Early-stage Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Research Articles

Survival outcomes of lymph node dissection in early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: identifying suitable candidates

ObjectiveThe study aimed to assess the effect of lymph node dissection on survival outcomes in patients presenting with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer and to delineate patient characteristics that may indicate a greater benefit from pelvic lymph node dissection.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on individuals diagnosed with clinical stage I-II epithelial ovarian cancer who received primary cytoreductive surgery at the Cancer Hospital Affiliated with Harbin Medical University from January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2018. The investigation encompassed an examination of demographic data, clinicopathological profiles, perioperative complications, and survival outcomes.ResultsA total of 315 patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer were incorporated into the study and were segregated into two distinct cohorts: 217 patients who underwent lymphadenectomy (Group A) and 98 patients who did not undergo the procedure (Group B). The disparities in progression-free survival and overall survival between the two cohorts did not attain statistical significance (p > 0.05). Upon conducting a subgroup analysis, it was discerned that patients characterized by clear cell carcinoma as the pathological subtype demonstrated a significantly extended progression-free survival post-lymphadenectomy (p = 0.02). Additionally, the operative duration for the patients in Group A was significantly protracted in comparison to Group B (146.15 ± 39.132 min vs. 133.49 ± 35.308 min, P = 0.043).ConclusionFor patients with early-stage ovarian cancer, lymph node dissection does not significantly improve progression-free or overall survival rates. Our findings suggest that individuals with clear cell carcinoma pathology have a higher probability of benefiting in terms of survival following lymph node dissection.

Comprehensive serum glycopeptide spectra analysis combined with traditional markers for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer identification

Comprehensive serum glycopeptide spectra analysis combined with traditional markers for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer identification

Key issues in diagnostic accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy in early-stage ovarian cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveSentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping may reduce the morbidity of lymphadenectomy while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, SLN mapping in epithelial ovarian cancer is still under investigation. This systematic review and...

Comprehensive serum glycopeptide spectra analysis to identify early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is widely recognized as the most lethal gynecological malignancy; however, its early-stage detection remains a considerable clinical challenge. To address this, we have introduced a new method, named Comprehensive Serum Glycopeptide Spectral Analysis (CSGSA), which detects early-stage cancer by combining glycan alterations in serum glycoproteins with tumor markers. We detected 1712 glycopeptides using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry from the sera obtained from 564 patients with EOC and 1149 controls across 13 institutions. Furthermore, we used a convolutional neural network to analyze the expression patterns of the glycopeptides and tumor markers. Using this approach, we successfully differentiated early-stage EOC (Stage I) from non-EOC, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.924 in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. This method markedly outperforms conventional tumor markers, including cancer antigen 125 (CA125, 0.842) and human epididymis protein 4 (HE4, 0.717). Notably, our method exhibited remarkable efficacy in differentiating early-stage ovarian clear cell carcinoma from endometrioma, achieving a ROC-AUC of 0.808, outperforming CA125 (0.538) and HE4 (0.557). Our study presents a promising breakthrough in the early detection of EOC through the innovative CSGSA method. The integration of glycan alterations with cancer-related tumor markers has demonstrated exceptional diagnostic potential.

Impact of the Treatment-Free Interval on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Early-Stage Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Background: Although the incidence of ovarian cancer is less than that of other female cancers, the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease course is high. Because treatment involves radical surgery and intense courses of chemotherapy, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is often compromised. Most patients recur post-first-line therapy and undergo multiple rounds of chemotherapy. Thus, HRQOL is further disrupted. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess impact of the treatment-free interval on health-related quality of life in patients with early-stage serous epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: The cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Gynecological Oncology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. A total 38 women with histopathologically confirmed serous epithelial ovarian cancer were included in the study. Participants were divided into two groups according to their mutation status; patients with BRCA mutation were Exposed Group and those without BRCA mutation as Unexposed Group. The questionnaire was pretested, corrected and finalized. Data were collected by face-to-face interview and analyzed by appropriate computer based programmed software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 24. Results: In this study, maximum study subjects 26 (68.4%) were in >45 years age group and 12 (31.6%) were in ≤45 years age group. Mean age of the study subjects was 52.43±4.22 years and majority of the patients 29 (76.3%) were literate and 9 (23.7%) were illiterate. About 25 (65.8%) respondents had family history of breast / ovarian cancer and 11 (28.9%) had no family history of breast / ovarian cancer. Majority 20 (52.6%) respondents underwent Primary Debulking Surgery as primary treatment modality, whereas 18 (47.4%) did not receive Primary Debulking Surgery and majority respondents 21 (55.3%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery, whereas 19 (44.7%) ..........

