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ObjectiveComplication rates after cytoreductive surgery are important quality indicators for hospitals that treat patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Case-mix factors are patient and tumor characteristics that may influence hospital outcomes such as the complication rates. Currently, no case-mix adjustment model exists for complications after cytoreductive surgery; therefore, it is unclear whether hospitals are being compared correctly. This study aims to develop the first case-mix adjustment model for complications after surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer, enabling an accurate comparison between hospitals.MethodsThis population-based study included all patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery for advanced-stage ovarian cancer registered in the Netherlands in 2017–2019. Case-mix variables were identified and assessed using logistic regressions. The primary outcome was the composite outcome measure ‘complicated course’. Patients had a complicated course when at least one of the following criteria were met: (1) any complication combined with a prolonged length of hospital stay; (2) complication requiring reintervention; (3) any complication with a prolonged length of stay in the intensive care unit; or (4) 30-day mortality or in-hospital mortality during admission following surgery. Inter-hospital variation was analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regressions and visualized using funnel plots.ResultsA total of 1822 patients were included, of which 10.7% (n=195) had a complicated course. Comorbidity and tumor stage had a significant impact on complicated course rates in multivariable logistic regression. Inter-hospital variation was not significant for case-mix factors. Complicated course rates ranged between 2.2% and 29.1%, and case-mix adjusted observed/expected ratios ranged from 0.20 to 2.67 between hospitals. Three hospitals performed outside the confidence intervals for complicated course rates. These hospitals remained outliers after case-mix adjustment.ConclusionThere is variation between hospitals regarding complicated course rates after cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer in the Netherlands. While comorbidity and tumor stage significantly affected the complicated course rates, adjusting for case-mix factors did not significantly affect hospital outcomes. The limited impact of case-mix adjustment could be a result of the Dutch centralized healthcare model.

ObjectivesIn patients with an ovarian mass, a risk of malignancy assessment is used to decide whether referral to an oncology hospital is indicated. Risk assessment strategies do not perform optimally, resulting in either referral of patients with a benign mass or patients with a malignant mass not being referred. This process may affect the psychological well-being of patients. We evaluated cancer-specific distress during work-up for an ovarian mass, and patients’ perceptions during work-up, referral, and treatment.MethodsPatients with an ovarian mass scheduled for surgery were enrolled. Using questionnaires we measured (1) cancer-specific distress using the cancer worry scale, (2) patients’ preferences regarding referral (evaluated pre-operatively), and (3) patients’ experiences with work-up and treatment (evaluated post-operatively). A cancer worry scale score of ≥14 was considered as clinically significant cancer-specific distress.ResultsA total of 417 patients were included, of whom 220 (53%) were treated at a general hospital and 197 (47%) at an oncology hospital. Overall, 57% had a cancer worry scale score of ≥14 and this was higher in referred patients (69%) than in patients treated at a general hospital (43%). 53% of the patients stated that the cancer risk should not be higher than 25% to undergo surgery at a general hospital. 96% of all patients were satisfied with the overall work-up and treatment. No difference in satisfaction was observed between patients correctly (not) referred and patients incorrectly (not) referred.ConclusionsRelatively many patients with an ovarian mass experienced high cancer-specific distress during work-up. Nevertheless, patients were satisfied with the treatment, regardless of the final diagnosis and the location of treatment. Moreover, patients preferred to be referred even if there was only a relatively low probability of having ovarian cancer. Patients’ preferences should be taken into account when deciding on optimal cut-offs for risk assessment strategies.

The value of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) at the time of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is controversial and its use remains experimental in most national and international guidelines. We wished to systematically evaluate all available evidence.A comprehensive review of data from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted from the first report on HIPEC in EOC till April 3, 2022. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the HIPEC and control groups. This meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021265810).Fifteen studies (10 case-control studies and 5 randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) were included in the present meta-analysis. Based on the time interval between the last systemic chemotherapy exposure and timing of CRS +/- HIPEC, all studies and patients' cohorts we classified into recent (6 months; n = 9 studies/patients cohorts) and non-recent (≥6 months, n = 8 studies/patients cohorts) chemotherapy exposure groups. In the recent chemotherapy exposure group, HIPEC was associated with improvement of both PFS (HR, 0.585; 95% CI, 0.422-0.811) and OS (HR, 0.519; 95% CI, 0.346-0.777). On the contrary, in the non-recent chemotherapy exposure group, HIPEC failed to significantly affect PFS (HR, 1.037; 95% CI, 0.684-1.571) or OS (HR, 0.932; 95% CI, 0.607-1.430). Consistent results were observed in subsequent sensitivity analyses.Our present meta-analysis demonstrates that the value of HIPEC at CRS for EOC appears to depend on the timing of the last systemic chemotherapy exposure. Future trials are awaited to define the role of HIPEC in EOC.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mucinous ovarian cancers (MOCs) are categorized into infiltrative and expansile subtypes. These subtypes have different characteristics and prognoses. Patients with clinical early-stage disease of both subtypes currently undergo surgical staging (peritoneal washing, biopsies, omentectomy). Peritoneal and lymph node metastases of expansile MOC are rare, but whereas lymph node sampling (LNS) is omitted in these patients, peritoneal staging is not. Therefore, we collected all available MOC data to determine whether staging surgeries could safely be omitted in clinical early-stage expansile and infiltrative MOC. RECENT FINDINGS: Current literature confirms that peritoneal metastases are rare in expansile MOC: more than 90% had early-stage disease. Only 3.4% of the patients with clinical early-stage expansile MOC had positive peritoneal washings at surgical staging. Patients with infiltrative MOC were diagnosed more frequently with advanced-stage disease (21-54%). Moreover, upstaging clinical early-stage infiltrative MOC based on positive cytology, peritoneum and omentum metastases occurred in 10.3% of the patients. Therefore, we recommend that patients with early-stage infiltrative MOC undergo peritoneal staging and LNS. However, in addition to omitting LNS, we can also safely recommend omitting peritoneal staging in patients with early-stage expansile MOC. SUMMARY: Peritoneal metastases are rare in clinical early-stage expansile MOC and peritoneal staging can therefore safely be omitted.

