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Gynecologic Cancers

Screening for Ovarian Cancer May Do More Harm Than Good, but New Therapies for the Disease Are Improving Outcomes

At the Best of ASCO Miami meeting, Daniela Matei, MD, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, described how new approaches are significantly prolonging remission in ovarian cancer. Ovarian Screening Provides No Benefit The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Alternative Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer Reduces Neurotoxicity and Alopecia

A randomized phase III clinical trial found that carboplatin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) was not superior in prolonging progression compared to the standard carboplatin/paclitaxel as first-line therapy of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The carboplatin/liposomal doxorubicin...

Gynecologic Cancers

Fighting to Get Back Control

I’ve had raging hormones since I was 18, when I was diagnosed with a benign pituitary adenoma. The tumor caused unpredictable menstrual cycles that remained constant throughout my life, even after it had been successfully treated. So 2 years ago, when I turned 40 and started having sudden bouts of...

Gynecologic Cancers

FDA Approves Molecular Test to Detect HPV

Gen-Probe recently announced that the FDA has approved its APTIMA HPV assay, an amplified nucleic acid test that detects high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are associated with cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. The test has been approved to run on Gen-Probe’s fully...

Lung Cancer
Gynecologic Cancers
Colorectal Cancer
Hepatobiliary Cancer

Important Briefs from the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress

Nearly 16,000 people from 16 countries attended this year’s European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress, held recently in Stockholm. The ASCO Post has featured several key reports from the meeting and will offer further coverage in upcoming issues. Additional noteworthy studies presented at the...

Gynecologic Cancers

Advances in Gynecologic Cancer Surgery Continue to Improve Outcomes

Over the past several decades, advances in chemotherapy and surgery have begun to translate into improved survival in gynecologic malignancies. The ASCO Post recently spoke with Ginger Gardner, MD, a surgical oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, who specializes in the management...

Gynecologic Cancers

New System for Cervical Cancer Screening Approved

Hologic announced that the FDA has approved its Cervista HTA (high throughput automation) system for use with its previously approved Cervista human papillomavirus (HPV) HR test. The Company’s Cervista HTA system automates the DNA extraction and detection steps of the Hologic Cervista HPV HR test,...

Gynecologic Cancers

Nearly Identical Survival for Laparoscopy vs Laparatomy in Patients with Stage I/IIA Disease

Building on previously reported results that laparoscopic surgical management of uterine cancer is superior for short-term safety and length-of-stay endpoints, the Gynecologic Oncology Group reported small and lower than anticipated potential for increase risk of cancer recurrence with laparoscopy...

Gynecologic Cancers

Similar Morbidity, Higher Costs for Robotic vs Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Women with Endometrial Cancer

A population-based analysis comparing laparoscopic hysterectomy and robotic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer “found similar morbidity but increased cost compared with laparoscopic hysterectomy,” investigators reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.1 After adjusting for patient, surgeon,...

Gynecologic Cancers
Issues in Oncology

New Guidelines Recommend Less Frequent Screening for Cervical Cancer, but That Doesn’t Mean Screening Is Less Important

In the News focuses on media reports that your patients may have questions about at their next visit. This continuing column will provide summaries of articles in the popular press that may prompt such questions, as well as comments from colleagues in the field. In March 2012, the U.S. Preventive...

Gynecologic Cancers

Scoring System Based on DNA Repair Pathways Predicts Outcomes and Response to Platinum Therapy

A potentially important tool to identify patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer likely to benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy and redirect those with poor predicted outcomes to alternative treatments was developed using gene-expression data and validated in two independent datasets. While ...

Gynecologic Cancers
Issues in Oncology

Gab2 Promotes Characteristics of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage, when cancer cells have already migrated and invaded other tissues and organs. Wang and colleagues from the University of Colorado Denver and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, showed that Gab2—a scaffolding adaptor protein that is...