Lymph node metastasis in grossly apparent early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: A retrospective clinical study at a tertiary institute.

This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and predict the risk factors of lymph node (LN) metastasis among patients with grossly apparent early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic data and follow-up information of 266 patients who underwent LN dissection for apparent early-stage EOC between January 2018 and September 2022 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Among 266 patients, 44 (16.5%) showed LN metastasis, of which 65.9% and 59.1% presented in the pelvic region and para-aortic region, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed higher LN positivity in patients with high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), preoperative imaging suggestive of LN metastasis, bilateral adnexal involvement, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), positive peritoneal cytology, and clinical stage IIA. LN metastases were identified in 7.9%, 10.2%, and 39.7% of clinical stage IA/B, IC, and IIA disease cases, respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed significantly higher LN positivity rates in patients with HGSC, LVSI, and clinical stage IIA. In clinical stage IIA EOC, the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 65.8% and 77.4% (P = 0.360) for LN-negative and LN-positive groups, respectively. In clinical stage I EOC, the 3-year PFS rates were 93.5% and 59.4% (P < 0.001) for LN-negative and LN-positive groups, respectively. High-grade serous histology, LVSI, and clinical stage IIA disease are predictive factors for LN involvement in early-stage EOC. In addition, LN metastasis appears to be associated with worse PFS in clinical stage I EOC compared with clinical stage IIA EOC.

Transformer-based AI technology improves early ovarian cancer diagnosis using cfDNA methylation markers

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest women's cancer and has a poor prognosis. Early detection is the key for improving survival (a 5-year survival rate in stage I/II is over 70% compared to that of 25% in stage III/IV) and can be achieved through methylation markers from circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using a liquid biopsy. In this study, we first identify top 500 EOC markers differentiating EOC from healthy female controls from 3.3 million methylome-wide CpG sites and validated them in 1,800 independent cfDNA samples. We then utilize a pretrained AI transformer system called MethylBERT to develop an EOC diagnostic model which achieves 80% sensitivity and 95% specificity in early-stage EOC diagnosis. We next develop a simple digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) assay which archives good performance, facilitating early EOC detection.

Prognostic impact of intraoperative rupture in early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: an ancillary study of GORILLA-3002

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether intraoperative rupture affects oncological outcomes in patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). MethodsA multicenter retrospective study was conducted on patients with early-stage EOC based on surgical and final pathological reports between 2007 and 2021. Oncologic outcomes were compared between the unruptured group (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics [FIGO] stage IA/IB) and ruptured group (FIGO stage IC1). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for the imbalance in prognostic factors between the groups. ResultsOverall, 197 (58.3 %) patients comprised the unruptured group (FIGO stage IA/IB), and 141 (41.7 %) were in the intraoperatively ruptured group (FIGO stage IC1). No significant difference in the 5-year PFS was observed between the two groups before PSM (92.65 % vs. 92.80 %, P = 0.93). After PSM, the 5-year PFS showed a noticeable decrease in the ruptured group compared to the unruptured group, although this difference showed borderline statistical significance (96.90 % vs. 89.82 %, P = 0.061). This trend was particularly discernible in cases with aggressive tumor characteristics; intraoperative rupture remained an independent prognostic factor for shorter PFS in patients with high-grade histology (adjusted hazard ratio = 14.4, 95 % confidence interval = 2.8–74.1). ConclusionsAlthough not statistically significant, intraoperative rupture may negatively affect PFS in these patients after PSM. Therefore, rupture during surgery should be avoided as it can cause upstaging and unnecessary chemotherapy.