The long-term survival of advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients remains poor, despite extensive cytoreductive surgery, chemotherapy, and the recent addition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has shown survival benefit by specifically targeting peritoneal metastases, the primary site of disease recurrence. Different aspects of how HIPEC exerts its effect remain poorly understood. Improved understanding of the effects of hyperthermia on ovarian cancer cells, the synergy of hyperthermia with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and the pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of intraperitoneally administered cisplatin may help identify ways to optimize the efficacy of HIPEC. This review provides an overview of these translational and pharmacological principles of HIPEC and aims to expose knowledge gaps that may direct further research to optimize the HIPEC procedure and ultimately improve survival for women with advanced ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE The Groningen International Study on Sentinel nodes in Vulvar cancer (GROINSS-V)-II investigated whether inguinofemoral radiotherapy is a safe alternative to inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFL) in vulvar cancer patients with a metastatic sentinel node (SN). METHODS GROINSS-V-II was a prospective multicenter phase-II single-arm treatment trial, including patients with early-stage vulvar cancer (diameter < 4 cm) without signs of lymph node involvement at imaging, who had primary surgical treatment (local excision with SN biopsy). Where the SN was involved (metastasis of any size), inguinofemoral radiotherapy was given (50 Gy). The primary end point was isolated groin recurrence rate at 24 months. Stopping rules were defined for the occurrence of groin recurrences. RESULTS From December 2005 until October 2016, 1,535 eligible patients were registered. The SN showed metastasis in 322 (21.0%) patients. In June 2010, with 91 SN-positive patients included, the stopping rule was activated because the isolated groin recurrence rate in this group went above our predefined threshold. Among 10 patients with an isolated groin recurrence, nine had SN metastases > 2 mm and/or extracapsular spread. The protocol was amended so that those with SN macrometastases (> 2 mm) underwent standard of care (IFL), whereas patients with SN micrometastases (≤ 2 mm) continued to receive inguinofemoral radiotherapy. Among 160 patients with SN micrometastases, 126 received inguinofemoral radiotherapy, with an ipsilateral isolated groin recurrence rate at 2 years of 1.6%. Among 162 patients with SN macrometastases, the isolated groin recurrence rate at 2 years was 22% in those who underwent radiotherapy, and 6.9% in those who underwent IFL ( P = .011). Treatment-related morbidity after radiotherapy was less frequent compared with IFL. CONCLUSION Inguinofemoral radiotherapy is a safe alternative for IFL in patients with SN micrometastases, with minimal morbidity. For patients with SN macrometastasis, radiotherapy with a total dose of 50 Gy resulted in more isolated groin recurrences compared with IFL.

The OVHIPEC-1 trial (Phase III randomised clinical trial for stage III ovarian carcinoma randomising between interval cytoreductive surgery with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) showed improved survival when interval cytoreductive surgery (CRS) was combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The authors compared the control arm of the trial with a real-world population treated in the Netherlands during the same period to explore generalizability of the trial results.For this nationwide comparative cohort study, all patients with EOC undergoing interval CRS between 2007 and 2016 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry if they fulfilled the eligibility criteria of OVHIPEC-1 (n = 1376). Patient and treatment characteristics, and overall survival (OS) were compared between trial and real-world populations.Age, comorbidity, BRCA status, histologic subtype, and residual disease were similar in trial and real-world patients. Trial patients had a better performance status, higher socioeconomic status, and underwent bowel surgery more often. In a real-world setting, patients more often received more than six cycles. The difference in OS between the trial and the real-world populations was not statistically significant (unadjusted hazard ratio, 1.09 [95% confidence interval, 0.87-1.37]; P = 0.44).Despite differences in patient characteristics, OS of patients treated in the control arm of OVHIPEC-1 was similar to patients treated outside the trial. The trial population accurately represents real-world patients with stage III EOC undergoing interval CRS in terms of outcome.

IntroductionDespite renewed treatment options for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, survival remains poor. The Patient Association and the Gynecological Oncology Working Party in the Netherlands have identified a need for a tool to improve shared decision-making. The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based online decision aid for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and their medical team.MethodsFirst, we identified the patients’ and clinicians’ needs using surveys and in-depth interviews. Second, we conducted multidisciplinary face-to-face meetings with representatives from all stakeholders (clinicians and patient representatives) to determine the content of the decision aid. Third, we developed the decision aid using standardized criteria and national guidelines. Finally, we tested the usability of the tool with patients and clinicians who participated in the needs assessment.ResultsPatients and clinicians indicated the need for more sources of reliable information that include all treatment options available in the Netherlands. Although most interviewees were satisfied with the level of information available at the time of their own treatment, the majority (90%) of the patients stated that no choice of treatment was offered. We developed a consultation sheet and an online decision aid based on patient interviews and team discussions. The sheet contains a summary of all treatment options and login codes for the decision aid; it will be offered to patients at their first consultation. The decision aid can be used at home and includes information about epithelial ovarian cancer and all available treatment options and questions about quality of life and treatment preferences, delivering a personalized summary for discussion during the following consultation about the primary treatment choices.DiscussionIn cooperation with patients and clinicians, we developed a decision aid for advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients and their medical team to support shared decision-making, based on a confirmed need for more extensive information sources. The decision aid is currently under assessment in a multicenter implementation trial.

