Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interaction between extent of lymph node dissection (LND) and overall survival (OS) in patients with various histologic types of uterine cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 834 patients who had primary surgery in our institution for uterine carcinosarcoma (CS), papillary serous (UPSC) and endometrioid adenocarcinoma between 1984 and 2009. Stage, grade, total lymph node count (LNC), positive LNC, adjuvant therapy, age, race and OS were collected. OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictive factors were compared with the log rank test and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Our cohort included 158 patients with CS, 115 patients with UPSC and 561 patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Of the cohort, 38% of the patients had Stage III or IV disease. LND was performed in 73% of patients with CS, 68% of patients with UPSC and 79% of patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma. LND was performed in 82% of Stage I-II and in 68% of Stage III-IV cases. The median total LNC was 13 (range 1-75) and there was no significant difference in the total LNC between the different histologies. Median OS was 21 months for CS, 18 months for UPSC and 200 months for patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma. A positive association between the total and positive LNC was present in all three histologic types (Spearman coefficient, p < 0.001). The cohort was divided in quartiles based on the total LNC and a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. A continuum of improved OS was noted in correlation with increased LNC. OS was 27 months for the group with 0 nodes, 112 months for the group with 1-8 nodes, 117 months for the group with 9-16 nodes and 196 months for the group with >17 nodes. Doubling the total LNC was associated with 28% risk of death reduction (HR 0.724, CI 0.66-0.794, p < 0.001) for the first year and 14% risk reduction (HR 0.858, CI 0.761-0.967, p = 0.012) for the second year. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, the performance of LND is associated with improved OS. This effect appears to be uniform across pathology types. The extent of the LND is inversely correlated with the risk of death for the first 2 years.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of cytoreduction to no gross residual disease (R0) on overall survival (OS) in patients with stage III-IV uterine carcinosarcoma (CS), papillary serous/clear cell (UPSC/CC) and endometrioid carcinoma (EC). METHODS: We retrospectively identified 168 patients who underwent primary surgery for advanced uterine cancer between 1984 and 2009 in two teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, New York. Histology, stage, grade, residual disease (RD), adjuvant therapy, age, race and OS were collected. OS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictive factors were compared using the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Our cohort included 54 patients with CS (stage III, n = 32; stage IV, n = 22), 54 patients with UPSC/CC (stage III, n = 20; stage IV, n = 34) and 60 patients with EC (stage III, n = 45; stage IV, n = 15). R0 was achieved in 64% of patients with CS, in 53% of patients with UPSC/CC and in 68% of patients with EC. There was no interaction between histologic subtype and feasibility of complete cytoreduction (p = 0.39). R0 was associated with a median OS of 25 months (95% CI [18, 33]) versus 13 months (95% CI [8, 18]) in patients with gross RD (p = 0.03). This effect was uniform among histologic subtypes. On multivariate analysis, predictors of increased mortality were gross residual disease (HR = 2.0, 95% CI [1.1, 3.7], p = 0.01), stage IV (HR = 1.8, 95% CI [1.1, 3.1], p = 0.02) and age (HR = 1.04 per year of age, 95% CI [1.02, 1.07], p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Cytoreductive surgery to R0 is associated with improved OS in advanced uterine cancer. This effect is uniform among histologies. There is no interaction between histologic subtype and feasibility of complete cytoreduction.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to summarize the data on the incidence, clinical behavior and overall survival of patients with glassy cell cervical carcinoma (GCCC). METHODS: Twenty-four case series and fifteen case reports identified by searching PubMed database qualified for inclusion in this study. The published cases were combined with data from a retrospective chart review of patients with GCCC in two major teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, NY. RESULTS: A total of 292 cases were collected through our literature and chart review. Median age at diagnosis was 45 years old (range 12-87 years of age). GCCC incidence ranges from 0.2 to 9.3% of all cervical cancers and 2 to 30.2% of cervical adenocarcinomas. The stage distribution is similar to squamous cell carcinoma with 79% of the patients being diagnosed with Stage I or II disease. Most common sites of recurrence for Stage I patients are the vagina and pelvis. In Stage II patients locoregional and distant metastases are equally common. Recurrence rate was higher among patients treated only with surgery (32.7%), as compared to patients treated with surgery followed by radiation (11%) or patients treated with radiation only (10%). Median overall survival (OS) was 25 months (95% CI 8.4-41.6). Overall 5-year survival for all stages is lower when compared to all cervical cancers (54.8% vs 75%). There was no interaction between race and OS (p=0.66). CONCLUSION: GCCC is a rare histologic type of cervical cancer that presents at a younger age, is associated with high risk for distant failure and carries worse prognosis as compared to the squamous cell type. Radiation therapy is associated with decreased risk of recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to externally validate a nomogram for predicting overall survival of women with uterine cancer in an African American population. METHODS: After the institutional review board approval, data from the uterine cancer database from 2 major teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, NY, were analyzed. The predicted survival for each patient was calculated with the use of the nonogram; the data were clustered in deciles and compared with the observed survival data. RESULTS: High incidence of aggressive histologic types (22% carcinosarcoma, 16% serous/clear cell), poorly differentiated (53% grade 3), and advanced stage (38% stage III or IV) tumors was found in our study population. The median follow-up for survivors was 52 months (range, 1-274 months). The observed and predicted 3-year overall survival probabilities were significantly different (62.5% vs 72.6%, P < 0.001). Similarly, the observed 5-year overall survival probability was significantly lower than the predicted by the nomogram (55.5% vs 63.4%, P < 0.001). The discrepancy between predicted and observed survival was more pronounced in the midrisk groups. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram is not an adequate tool to predict survival in the African American population with cancer of the uterine corpus. Race seems to be a significant, independent factor that affects survival and should be included in predictive models.