Establishment and validation of a prediction model for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer based on LASSO regression

Objective: To establish and validate a prediction model for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Methods: A total of 509 cases ovarian mass patients who underwent surgical treatment in Tianjin Medical General Hospital from January 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomly divided into modeling group [n=356, M(Q1,Q3) for age were 43 (31, 61) years] and internal validation group [n=153, age 42 (31, 60) years] by 7∶3 ratio. In addition, 86 patients [age 44 (33, 61) years] who underwent surgical treatment for ovarian mass in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from April to November 2023 were collected as external validation group. The variables were screened by LASSO regression. The nomogram model was established and plotted by multivariate logistic regression. Internal and external validation were then conducted. The model performance and clinical applicability were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and decision curve. Results: Five variables including age (OR=1.040,95%CI:1.000-1.050,P=0.002), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) (OR=1.001, 95%CI: 1.000-1.010, P=0.017), human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) (OR=1.020, 95%CI: 1.000-1.030, P=0.002), carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199) (OR=1.001, 95%CI:1.000-1.020, P=0.023) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (OR=1.020, 95%CI: 1.010-1.022, P=0.001) were screened as risk factors for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. The nomogram model was constructed based on these above five risk factors to predict early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. ROC curves showed the area under curve (AUC) were 0.915(95%CI:0.910-0.932)for modeling group, 0.891(95%CI:0.874-0.905) for internal validation group, and 0.924(95%CI:0.907-0.942) for external verification. The calibration curves and clinical decision curves showed the model exhibited good consistency and clinical practicability. Conclusions: The nomogram model built includes age, CA125, HE4, CA199, and LDH. It can effectively predict early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer and has strong clinical practicability.

Diagnosing and staging epithelial ovarian cancer by serum glycoproteomic profiling.

There is a need for diagnostic tests for screening, triaging and staging of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Glycoproteomics of blood samples has shown promise for biomarker discovery. We applied glycoproteomics to serum of people with EOC or benign pelvic masses and healthy controls. A total of 653 analytes were quantified and assessed in multivariable models, which were tested in an independent cohort. Additionally, we analyzed glycosylation patterns in serum markers and in tissues. We identified a biomarker panel that distinguished benign lesions from EOC with sensitivity and specificity of 83.5% and 90.1% in the training set, and of 86.7 and 86.7% in the test set, respectively. ROC analysis demonstrated strong performance across a range of cutoffs. Fucosylated multi-antennary glycopeptide markers were higher in late-stage than in early-stage EOC. A comparable pattern was found in late-stage EOC tissues. Blood glycopeptide biomarkers have the potential to distinguish benign from malignant pelvic masses, and early- from late-stage EOC. Glycosylation of circulating and tumor tissue proteins may be related. This study supports the hypothesis that blood glycoproteomic profiling can be used for EOC diagnosis and staging and it warrants further clinical evaluation.

Outcomes after fertility-sparing surgery of early-stage ovarian cancer: A nationwide population-based study.

Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is an alternative choice of young patients who have not completed their family planning and still have fertility needs. The aims of this study were to compare the outcomes of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients undergoing FSS and radical comprehensive staging surgery (RCS), and the suitability of FSS. A total of 1297 patients aged between 20 and 44 years with newly diagnosed early-stage EOC were recruited from the Taiwan Cancer Registry database between 2009 and 2017. Site-specific surgery codes were used to distinguish patients in FSS group or RCS group. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and Cox regression model. There were 401 and 896 patients in FSS and RCS group. Patients in FSS group were with younger age and mostly had Stage I disease. In contrast, patients in RCS group were older. There were more Stage II, high-grade (Grade 3) disease, and adjuvant chemotherapy in RCS group. Stage and tumor grade were two independent factors correlating with CSS and the type of surgery showed no effect on CSS (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.66-1.77, p = 0.73) in multivariable analysis. In multivariable analysis, the clear cell carcinoma group who underwent FSS demonstrated better CSS compared to those in the RCS group (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.06-0.82, p = 0.04). A total of 17 women who underwent FSS developed second malignancies of the uterine corpus or contralateral ovary. FSS can be a safe alternative procedure in selected young patients of Stage I EOC who have fertility desire. Endometrial biopsy before or during FSS and regular surveillance to detect recurrence are mandatory for ovarian cancer patients undergoing FSS.