Most women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) suffer from peritoneal carcinomatosis upon first clinical presentation. Extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis has a poor prognosis and its pathophysiology is not well understood. Although treatment with systemic intravenous chemotherapy is often initially successful, peritoneal recurrences occur regularly. We hypothesized that insufficient or poorly-perfused microvasculature may impair the therapeutic efficacy of systemic intravenous chemotherapy but may also limit expansive and invasive growth characteristic of peritoneal EOC metastases. In 23 patients with advanced EOC or suspicion thereof, we determined the angioarchitecture and perfusion of the microvasculature in peritoneum and in peritoneal metastases using incident dark field (IDF) imaging. Additionally, we performed immunohistochemical analysis and 3-dimensional (3D) whole tumor imaging using light sheet fluorescence microscopy of IDF-imaged tissue sites. In all metastases, microvasculature was present but the angioarchitecture was chaotic and the vessel density and perfusion of vessels was significantly lower than in unaffected peritoneum. Immunohistochemical analysis showed expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia inducible factor 1α, and 3D imaging demonstrated vascular continuity between metastases and the vascular network of the peritoneum beneath the elastic lamina of the peritoneum. We conclude that perfusion of the microvasculature within metastases is limited, which may cause hypoxia, affect the behavior of EOC metastases on the peritoneum and limit the response of EOC metastases to systemic treatment. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10585-020-10024-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction Germline BRCA1/2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer has been associated with better progression-free survival and overall survival than sporadic epithelial ovarian cancer, but conclusive data are lacking. Methods We matched 389 BRCA1-associated and 123 BRCA2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer patients 1:1 to sporadic epithelial ovarian cancer patients on year of birth, year of diagnosis, and FIGO stage (< = IIA/> = IIB). Germline DNA test was performed before or after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis. All patients received chemotherapy. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between mutation status (BRCA1 or BRCA2 versus sporadic) and progression-free survival and overall survival. To investigate whether DNA testing after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis resulted in survival bias, we performed additional analyses limited to BRCA1/2-associated epithelial ovarian cancer patients with a DNA test result before cancer diagnosis (n = 73 BRCA1; n = 9 BRCA2) and their matched sporadic controls. Results The median follow-up was 4.4 years (range 0.1–30.1). During the first three years after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis, progression-free survival was better for BRCA1 (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.74–1.04) and BRCA2 (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.41–0.81) patients than for sporadic patients. Overall survival was better during the first six years after epithelial ovarian cancer for BRCA1 (HR 0.7, 95% CI 0.58–0.84) and BRCA2 (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.29–0.59) patients. After surviving these years, survival benefits disappeared or were in favor of the sporadic patients. Conclusion For epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received chemotherapy, we confirmed survival benefit for BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline pathogenic variant carriers. This may indicate higher sensitivity to chemotherapy, both in first line treatment and in the recurrent setting. The observed benefit appears to be limited to a relatively short period after epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis.

Importance The peritoneal surface is a common site of disease in ovarian and colorectal cancer. Peritoneal metastases carry a poor prognosis, despite maximal therapeutic efforts, including surgical removal of tumor deposits and intravenous chemotherapy. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a single intraoperative procedure that delivers chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity, leading to high intracellular drug concentration at the peritoneal surface. This review describes the current knowledge regarding the mechanism of action, safety, and efficacy of HIPEC in the treatment of peritoneal metastases from epithelial ovarian and colorectal cancers and explores current knowledge gaps. Observations Toxic effects of HIPEC are limited. Evidence from a randomized trial shows improved recurrence-free and overall survival after HIPEC in patients with ovarian cancer who are ineligible for primary cytoreductive surgery (CRS). The effect of HIPEC for patients with ovarian cancer undergoing primary CRS or CRS for recurrent disease has not yet been determined, and results of ongoing trials must be awaited. A recent study in patients with peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer did not show a benefit of HIPEC when added to perioperative chemotherapy. Conclusions and relevance Based on available evidence, various international guidelines include the option to add HIPEC to interval CRS for patients with stage III ovarian cancer. The role of HIPEC in colorectal cancer is less well defined. Future studies will need to tailor patient selection, timing, and optimal regimens of HIPEC to improve the effectiveness of this specialized treatment in ovarian, colorectal, and other tumor types.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) metastasizes intra-abdominally with often numerous, superficial, small-sized lesions. This so-called peritoneal carcinomatosis is difficult to treat, and peritoneal recurrences are frequently observed, leading to a poor prognosis. Underlying mechanisms of interactions between EOC and peritoneal cells are incompletely understood. This review summarizes and discusses the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis from a cell-biological perspective, focusing on characteristics of EOC and peritoneal cells. We aim to provide insight into how peritoneum facilitates tumor adhesion but limits size of lesions and depth of invasion. The development of peritoneal carcinomatosis is a multistep process that requires adaptations of EOC and peritoneal cells. Mechanisms that enable tumor adhesion and growth involve cadherin restructuring on EOC cells, integrin-mediated adhesion, and mesothelial evasion by mechanical forces driven by integrin-ligand interactions. Clinical trials targeting these mechanisms, however, showed only limited effects. Other factors that inhibit tumor growth and deep invasion are virtually unknown. Future studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanisms that underlie the development and limited growth of peritoneal carcinomatosis. This review on development of peritoneal carcinomatosis of EOC summarizes the current knowledge and its limitations. Clarification of the stepwise process may inspire future research to investigate new treatment approaches of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

New treatment developments in ovarian cancer have led to a renewed interest in staging advanced ovarian cancer. The treatment of females with ovarian cancer patients has a strong multidisciplinary character with an essential role for the radiologist. This review aims to provide an overview of the current position of CT, positron emission tomography-CT, and MRI in ovarian cancer and how imaging can be used to guide multidisciplinary team discussions.

IntroductionHyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) improved investigator-assessed recurrence-free survival and overall survival in patients with stage III ovarian cancer in the phase III OVHIPEC-1 trial. We analyzed whether an open-label design affected the results of the trial by central blinded assessment of recurrence-free survival, and tested whether HIPEC specifically targets the peritoneal surface by analyzing the site of disease recurrence.MethodsOVHIPEC-1 was an open-label, multicenter, phase III trial that randomized 245 patients after three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to interval cytoreduction with or without HIPEC using cisplatin (100 mg/m2). Patients received three additional cycles of chemotherapy after surgery. Computed tomography (CT) scans and serum cancer antigen 125 (CA125) measurements were performed during chemotherapy, and during follow-up. Two expert radiologists reviewed all available CT scans. They were blinded for treatment allocation and clinical outcome. Central revision included Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 measurements and peritoneal cancer index scorings at baseline, during treatment, and during follow-up. Time to centrally-revised recurrence was compared between study arms using Cox proportional hazard models. Subdistribution models compared time to peritoneal recurrence between arms, accounting for competing risks.ResultsCT scans for central revision were available for 231 patients (94%) during neoadjuvant treatment and 212 patients (87%) during follow-up. Centrally-assessed median recurrence-free survival was 9.9 months in the surgery group and 13.2 months in the surgery+HIPEC group (HR for disease recurrence or death 0.72, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.94; p=0.015). The improved recurrence-free survival and overall survival associated with HIPEC were irrespective of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and baseline peritoneal cancer index. Cumulative incidence of peritoneal recurrence was lower after surgery+HIPEC, but there was no difference in extraperitoneal recurrences.ConclusionCentrally-assessed recurrence-free survival analysis confirms the benefit of adding HIPEC to interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with stage III ovarian cancer, with fewer peritoneal recurrences. These results rule out radiological bias caused by the open-label nature of the study.

Contains fulltext : 229280.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) OBJECTIVE: Decrease in skeletal muscle index (SMI) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been associated with worse outcome in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. To validate these findings, we tested if a decrease in SMI was a prognostic factor for a homogenous cohort of patients who received NACT in the randomized phase 3 OVHIPEC-trial. METHODS: CT-scans were performed at baseline and after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage III ovarian cancer patients. The SMI (skeletal muscle area in cm(2) divided by body surface area in m(2)) was calculated using SliceOMatic software. The difference in SMI between both CT-scans (ΔSMI) was calculated. Cox-regression analyses were performed to analyze the independent effect of a difference in SMI (ΔSMI) on outcome. Log-rank tests were performed to plot recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS). The mean number of adverse events per patient were compared between groups using t-tests. RESULTS: Paired CT-scans were available for 212 out of 245 patients (87%). Thirty-four of 74 patients (58%) in the group with a decrease in ΔSMI and 73 of 138 of the patients (53%) in the group with stable/increase in ΔSMI had died. Median RFS and OS did not differ significantly (p = 0.297 and p = 0.764) between groups. Patients with a decrease in SMI experienced more pre-operative adverse events, and more grade 3-4 adverse events. CONCLUSION: Decreased SMI during neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with worse outcome in patients with stage III ovarian cancer included in the OVHIPEC-trial. However, a strong association between decreasing SMI and adverse events was found.

BackgroundPresence of residual disease after cytoreductive surgery is an important negative prognostic factor for patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer. Surgery is of limited benefit when the diameter of residual disease is >1 cm. Residual disease is difficult to predict before surgery. The multivariate model Cancer Ovarii Non-invasive Assessment of Treatment Strategy (CONATS) index, based on serum biomarker HE4, age, and World Health Organization performance status, predicted no visible residual disease in patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85. The AUC of predicting residual disease >1 cm was not reported, although this can be of importance for pre-operative decision making, especially in fragile patients. We tested this model for predicting residual disease >1 cm in patients undergoing interval cytoreduction.MethodsWe retrospectively included patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent interval cytoreduction between January 2010 and December 2017 in two tertiary centers in the Netherlands. HE4 was measured with electrochemiluminescence in pre-operative samples. The CONATS index was used to predict residual disease. AUCs were calculated to predict residual disease >1 cm.ResultsA total of 273 patients were included. Mean (SD) age was 64 (11) years. Median number of cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 3 (range 3–6) and the most common regimen used consisted of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Before interval cytoreduction, 19 patients (7%) showed complete response to chemotherapy, 251 patients (92%) showed partial response, and 3 patients (1%) showed stable disease at imaging. Following surgery, 232 patients (85%) had residual disease ≤1 cm and 41 patients (15%) had residual disease >1 cm. The AUC was 0.80 for predicting residual disease >1 cm. In patients ≥70 years of age the AUC was 0.82.ConclusionThe CONATS index predicts surgical outcome after interval cytoreduction and is useful in counseling patients about the chance of whether an optimal interval cytoreduction can be achieved. This could be especially helpful in counseling elderly patients in whom surgery has a high risk of complications.