*We present a case of port-site recurrence of endometrioid adenocarcinoma after robotic hysterectomy and staging.*Port-site recurrence is commonly an indicator of multifocal disease with poor prognosis.*Surgical techniques that decrease the risk of this complication should be implemented.

PURPOSE: Evaluate the efficacy of norethindrone acetate in the resolution of symptoms and regression of recurrent endometrioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review at SUNY Downstate Medical Center of patients with a history of surgical excision of endometrioma (with histological confirmation) and recurrent endometrioma (demonstrated by strict sonographic criterion of endometrioma) who were willing to undergo follow-up. Patients were prescribed norethindrone acetate to be taken daily with follow-up sonograms until cysts regressed. Statistical analysis included Student's t-test and a simple linear regression model to assess cyst regression over time during treatment. RESULTS: Degree of pain was significantly lower on treatment when compared to baseline (P < 0.00001). Cyst size was significantly smaller in as little as 3 months (P < 0.0001). Average rate of regression with continuous treatment was 0.025 +/- 0.015 cm/day. Total mean +/- standard deviation regression time is 10.28 +/- 8.25 months. CONCLUSION: Norethindrone acetate was effective in eradicating symptoms and producing complete regression of recurrent endometriomas. It should be considered for patients who are likely to adhere to a prolonged treatment regimen and comply with recommendations for surveillance with serial sonograms.

We present the case with the latest reported recurrence of low malignant potential ovarian tumor. Borderline ovarian tumors have the potential for delayed recurrence that is not always salvageable surgically. Optimization of surveillance strategies and lifelong follow up is required for these patients.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to detect differences in overall survival between the 1988 FIGO staging and current staging of uterine carcinosarcomas to determine if revised 2009 staging accurately predicts actual patient survival. METHODS: From 1988 until 2010, patients with uterine carcinosarcoma were retrospectively identified from tumor registry records. Patients were grouped in both broad stages (1-4) and all FIGO substages in order to detect differences. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were generated to predict death before the end of the second year post-diagnosis for both the new and revised system. Kaplan Meier estimated median survival time was utilized to compare actual patient survival. RESULTS: Of 112 patients with carcinosarcoma, 37 patients (33%) had FIGO Stage I disease, 15 patients (13.4%) had Stage II disease, 36 patients (32%) were diagnosed as Stage III, and 24 patients (21.4%) had Stage IV disease. 106 of 112 (94.6%) patients underwent lymphadenectomy (pelvic +/- para-aortic). Four patients (3.6%) were downstaged when utilizing broad staging criteria: 2 patients were downstaged from Stage II to I, and 2 patients were downstaged from Stage III to Stage I and II respectively. When looking at substage, the area under the ROC was 0.67 for the former staging system, and 0.65 for the revised staging. Kaplan-Meier estimated median survival time post-diagnosis was 610 days (95% CI [478,930]). CONCLUSION: Based upon our reclassification of 112 patients with uterine carcinosarcoma, the revised FIGO staging system does not predict survival more accurately than former staging. Carcinosarcoma has an overall poor prognosis and better indicators of survival are needed.