Fertility potential and safety assessment of residual ovarian cortex in young women diagnosed with epithelial borderline and early-stage malignant ovarian tumors

ObjectiveTo establish the safety and quality of ovarian cortex surrounding epithelial ovarian tumors in women eligible for fertility-sparing surgery by identifying occult malignant lesions and characterizing the ovarian follicle pool. MethodsMulticentric retrospective study of 48 subjects (15–45 years), diagnosed with borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) or early-stage epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs) and eligible for fertility-sparing surgery. Histological samples of ovarian cortex surrounding tumors were analyzed to characterize the follicle pool, find any occult malignant lesion using tumor-specific markers (cytokeratin 7 and mucin 1), and quantify tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) by CD3 and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) by CD68. ResultsOccult ovarian lesions were observed in 6 out of 45 cases investigated (14.6%), including one mucinous stage-I BOT (1/14), one serous stage-I BOT (1/13), 3 advanced-stage serous BOTs (3/11) and one early-stage serous EOC (1/7). Notably, follicle density was significantly lower in subjects diagnosed with ovarian tumors compared to controls (p < 0.001) and at a younger age. Significantly higher follicle atresia was encountered in the ovarian tumor group then in controls (20.1 ± 8.8% vs 9.2 ± 9.4%, p < 0.001) at all ages. Both TILs and TAMs were found in ovarian tumors irrespective of histotype, but no link was established with the status of the ovarian reserve. ConclusionsPersonalized counseling for fertility preservation is required in the event of BOTs and early-stage EOCs. Fertility-sparing surgery and adjuvant gamete preservation should be considered, balancing the oncological risks according to tumor stage and histotype and fertility potential, especially at a younger age.

Diagnostic value of plasma-derived exosomal miR-223 for epithelial ovarian cancer

ObjectivesTo evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma exosomal miR-223 and its combination with CA125 for the diagnosis of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).Patients and methodsExosomes derived from the plasma of 78 EOC patients, 40 patients with epithelial benign ovarian tumors, and 52 healthy participants were isolated using the ultracentrifugation method and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and western blot.ResultsThe expression of exosomal miR-223 was significantly upregulated in the plasma of EOC patients compared to that in healthy subjects and patients with benign diseases. The combination of exosomal miR-223 and CA125 from plasma had an equivalent area under the ROC curve (AUC) to CA125 alone for discriminating between EOC and non-EOC cases, including healthy subjects and benign ovarian tumors. However, the AUC value of the combination was 0.944 (95% CI: 0.899–0.990) for differentially diagnosing early-stage EOC from healthy subjects, slightly higher than that of CA125 alone (0.928, 95% CI: 0.875–0.981), with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.9784 and 0.885, respectively.ConclusionOur data suggest that plasma exosomal miR-223 can be used as a complement to CA125 to increase the diagnostic power for differentiating early-stage EOC from healthy subjects.

Is minimally invasive surgical approach a reasonable option in apparent early stage epithelial ovarian cancer restaging? Results from a multicentric retrospective study

IntroductionTo perform surgical staging of early stage ovarian cancer (EOC), conventional laparoscopy (LS) and robot-assisted laparoscopy (RLS) appear to be reliable procedures compared to open surgery. But oncologicals results with long-term follow up are limited in the literature. The objective of this study is to evaluate the surgical and long-term survival for patients managed by minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Materials and methodsWe conducted a multicentric retrospective study in 6 institutions. All patients referred for epithelial EOC (apparent stage I-IIa) managed with LS and RLS were involved. ResultsFrom December 2008 to December 2017, 140 patients were included (109 in LS group and 31 in RLS group). A total of 27 (19.2 %) patients were upstaged to an advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO stage > IIA), and 73 % of patients received chemotherapy. Mean operative time was 265,8 ± 88,4 min and significantly longer in RLS group (LS = 254,5 ± 86,8; RLS = 305,6 ± 85,5; p = 0,008). Rate of severe post-operative complications (grade 3) was 5,7 %. Thirteen conversion to laparotomy occurred, including one per-operative hemorrhaege. After a mean follow-up of 60,7 months, 29 (20.7 %) patients recurred, with a time to recurrence was >24 months in 51,7 % of cases. Overall survival (OS) was 88.6 % and disease-free survival (DFS) was 79.3 %. Oncologic outcomes were similar between LS and RLS group (OS: p = 0,504 and DFS: p = 0,213). ConclusionSurgical staging of EOC by LS or RLS approach has long-term equivalent surgical and oncological approach. These results seem to be equivalent to open surgery according to literature review.

Lymphadenectomy in clinically early epithelial ovarian cancer and survival analysis (LILAC): a Gynecologic Oncology Research Investigators Collaboration (GORILLA-3002) retrospective study.