Despite advancements in treatment modalities, the 10-year survival rate of women diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer has remained between 10% and 15% for the past 20 years. This is in part due to the majority of cases being diagnosed when disease has reached International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages III to IV. Approximately 70% of patients treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and platinum-based chemotherapy experience recurrence within 18 months. The OVHIPEC trial, a randomized phase III trial found improved recurrence-free survival and overall survival with the addition of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to interval CRS. This study aimed to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of treatment with a combination of interval CRS and HIPEC compared with interval CRS alone in patients with stage III ovarian cancer. Data for the CEAwere extracted fromthe OVHIPEC trial (n = 245), which compared survival outcomes for patients with stage III ovarian cancer receiving either combination therapy (n = 122) or interval CRS alone (n = 123). Treatment costs from diagnosis to the time of disease recurrence were calculated using the treatment schedule in the OVHIPEC trial. Unit costs for disease-related procedures and events such as hospital admissions were calculated from multiple sources including national registries. All costs were initially retrieved in 2017 euros or converted to 2017 euros using the inflation rate established by the Consumer Price Index. Three different treatment protocols were analyzed: (1) standard chemotherapy, considered carboplatin and paclitaxel and/or gemcitabine and/or doxorubicin; (2) carboplatin-gemcitabine-bevacizumab and maintenance bevacizumab for platinum-sensitive disease; (3) maintenance poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors for high-grade serous recurrent disease. The Makov model built to perform the analysis consisted of 3 mutually exclusive health states with corresponding utilities: Recurrence-free survival, disease recurrence, and death. The duration of each cycle in the model was 3 months, and a 10-year time duration was selected. The difference between the 2 groups in terms of qualityadjusted life-years (QALY) and incremental mean costs was calculated using 1000 replicas, made by extrapolating data from OVHIPEC survival outcomes, representing women at 60 years of age. The primary outcome for this trial was the ICER, calculated by dividing the mean incremental costs by the mean incremental QALY. Mean health care costs of interval CRS and HIPEC were €85,791 (95% credibility interval [CrI], €78,776-93,935) compared with €70,046 (95% CrI, €64,016-€76,661) for the interval CRS group. Treatment with interval CRS and HIPEC resulted in mean life-years of 5.07 (95% CrI, 4.80-5.34) compared with 4.07 (95% CrI, 3.83-4.33) for the interval CRS group. Adjusting for health-related quality-of-life data from the OVHIPEC trial, the mean QALY for the interval CRS and HIPEC group was 2.68 (95% CrI, 2.11-3.28) compared with 2.12 (95% CrI, 1.66-2.64) in the CRS group. The results showed an ICER of €28,299 per QALYover the first 5 years for patients treated with CRS and HIPEC. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed the likelihood of interval CRS combined with HIPEC being cost-effective was 83% using the Dutch WTP threshold of €80,000 per QALY. These results show that treatment with interval CRS and HIPEC shows a robust incremental QALY benefit compared with CRS alone. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis found that treatment with this combination therapy falls within the accepted values for cost-effective treatment costs in the Netherlands.

Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer have a high incidence of peritoneal disease recurrence despite maximal efforts to surgically remove all visible tumor plus intravenous chemotherapy. The administration of intraperitoneal chemotherapy that specifically targets the peritoneal surface has been investigated in previous trials, but questions about the design of these studies has prevented this treatment from being widely adopted in clinical practice. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a single intraoperative approach that also targets the peritoneal surface. A randomized phase 3 trial showed significant benefit in recurrence-free and overall survival when HIPEC was added to interval cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in patients who were not eligible for primary surgery because of the extent of their disease (OVHIPEC trial; NCT00426257). The trial showed no important differences in toxicity or patient-reported outcomes between the study groups. The extent of surgery and the number of bowel resections were also similar between the 2 study groups, and the effect of HIPEC was homogeneous across the levels of predefined and post hoc subgroups. Nevertheless, the design and the results of the OVHIPEC trial were critically assessed, and this resembles the reluctance to adopt the positive results of the earlier intraperitoneal chemotherapy studies. This overview discusses the design and results of the OVHIPEC trial. The evidence that is currently available points to a clinically relevant and cost-effective benefit of HIPEC added to interval CRS for patients with stage III ovarian cancer who are not eligible for primary surgery. Ongoing collaborative research will provide further evidence regarding the role of HIPEC in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND An accurate diagnosis of cancer of Mullerian origin is required before the initiation of treatment. An overlap in clinical presentation and cytological, histological, or imaging studies with other nongynecological tumors does occur. Therefore, immunocytochemistry markers are used to determine tumor origin. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is overexpressed in tissue of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). It has shown to be a sensitive and specific serum marker for EOC and to be of value for the differentiation between EOC and ovarian metastases of gastrointestinal origin. The objective of the current study was to evaluate HE4 immunocytochemistry in malignant ascites for differentiation between cancer of Mullerian origin, including EOC, and adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract. METHODS Cytological specimens of 115 different adenocarcinomas (45 EOCs, 46 cases of gastric cancer, and 24 cases of colorectal cancer) were stained for HE4, paired box 8 (PAX8), and other specific markers. RESULTS 91% of the ascites samples from patients with EOC stained for both HE4 and PAX8. The 4 samples without HE4 staining were a clear cell carcinoma, a low-grade serous adenocarcinoma, an undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, and a neuroendocrine carcinoma. All high-grade serous adenocarcinomas (n = 37, 100%) stained with HE4, compared with 94% that stained positively for PAX8. In cases of gastric or colorectal cancer, 25% and 21% of cases, respectively, stained positive for HE4. No PAX8 staining was observed in colorectal or gastric adenocarcinomas. CONCLUSIONS HE4 staining in ascites is feasible and appears to have a high sensitivity for high-grade serous ovarian cancer. HE4 is a useful addition to the current panel of immunocytochemistry markers for the diagnosis of EOC and for differentiation with gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:197–204. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

