 days, for TLH were 28 kg/m2, 100 ml and 1 day and for RAH were 39.3 kg/m2, 100 ml and 2 days respectively. The overall LOS has fallen from 5 days in 2016 to 3 in 2018 (p Reasons for conversion included anaesthetic, adhesions, intraoperative complications and uterine perforation. Conclusion RAH has enabled complex operating in high-risk cases while significantly reducing LOS and laparotomy rates. Disclosure Nothing to disclose.

Robotic surgery may improve technical performance and reduce mental demands compared to laparoscopic surgery. However, no studies have directly compared the impact of robotic and laparoscopic techniques on surgeons’ brain function. This study aimed to assess the effect of the operative platform (robotic surgery or conventional laparoscopy) on prefrontal cortical activation during a suturing task performed under temporal demand. Eight surgeons (mean age ± SD = 34.5 ± 2.9 years, male:female ratio = 7:1) performed an intracorporeal suturing task in a self-paced manner and under a 2 min time restriction using conventional laparoscopic and robotic techniques. Prefrontal activation was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy, subjective workload was captured using SURG-TLX questionnaires, and a continuous heart rate monitor measured systemic stress responses. Task progression scores (au), error scores (au), leak volumes (mL) and knot tensile strengths (N) provided objective assessment of technical performance. Under time pressure, robotic suturing led to improved technical performance (median task progression score: laparoscopic suturing = 4.5 vs. robotic suturing = 5.0; z = − 2.107, p = 0.035; median error score: laparoscopic suturing = 3.0 mm vs. robotic suturing = 2.1 mm; z = − 2.488, p = 0.013). Compared to laparoscopic suturing, greater prefrontal activation was identified in seven channels located primarily in lateral prefrontal regions. These results suggest that robotic surgery improves performance during high workload conditions and is associated with enhanced activation in regions of attention, concentration and task engagement. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10439-018-2049-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Eye metrics provide insight into surgical behaviour allowing differentiation of performance, however have not been used in robotic surgery. This study explores eye metrics of robotic surgeons in training in simulated and real tissue environments. Methods Following the Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery (FRS), training curriculum novice robotic surgeons were trained to expert‐derived benchmark proficiency using real tissue on the da Vinci Si and the da Vinci skills simulator (dVSS) simulator. Surgeons eye metrics were recorded using eye‐tracking glasses when both “novice” and “proficient” in both environments. Performance was assessed using Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic skills (GEARS) and numeric psychomotor test score (NPMTS) scores. Results Significant (P ≤ .05) correlations were seen between pupil size, rate of change and entropy, and associated GEARS/NPMTS in “novice” and “proficient” surgeons. Only number of blinks per minute was significantly different between pupilometrics in the simulated and real tissue environments. Conclusions This study illustrates the value of eye tracking as an objective physiological tool in the robotic setting. Pupilometrics significantly correlate with established assessment methods and could be incorporated into robotic surgery assessments.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the frequency of malignant pathology in a macroscopically normal appendix during surgery for a borderline or malignant mucinous ovarian tumor (MOT).MethodsWomen with borderline and malignant MOT were identified from the pathology database from 2000 to 2014. Women who had a benign MOT and had an appendicectomy were excluded from the study. Data were collected from the electronic patient record and case notes.ResultsOf 310 women identified with MOT, 203 patients with benign MOT were excluded. Of the remaining 107 patients, 15 patients with previous appendicectomy were also excluded. The study population consisted of 92 patients. There were 57 (62%) patients with borderline MOT and 35 (38%) patients with malignant MOT. In the borderline subgroup, 40/57 (70%) patients had appendicectomy of whom 8 (20%) had macroscopically abnormal appendices. One patient had pseudomyxoma peritonei secondarily involving the appendix and 7 patients had a histologically normal appendix. Normal histology was found in all macroscopically normal appendices. In the malignant subgroup, 29/35 (83%) patients had an appendicectomy. There were 8 (27.5%) macroscopically abnormal appendices with a malignant pathology in 7 (87.5%) patients and 1 patient had a resolving appendicitis. There were 21 macroscopically normal appendices of which, serrated adenoma was found in 1 (4.8%) patient, whereas the remaining 20 (95.2%) patients had normal histology.ConclusionsIn MOT, an abnormal appearing appendix should be excised. If the appendix is grossly normal, our data do not support performing an appendicectomy as part of a surgical staging procedure.