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic role of lymphadenectomy in patients surgically treated for clinically early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This retrospective, multicenter study included patients with clinically early-stage EOC based on preoperative abdominal-pelvic computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging findings between 2007 and 2021. Oncologic outcomes and perioperative complications were compared between the lymphadenectomy and non-lymphadenectomy groups. Independent prognostic factors were determined using Cox regression analysis. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the primary outcome. Overall survival (OS) and perioperative outcomes were the secondary outcomes. In total, 586 patients (lymphadenectomy group, n=453 [77.3%]; non-lymphadenectomy groups, n=133 [22.7%]) were eligible. After surgical staging, upstaging was identified based on the presence of lymph node metastasis in 14 (3.1%) of 453 patients. No significant difference was found in the 5-year DFS (88.9% vs. 83.4%, p=0.203) and 5-year OS (97.2% vs. 97.7%, p=0.895) between the two groups. Using multivariable analysis, lymphadenectomy was not significantly associated with DFS or OS. However, using subgroup analysis, the lymphadenectomy group with serous histology had higher 5-year DFS rates than did the non-lymphadenectomy group (86.5% vs. 74.4%, p=0.048; adjusted hazard ratio=0.281; 95% confidence interval=0.107-0.735; p=0.010). The lymphadenectomy group had longer operating time (p<0.001), higher estimated blood loss (p<0.001), and higher perioperative complication rate (p=0.004) than did the non-lymphadenectomy group. In patients with clinically early-stage EOC with serous histology, lymphadenectomy was associated with survival benefits. Considering its potential harm, lymphadenectomy should be performed according to histologic subtype and subsequent chemotherapy in patients with clinically early-stage EOC. Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0007309.

Association of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 Mutational Status on Prognosis of Early-Stage Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Association of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 Mutational Status on Prognosis of Early-Stage Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Preoperative and pre-chemotherapy CA-125 levels in high-risk early-stage ovarian cancer – An NRG/GOG study

ObjectivesTo determine clinical significance of preoperative and pre-chemotherapy CA-125 in high-risk early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients. MethodsAll patients with stage IA/IB and grade 3, stage IC, clear cell, or completed resected stage II cancer were enrolled in a phase III trial and treated with chemotherapy. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were used for statistical analyses. Results427 patients with high-risk early-stage ovarian cancer were enrolled. Of 213 patients with preoperative CA-125 data, 79% had elevated CA-125. Median preoperative CA-125 level was 103 U/mL. Patients with ≤10, 11–15, and > 15 cm tumors had median preoperative CA-125 levels of 62, 131 and 158 U/mL, respectively (p = 0.002). For the 350 patients with data for pre-chemotherapy CA-125 level, 69% had elevated pre-chemotherapy CA-125 above 35 U/mL with median value of 65 U/mL. However, age, race, stage, cell type and grade of disease were not correlated with CA-125 levels before and after surgery. On multivariate analysis, elevated pre-chemotherapy CA-125 independently predicted worse recurrence-free survival (HR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.23–3.69; p = 0.007) and overall survival (HR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.10–3.59; p = 0.022) after adjusting for age, stage, cell type and grade of disease. Compared to those with normal CA-125, patients with elevated pre-chemotherapy CA-125 had lower recurrence-free survival (RFS, 87% vs. 75%; p = 0.007) and overall survival (OS, 88% vs. 82%; p = 0.02). However, preoperative CA-125 was not prognostic of RFS (p = 0.699) or OS (p = 0.701). ConclusionsPreoperative CA-125 was elevated in nearly 80% of high-risk early-stage ovarian cancer patients. Pre-chemotherapy CA-125 was associated with recurrence-free and overall survival; however, preoperative CA-125 was not prognostic.