TPS6100 Background: The addition of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) to interval cytoreductive surgery improves recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with FIGO stage III ovarian cancer who are ineligible for primary cytoreductive surgery due to extensive intraperitoneal disease. The effect of HIPEC remains undetermined in patients who are eligible for primary cytoreductive surgery. We hypothesize that the addition of HIPEC to a complete or near-complete (residual disease ≤2.5 mm) primary cytoreductive surgery improves overall survival in patients with FIGO stage III ovarian cancer. Methods: This international, randomized, open-label, phase III trial enrolls patients with newly diagnosed, histological proven FIGO stage III epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. Patients with resectable umbilical, spleen or local bowel lesions may be included. Following complete or near-complete primary cytoreduction, patients are intra-operatively randomized (1:1) to receive HIPEC or no HIPEC. Patients in both study arms will receive six courses of adjuvant carboplatin-paclitaxel and maintenance PARP-inhibitor or bevacizumab according to current guidelines. The primary endpoint is overall survival. To detect a Hazard Ratio of 0.67 in favor of HIPEC, 200 overall survival events are required. Assuming that accrual will be completed in 60 months, and 12 months additional follow-up, 538 patients need to be randomized. All randomized patients will be included in the analysis for overall survival according to the intention to treat principle. Pre-specified subgroup analyses will be performed based on stratification factors (peritoneal cancer index at start of surgery, completeness of surgery), histologic subtype (high-grade serous versus other), and BRCA mutation (BRCA1/2 mutation versus wildtype). Secondary endpoints are recurrence-free survival, time to first subsequent anticancer treatment, and treatment related complications and toxicity. Exploratory endpoints are time to second subsequent anticancer treatment, health-related quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. The Institutional Review Board of the Netherlands Cancer Institute approved the trial, which is actively enrolling patients since January 2020. Clinical trial information: NCT03772028.

Background: The addition of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) to interval cytoreductive surgery (CRS) improves recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with FIGO stage III ovarian cancer. We evaluated the effect of HIPEC on patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the OVHIPEC trial. Methods: OVHIPEC was a multicentre, open-label, randomized phase III trial for patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive interval CRS with or without HIPEC with cisplatin. HRQoL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30, and the ovarian cancer (QLQ-OV28) and colorectal cancer (QLQ-CR38) modules. HRQoL was assessed at baseline, after surgery, following the last cycle of chemotherapy, and every three months thereafter until a maximum of two years after randomization. HRQoL was a secondary endpoint of the OVHIPEC trial, with the prespecified focus on the QLQ-C30 summary score and symptom scales for fatigue, neuropathy and gastro-intestinal symptoms. HRQoL data were analysed using linear and non-linear mixed effect models, with time from randomization in weeks as temporal variable. Findings: From April 2007 through April 2016, 245 patients were randomized. One-hundred-ninety-seven patients (80%) completed at least one questionnaire. No significant difference in QLQ-C30 summary scores was observed between the study arms over time (p-values for linear and non-linear growth: p>0·133). The pattern over time for the symptom scales for fatigue, neuropathy and gastro-intestinal symptoms did not significantly differ between treatment arms. Interpretation: The addition of HIPEC to interval CRS does not negatively impact HRQoL in patients with stage III ovarian cancer who are treated with interval CRS. These HRQoL results, together with the improvement in recurrence-free and overall survival, support the viability of HIPEC as an important treatment option in this patient population. Clinical Trial Number: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00426257; EudraCT number2006-003466-34 Funding Statement: This HRQoL study was performed without funding. The OVHIPEC trial was funded by the Dutch Cancer Society, NKI 2006-4176 Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The local ethical committees of all participating centres approved the study protocol. All participating patients provided written informed consent and agreed to complete questionnaires as part of their consent.

The majority of patients with ovarian cancer (OC) receive an initial diagnosis of advanced disease that has spread from the ovaries to the peritoneal surface. The most effective treatment for patients with advanced disease is cytoreductive surgery followed by systemic chemotherapy. As an alternative, interval cytoreductive surgery is performed after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Following these treatments, the primary site of disease recurrence is the peritoneal surface. Delivery of chemotherapy by the intraperitoneal (IP) route enhances drug delivery at the peritoneal surface and eliminates residual microscopic peritoneal disease more efficiently than intravenous administration. Previous trials have shown that after primary cytoreductive surgery combined use of intravenous and IP chemotherapy results in longer overall survival among patients with stage III OC compared with intravenous administration alone. Combined intravenous/IP chemotherapy has several drawbacks that have hampered its adoption in many countries. These include catheter-related problems, increased demands on the patient, and gastrointestinal and renal adverse effects. Most of these drawbacks can be circumvented by delivery of the IP chemotherapy at the end of surgery. Delivery of IP chemotherapy during surgery under hyperthermic conditions—termed hyperthermic IP chemotherapy (HIPEC)—increases the penetration of chemotherapy at the peritoneal surface. Although addition of HIPEC to interval cytoreductive surgery is feasible in women with OC, efficacy data from randomized trials are lacking. This multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of interval cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC as compared with interval cytoreductive surgery without HIPEC in patients with stage III epithelial OC. Subjects were patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy who had at least stable disease after 3 cycles of carboplatin (area under the curve of 5–6 mg/mL per minute) and paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 of body surface area). Of these patients, 245 were randomized: 122 to the surgery-plus-HIPEC group and 123 to the surgery-without-HIPEC group. Randomization was performed at the time of surgery in cases in which surgery that would result in complete cytoreduction (no visible disease) or optimal cytoreduction (≥1 residual tumors measuring ≤10 mm in diameter) was deemed to be feasible. Patients received an additional 3 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel postoperatively. Recurrence-free survival was the primary study end point. Key secondary end points were overall survival and the side effect profile. Data for recurrence-free and overall survival were analyzed according to intention to treat. Among patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery, disease recurrence or death occurred in 89% (110/123) of patients in the surgery-without-HIPEC group and 81% (99/122) of patients in the surgery-plus-HIPEC group; the hazard ratio for disease recurrence or death was 0.66, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.50 to 0.87, P = 0.003. The median recurrence-free survival was 3.5 months longer in the surgery-plus-HIPEC group than in the surgery-without-HIPEC group (14.2 vs 10.7 months). At a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 62% (76/123) of patients in the surgery-without-HIPEC group and 50% (61/122) in the surgery-plus-HIPEC group had died (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.94; P = 0.02). There were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse events of any grade between the 2 groups (25% in the surgery-withoutHIPEC group and 27% in the surgery-plus-HIPEC group, P = 0.76). These data indicate that among patients with stage III epithelial OC addition of HIPEC to interval cytoreductive surgery provides longer recurrence-free survival and overall survival compared with surgery alone and no higher rates of adverse effects.