Background Transvaginal ultrasound and serum CA125 are routinely used for differential diagnosis of pelvic adnexal mass. Use of human epididymis 4 was approved in the United States in 2011. However, there is scarcity of studies evaluating the additional value of human epididymis 4. Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance characteristics of transvaginal ultrasound, CA125, and human epididymis 4 for differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women with adnexal masses. Study Design This was a cohort study nested within the screen arms of the multicenter randomized controlled trial, United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening, based in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening, 48,230 women randomized to transvaginal ultrasound screening and 50,078 to multimodal screening (serum CA125 interpreted by Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm with second line transvaginal ultrasound) underwent the first (prevalence) screen. Women with adnexal lesions and/or persistently elevated risk were clinically assessed and underwent surgery or follow-up for a median of 10.9 years. Banked samples taken within 6 months of transvaginal ultrasound from all clinically assessed women were assayed for human epididymis 4 and CA125. Area under the curve and sensitivity for diagnosing ovarian cancer of multiple penalized logistic regression models incorporating logCA125, log human epididymis 4, age, and simple ultrasound features of the adnexal mass were compared. Results Of 1590 (158 multimodal, 1432 ultrasound) women with adnexal masses, 78 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer (48 invasive epithelial ovarian, 14 type I, 34 type II; 24 borderline epithelial; 6 nonepithelial) within 1 year of scan. The area under the curve (0.893 vs 0.896; P = .453) and sensitivity (74.4% vs 75.6% ;P = .564) at fixed specificity of 90% of the model incorporating age, ultrasound, and CA125 were similar to that also including human epididymis 4. Both models had high sensitivity for invasive epithelial ovarian (89.6%) and type II (>91%) cancers. Conclusion Our population cohort study suggests that human epididymis 4 adds little value to concurrent use of CA125 and transvaginal ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses in postmenopausal women.

There is a changing dynamic in research that aims to increase the participation of patients in its design and implementation. Patient and public involvement (PPI) is essential for achieving valid, clinically applicable results. A systematic review by Brett et al 1 demonstrated the potential benefits of PPI in establishing and undertaking research, and writing-up and disseminating results. Eye tracking is an innovative technology used extensively in allied fields such as psychology and aerospace.2 It is increasingly used in surgical research,3 particularly assessment and training. Despite the growing popularity of the technology, there are no data investigating the patient's experience and views relating to this technology. This study aims to elicit the perception of patients' involvement in eye tracking research in order to improve their experience and the overall quality of the research. This was a cross-sectional, qualitative study of participants concurrently involved in eye tracking research for two different ongoing clinical studies at Imperial …

In high-risk women, risk reducing surgery remains the cornerstone of prevention. However, the resulting premature menopause has led to continued efforts to develop effective screening strategies for those who wish to delay or avoid surgery. This review describes how the screening of women at risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer has evolved to its current state. Serial monitoring of CA125 is core to ovarian cancer screening and most recent studies have used the Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA) to interpret CA125 profile. The additional use of a second tumour marker, HE4, is reviewed. The results to date of key ovarian cancer screening studies in high-risk women are summarised ahead of their concluding findings due later in 2016. The role of both ultrasound and endometrial sampling in the management of women at increased risk of endometrial cancer is outlined. Exciting new methodology, which could help shape the future of screening is investigated. The article summarises the current recommendations and guidelines from recognised international bodies to aid the clinician with management of these women.

Background Over the last three decades, surgical practice has undergone a significant change with a move towards minimally invasive surgery (MIS) as the standard of care [1]. Although this has brought with it significant benefits, problems have also been associated with the advent of MIS. Perhaps the most substantial limitation associated with MIS is the loss of haptic feedback; this deficit is at its most extreme in robot-assisted surgery, where at present such feedback is lost entirely [2]. The image-enhanced operating environment looks to mitigate for the loss of haptic feedback by providing the surgeon with visual cues to the subsurface anatomy. The use of intraoperative image guidance can be divided into that used for operative planning, to facilitate the rapid identification of critical anatomical structures, for example, and that used for task execution, an example of which is tumour resection [2]. These two steps have very different requirements, with the first needing a large amount of anatomical information to be displayed without the need to account for tissue deformation or accurate registration, while the second requires less information to be displayed, but with much greater spatial accuracy.

Assessment based on change in serial CA125 values rather than absolute cut-off would have allowed earlier diagnosis of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE—This study examines the association of A1C with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, coronary artery disease (CAD), and metabolic syndrome in Asian Indians with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—This cross-sectional study recruited subjects from phase III of the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES), an epidemiological study in a representative population of Chennai (formerly Madras) in South India, conducted between January 2003 and June 2004. Included were 1,644 subjects with NGT, i.e., fasting plasma glucose RESULTS—The mean ± SD A1C value in the study cohort was 5.5 ± 0.4%. A1C showed a significant association with BMI (β = 0.017, P < 0.001), systolic (β = 0.002, P = 0.028) and diastolic (β = 0.202, P = 0.017) blood pressure, waist circumference (β = 0.007, P < 0.001), serum cholesterol (β = 0.002, P < 0.001), triglycerides (β = 0.001, P < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (β = 0.002, P < 0.001), fasting insulin (β = 0.009, P < 0.001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (β = 0.047, P < 0.001) after adjusting for age and sex. Regression analysis showed that A1C had a strong association with metabolic syndrome that persisted after adjusting for age and sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.9 [95% CI 2.08–4.00]; P < 0.001). A1C also had a strong association with CAD (2.6 [1.23–5.63]; P = 0.01), but the significance was lost when adjusted for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS—There is a strong association of A1C with prevalent CVD risk factors in Asian-Indian subjects with NGT.