Mapping sentinel lymph nodes in early-stage ovarian cancer (MELISA) trial - a further step towards lymphadenectomy replacement

ObjectiveSistematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is part of the staging surgery for early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer, with no therapeutic value. The Mapping Sentinel Lymph Nodes In Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer (MELISA) trial prospectively assessed the SLN detection rate and the diagnostic accuracy of the SLN mapping technique in patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. MethodsThis prospective, single-arm study included patients diagnosed with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (FIGO stages I and II), via either primary surgery or re-staging surgery. SLN mapping was performed by injecting 0.2 mL of 37-mBq 99mTc-nanocoloid albumin and 2 mL of 2.5 mg/mL indocyanine green into the infundibulopelvic and utero-ovarian ligaments. After removal of SLNs, a complete systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy was performed. SLN Ultrastaging analysis was applied. The primary outcome was the overall SLN detection rate, either with one or both tracers. Secondary outcomes were the diagnostic accuracy of detecting lymph node metastases and factors that may influence SLN detection. ResultsThirty patients were included. SLNs were identified in 27 patients (90%). Detection rates in primary and re-staging surgery were 89% and 92%, respectively. Para-aortic drainage was the predominant lymphatic spread, observed in 26 of 27 patients. Ultrastaging pathologic reports listed 1 SLN with macrometastasis, 1 with micrometastasis, and 5 with isolated tumor cells; the sensitivity of SLN mapping was 100%, with a false-negative rate of 0%. Univariate analysis showed a nonsignificant higher proportion of patients with uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and endometriosis (100%, 67%, 67%, respectively) in patients in whom SLNs were not detected. ConclusionSLN mapping has a high detection rate (90%) and is an accurate technique for detecting lymph node involvement in early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. SLN mapping is a potential alternative to systematic lymphadenectomy to reduce associated morbidity, but further research is needed to evaluate the impact of SLN mapping on oncologic outcomes and its cost-effectiveness.

Sentinel-node biopsy in apparent early stage ovarian cancer: final results of a prospective multicentre study (SELLY)

AimTo evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of sentinel-lymph-node mapping compared with the gold standard of systematic lymphadenectomy in detecting lymph node metastasis in apparent early stage ovarian cancer. MethodsMulticenter, prospective, phase II trial, conducted in seven centers from March 2018 to July 2022. Patients with presumed stage I-II epithelial ovarian cancer planned for surgical staging were eligible. Patients received injection of indocyanine green in the infundibulo-pelvic and, when feasible, utero-ovarian ligaments and sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of all nodes was performed including ultra-staging protocol for the sentinel lymph node. Results174 patients were enrolled and 169 (97.1 %) received study interventions. 99 (58.6 %) patients had successful mapping of at least one sentinel lymph node and 15 (15.1 %) of them had positive nodes. Of these, 11 of 15 (73.3 %) had a correct identification of the disease in the sentinel lymph node; 7 of 11 (63.6 %) required ultra-staging protocol to detect nodal metastasis. Four (26.7 %) patients with node-positive disease had a negative sentinel-lymph-node (sensitivity 73.3 % and specificity 100.0 %). ConclusionsIn a multicenter setting, identifying sentinel-lymph nodes in apparent early stage epithelial ovarian cancer did not reach the expected sensitivity: 1 of 4 patients might have metastatic lymphatic disease unrecognized by sentinel-lymph-node biopsy. Nevertheless, 35.0 % of node positive patients was identified only thanks to ultra-staging protocol on sentinel-lymph-nodes.

Fertility and Pregnancy Outcomes after Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Early-Stage Borderline Ovarian Tumors and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Single-Center Study.

This study examined treatment outcomes, including preserved fertility, menstrual regularity, and pregnancy outcomes, in patients with stage I epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) or borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) who underwent fertility-sparing surgery (FSS). Patients with stage I EOC and BOTs who were aged 18-45 years and underwent FSS between 2007 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Significant differences between various subgroups in terms of disease recurrence, menstrual irregularity due to the disease, and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. A total of 71 patients with BOTs and 33 patients with EOC were included. In the BOT group, the median age was 30 (range, 19-44) years. Recurrence occurred in eight patients, with one case exhibiting a malignant transformation into mucinous EOC. Among the 35 married patients with BOTs, 20 successfully conceived, resulting in 23 live births and 3 spontaneous abortions. A higher pregnancy rate was observed in those without prior childbirth (82.4%) than in those who had prior childbirth (33.3%). In the EOC group, the median age was 34 (range, 22-42) years. Recurrence occurred in one patient. Menstrual regularity was maintained in 69.7% of the patients. Among the 14 married patients in this group, 12 achieved a total of 15 pregnancies (including 2 twin pregnancies), 16 live births, and 1 spontaneous abortion. The results of the study confirmed that FSS is a favorable surgical option for young women with early-stage BOTs or EOC who wish to preserve their fertility. However, additional investigations are needed to validate these findings.