Introduction The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine the objective response rate to hormone therapy (HT) for patients with a measurable adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary in a consecutive series of patients. Material and methods All patients with an adult GCT who were treated with HT [steroidal progestins, selective estrogen receptor modulators, aromatase inhibitors and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists] within three referral hospitals were identified and their records were screened for HT administration. The main outcome measure was the objective response rate to HT. Results We identified 127 patients with an adult GCT, of whom 81 (64%) had a recurrence. Twenty-five of these patients (20%) were treated with hormones, of whom 22 had measurable disease at the start of their treatment, i.e. a tumor of more than 1 cm in diameter as seen on imaging, either as a recurrence or as residual disease. The pooled objective response rate, defined as the proportion of patients whose best overall response to hormone therapy was either complete response or partial response to HT, was 18% (4/22) (95% confidence interval 6–41%). In one patient (4.5%) a complete response and in three (14%) a partial response was described. Fourteen patients (64%) had stable disease and in four patients (18%) disease was progressive. Conclusions Although several case reports described good responses to HT in patients with a GCT, we found a response in only four of 22 patients in this relatively large consecutive series of patients.

Objective Models to predict the probability of recurrence free survival exist for various types of malignancies, but a model for recurrence free survival in individuals with an adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary is lacking. We aimed to develop and internally validate such a prognostic model. Methods We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with a GCT. Demographic, clinical and pathological information were considered as potential predictors. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Using backward stepwise selection we identified the combination of predictors that best predicted recurrence free survival. Discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration were used to assess model performance. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping techniques to correct for overfitting. To increase clinical applicability of the model we developed a nomogram to allow individual prediction of recurrence free survival. Results We identified 127 patients with a GCT (median follow-up time was 131months (IQR 70-215)). Recurrence of GCT occurred in 81 out of 127 patients (64%). The following four variables jointly best predicted recurrence free survival; clinical stage, Body Mass Index (BMI), tumor diameter and mitotic index. The model had a c-statistic of 0.73 (95% CI 0.66–0.80) and showed accurate calibration. Conclusions Recurrence free survival in patients with an adult GCT of the ovary can be accurately predicted by a combination of BMI, clinical stage, tumor diameter and mitotic index. The introduced nomogram could facilitate in counseling patients and may help to guide patients and caregivers in joint decisions on post-treatment surveillance.

An accurate diagnosis of cancer of Müllerian origin is required before the initiation of treatment. An overlap in clinical presentation and cytological, histological, or imaging studies with other nongynecological tumors does occur. Therefore, immunocytochemistry markers are used to determine tumor origin. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is overexpressed in tissue of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). It has shown to be a sensitive and specific serum marker for EOC and to be of value for the differentiation between EOC and ovarian metastases of gastrointestinal origin. The objective of the current study was to evaluate HE4 immunocytochemistry in malignant ascites for differentiation between cancer of Müllerian origin, including EOC, and adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract.Cytological specimens of 115 different adenocarcinomas (45 EOCs, 46 cases of gastric cancer, and 24 cases of colorectal cancer) were stained for HE4, paired box 8 (PAX8), and other specific markers.91% of the ascites samples from patients with EOC stained for both HE4 and PAX8. The 4 samples without HE4 staining were a clear cell carcinoma, a low-grade serous adenocarcinoma, an undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, and a neuroendocrine carcinoma. All high-grade serous adenocarcinomas (n = 37, 100%) stained with HE4, compared with 94% that stained positively for PAX8. In cases of gastric or colorectal cancer, 25% and 21% of cases, respectively, stained positive for HE4. No PAX8 staining was observed in colorectal or gastric adenocarcinomas.HE4 staining in ascites is feasible and appears to have a high sensitivity for high-grade serous ovarian cancer. HE4 is a useful addition to the current panel of immunocytochemistry markers for the diagnosis of EOC and for differentiation with gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:197-204. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

To determine the lymphatic drainage pattern using SPECT/CT in clinically node-negative (cN0) patients with vulvar cancer, and to evaluate the possible implications for the extent of inguinal lymph node dissection. A total of 83 patients with vulvar cancer scheduled for sentinel node (SN) biopsy were injected peritumorally with radioactive nanocolloid particles followed by lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT/CT for anatomical localization. The SN and higher-echelon nodes on SPECT/CT were located in different zones in the groin and pelvic region. The groin was divided into five zones according to Daseler et al.: four zones obtained by drawing two perpendicular lines over the saphenofemoral junction and one zone directly overlying this junction. The nodes in the pelvic region were classified into three zones: external iliac/obturator, the common iliac and the paraaortic zones. A total of 217 SNs and 202 higher-echelon nodes were localized on SPECT/CT. All SNs were located in the five zones according to Daseler et al.: 149 (69 %) in the medial superior region, 31 (14 %) in the medial inferior region, 22 (10 %) in the central region, 14 (6.5 %) in the lateral superior region and only 1 (0.5 %) in the lateral inferior region. The higher-echelon nodes were located both in the groin (15 %) and in the pelvic region (85 %). In patients with cN0 vulvar cancer, lymphatic drainage occurs predominantly to the medial regions of the groin. Drainage to the lateral inferior region of the groin is only incidental and in SN-positive patients this zone might be spared in subsequent extended lymph node dissection. This may lead to a decrease in the morbidity associated with this procedure. SPECT/CT is able to personalize lymphatic mapping, providing detailed information about the number and anatomical location of SNs for adequate surgical planning in the groin.