In a random assignment study, substance-abusing patients with HIV/AIDS in a public general hospital received a brief contact condition or received 12 months of case management delivered by paraprofessionals. Patient outcomes included substance use, HIV transmission risk, physical health, psychological status, and quality of living situation. In both conditions, a significant decrease occurred in a range of problems from Intake to the 6-month interview, followed by no significant pattern of change at 12- and 18-month interviews. On major outcome variables, there were no significant differences between the brief contact and case management conditions. Sixteen percent had died by the 18-month interview. Process data indicated wide variation in the amount of case management received by participants, and the amount of case management was not related to improvement in the outcome measures. The study has limitations yet does not support the hypothesis that case management improves outcomes better than brief contact for this population.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prescribing practices for the use of psychoactive medication in treating hospitalized patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).The medical charts were studied for all patients admitted to a 20-bed AIDS inpatient ward from July through December 1986. One hundred and fifty-one patient-admissions comprised the sample. The average age of the patients was 37 years, and the average length of the hospital stay was 13 days. Retrospective chart review collected demographic data, length of stay, medical diagnosis, psychiatric history, and mental status on admission. Data on psychoactive drugs included the reasons for use, maximum daily dose and duration, and side effects ascribed to the drugs.Psychoactive drugs were used in 89% of the cases. Anxiolytics accounted for 49% of the psychoactive prescriptions, and hypnotics made up 43% of these prescriptions. The five most frequently used psychoactive drugs were benzodiazepines. The most frequent reasons for psychotropic prescriptions were insomnia (39%), psychologic distress (20%), and nausea (16%). The most frequently used anxiolytic and anti-psychotic medications were used in moderate dosage, while the most frequently used antidepressant was prescribed in low dosage.Hospitalized AIDS patients are highly likely to be prescribed a psychotropic medication, especially an anxiolytic or hypnotic. Anxiolytics are used for several purposes, including reduction of nausea associated with the use of antibiotics. Antidepressants and antipsychotics are rarely used. Practitioners must be sensitive to the presence of psychiatric conditions presenting as insomnia or disturbed mood so that the most specific and appropriate treatments can be used.

Two cases that typify the psychiatric disturbances seen in patients with Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are described. Given the increasing incidence of this disorder, the authors recommend that psychiatrists become more familiar with its psychiatric manifestations.

A new treatment of the left-hand cut for N / D problems is presented whereby, instead of poles, the cut is parametrized by a Legendre expansion which fixes the discontinuity. The method is tested through the use of analytic forms, and is found to work very well in a wide variety of circumstances. An extension is made to situations where there are errors in the input, and resulting problems are discussed. The method is applied to elastic pion-pion scattering. Both the rho and f 0 mesons are produced dynamically, but trouble is encountered for the s-waves. The relation of this trouble to ambiguities found in other s-wave calculations is discussed.

Restrictions on low-energy s-wave behavior of pion-pion scattering are studied using the N / D method and the dynamical assumption of no Castillejo-Dalitz-Dyson poles. Within the context of a model corresponding to rather well determined phenomenology, we find rather tight restrictions on the low-energy constants.

Using only analyticity, crossing symmetry, and unitarity, we find two distinct types of pion-pion scattering amplitudes. One class includes a wide range of non-physical solutions of the “s-wave dominant” type; these can be rejected only through assumptions other than crossing symmetry and unitarity. The second class, also found by other authors, contains the physical amplitudes. Our solutions, plus some further experimental information, agree well with the scattering lengths suggested by Morgan and Shaw, α 0 = 0.16 ± 0.04, α 2 = −0.05 ± 0.01.

The integral ∫s+∞ρ(s)f(s)ds, where ρ(s) = (1/s)[(s ‐ s+)(s ‐ s−)]½, 0 ≤ s− < s+, is evaluated for an arbitrary function f(s) which is meromorphic in the complex s plane and has the behavior at infinity |s1+ef(s)|→ lim |s|→∞ 0. Some applications to the N/D method of elementary particle physics are discussed.

The modified Bal\'azs method, which retains the near part of the left-hand cut, is studied with regard to its ability to reproduce known, resonant functions and is applied to the pion-pion scattering problem. The known functions are reproduced reliably, with little dependence on the matching points and the number of poles, provided that sufficiently good estimates of the gap and the cut are used, and that the pole positions are chosen to optimize the agreement in the gap. The pion-pion results show a systematic improvement as crossed-channel partial waves are added to the input, and four partial waves are sufficient to produce the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ and ${f}^{0}$ in rough agreement with experiment. These calculations do not use cutoffs, other arbitrary adjustable parameters, Castillejo-Dalitz-Dyson poles, coupling to other channels, or inelasticity.

The methods of a previous communication are used to derive a general expression for the first Mandelstam iteration of inputs of the form At(s,t)= ∑ jgj(s,t)δ(t−tRj), where the sum is over terms representing t‐channel resonances in narrow‐width approximation. The coefficients gj(s, t) can be either analytic in s, as for an expansion in t‐channel partial waves, or meromorphic in s, as in a Pade‐ or Schlessinger‐type expansion.