5519 Background: Cytoreductive surgery and systemic therapy are essential for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. We conducted a multicenter phase 3 trial to study whether the addition of intraperitoneal chemotherapy under hyperthermic conditions (HIPEC) to interval cytoreductive surgery would improve outcome among patients receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: We randomly assigned patients who showed at least stable disease after three cycles of carboplatin (area under the curve 6) and paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) to receive interval cytoreductive surgery with or without HIPEC using cisplatin (100 mg/m2). Randomization was performed per-operatively and eligible patients had no residual mass greater than 2.5 mm. Three additional cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel were given post-operatively. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival. Overall survival, toxicity, and quality-of-life were key secondary endpoints. Results: A total of 245 patients were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment strategies. In an intention-to-treat analysis, interval cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC was associated with longer recurrence-free survival than interval cytoreductive surgery alone (15 vs. 11 months, respectively; hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 0.86; P=0.003). At the time of analysis, 49% of patients were alive, with a significant improvement in overall survival favoring HIPEC (48 vs. 34 months; HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.91, P=0.01). The number of patients with grade 3-4 adverse events was similar in both treatment arms (28% vs. 24%, p=0.61). Quality-of-life analysis will follow. Conclusions: The addition of HIPEC to interval cytoreductive surgery is well tolerated and improves recurrence free and overall survival in patients with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT00426257.

The local inflammatory tumor infiltrate related to cervical carcinoma has been shown to consist mainly of T lymphocytes and macrophages. In 5% to 40% of the cases, eosinophilic granulocytes from a major part of the tumor-infiltrating cells. The presence of a high percentage of eosinophilic granulocytes in the infiltrate might reflect a less effective antitumor response, resulting in a worse overall survival. In the present study, histological slides from 83 patients who had been treated for cervical squamous carcinoma were reviewed. Special emphasis was put on the presence of eosinophils in the tumor infiltrate and correlated with clinical outcome as a parameter of the strength of the host-antitumor response. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of a large amount of eosinophils among the infiltrate was an independent parameter, predicting a worse overall survival in patients with tumor-negative lymph nodes and tumor-negative resection margins (n = 61). The presence of eosinophilic granulocytes might represent a less appropriate immune response based on a disturbed equilibrium between Th-1- and Th-2-mediated immune response.

Immunohistochemical studies have shown that loss of HLA expression is observed in cervical carcinomas but not in premalignant CIN lesions, indicating that downregulation of HLA is linked to tumor progression. The present study was performed to investigate whether the degree of HLA expression in cervical cancer correlates with more advanced disease as defined by histopathological features. Frozen tissue sections from 49 patients with squamous carcinoma of the cervix FIGO stage IB to IIB were stained with HLA class I monomorphic, locus- and allele-specific monoclonal antibodies. Histological data indicative of local disease, i.e., depth of invasion, tumor size, stage, and systemic spread of the disease, such as tumor-positive lymph nodes, were collected by reviewing the histological slides. Univariate analysis revealed that loss of HLA-A locus and A2-allele expression showed a positive, significant correlation with both presence of tumor-positive lymph nodes (P = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively) and the number of lymph nodes involved (both P = 0.04). These results strongly support the idea that, specifically in an immunogenic cancer type such as cervical cancer, tumor cells escape immunosurveillance and gain growth advantage by allele-specific downregulation of the HLA-A2 molecule. In view of the development of immunotherapeutical interventions in cancer, upregulation of HLA class I molecules may prove to be a useful additional tool in the combat against immunogenic tumors.

The presence of an eosinophilic infiltrate in patients with cervical squamous carcinoma has been shown to correlate with a worse overall survival, suggesting a less effective immune response in these cases. Since type 2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-5 are known to attract eosinophilic granulocytes, an immunohistochemical study was performed to gain further insight as to whether a type 1 or type 2 immune response is involved in eliciting an eosinophilic infiltrate.Frozen tissue sections of 9 normal cervical tissues, 23 premalignant cervical lesions, and 23 cervical squamous carcinomas were stained by immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies directed against IFN-gamma and IL-4 as representatives of a type 1 or a type 2 response, respectively.Normal tissues and premalignant lesions of the cervix did not contain eosinophilic granulocytes and showed very few IL-4- and IFN-gamma-positive cells. In cervical carcinoma the presence of IL-4 on tumor infiltrating cells correlated with the presence of eosinophilic granulocytes in the tumor (P value0.01) and stroma (P value0.05). IFN-gamma-positive cells did not show any such correlation. In addition, colocalization was observed of CD3- and IL-4-positive T lymphocytes indicating that IL-4 production is mediated by T lymphocytes.The relative increase of IL-4-positive cells in the presence of an eosinophilic infiltrate might thus reflect an imbalance between a type 1 and type 2 response, in favor of the latter. Since a type 1 response stimulates an adequate cellular response which is negatively regulated by type 2 cytokines, these findings might explain the worse clinical outcome seen in cervical cancer patients with an eosinophilic tumor infiltrate. These results may have implications when developing immunotherapeutical strategies for cervical cancer.

Evidence that infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with carcinogenesis is provided both by epidemiologic and experimental studies. Epidemiologic studies show that the great majority of all grades of premalignant lesions of the cervix can be attributed to oncogenic HPV infection.” Analysis of the presence of specific HPV genotypes in premalignant cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma, makes it clear that the prevalence of HPV increases with the severity of the lesion, mainly because of contributions from HPVs 16 and 18.14 In patients with a normal cervical cytology, the prevalence of HPV infection is age-dependent and varies from 20% in women between 20 and 25 years old to 6% in women older than 30 years.59 Most grade I11 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and a high percentage of grade I1 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia contain high-risk HPV types (primarily HPV 16 or 18), and both high- and low-risk HPV types have been observed in grade I cervical intraepithelial neo~lasia.~~ It has been shown that HPV infection fulfills a central etiologic role in the origin of cervical