Gynecologic Cancers

Bevacizumab and Olaparib Boost Progression-free Survival in Ovarian Cancer

A trio of randomized, controlled trials of different molecularly targeted therapies showed variable results in ovarian cancer, as reported at the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. The phase III AURELIA trial demonstrated that the addition of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)...

Gynecologic Cancers

Adding Bevacizumab to Chemotherapy Improves Progression-free Survival in Platinum-sensitive Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

The addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to gemcitabine and carboplatin, followed by bevacizumab until disease progression, resulted in significantly improved progression-free survival compared to gemcitabine and carboplatin plus placebo among women with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian, primary...

Gynecologic Cancers

SIDEBAR: All Eyes on Trials of IV vs IP Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

The positive findings from the NOVEL trial add to the debate about how intravenous (IV) chemotherapy stacks up against intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy when treating ovarian cancer and the role of dose-dense approaches in general, according to Jonathan S. Berek, MD, of the Stanford Women’s Cancer...

Gynecologic Cancers

SIDEBAR: Future of PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer Hangs in Balance

"It’s become clear that the PARP inhibitors in general … are active in this disease, and we are just trying to find out the level of activity and … get to the point hopefully where at least one of these agents will be approved for use” in ovarian and related cancers, commented Jonathan S. Berek,...

Gynecologic Cancers

Major Strides Seen in Treatment of Gynecologic Cancers

Research reported at this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting shows major strides in treating ovarian and cervical cancers, suggesting the potential of new agents and adding evidence in areas where optimal management is unclear, according to Jonathan S. Berek, MD, of the Stanford Women’s Cancer Center,...

Gynecologic Cancers

Expert Point of View: Nicoletta Colombo, MD

Formal discussant of the AURELIA presentation, Nicoletta Colombo, MD, University of Milan Bicocca, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy, said, “This is the only positive trial in patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer.” Dr. Colombo was impressed with the activity of...

Gynecologic Cancers

Combination Bevacizumab/Chemotherapy Improves Outcomes in Platinum-resistant Ovarian Cancer

The addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to chemotherapy improved progression-free survival and response rates in patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer, according to an exploratory analysis of the phase III AURELIA trial. The combination of paclitaxel with bevacizumab achieved very ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Richard R. Barakat, MD, Elected 2014 President of Two Gynecologic Oncology Medical Societies

Richard R. Barakat, MD, was recently named President-elect of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) and the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). He will serve as President of both societies beginning in 2014. Dr. Barakat is Vice Chair, Clinical Activities, Department of Surgery;...

Gynecologic Cancers

Screening and Risk-reduction without Testing Positive for BRCA Mutation

Many women who do not test positive for a BRCA mutation undergo additional ovarian cancer screenings and risk-reducing procedures, despite limited data to determine the effectiveness of these interventions among an average-risk population. Results of an analysis of data from 1,077 women who were...

Gynecologic Cancers

Internationally Renowned Gynecologic Cancer Researcher Joins Ohio State

Internationally renowned uterine cancer researcher and geneticist Paul Goodfellow, MD, PhD, will lead a new team of three researchers devoted to gynecologic oncology research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research...

Gynecologic Cancers

Short-term Survival Advantage of Carrying BRCA Mutation Does Not Extend to Long Term

While carrying a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutation was associated with a better prognosis in the 3-year period after diagnosis of invasive ovarian cancer, this short-term survival advantage did not lead to long-term survival benefit, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer...

Gynecologic Cancers

Analysis Shows No 10-year Survival Advantage in Patients with Ovarian Cancer and BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutations 

Several studies have suggested that short-term overall survival for women with ovarian cancer and BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations is better than that in patients without such mutations. Indeed, a recent report by Kelly L. Bolton, PhD, and colleagues indicated that 5-year overall survival was 36% for...

Gynecologic Cancers

Majority of Ovarian Cancer Patients Do Not Receive Recommended Treatment, Study Shows 

Women are 30% less likely to die of ovarian cancer if they have guideline-recommended treatment, yet nearly two-thirds of those with the disease do not receive it, often because they are cared for at hospitals that treat a small number of ovarian cancer patients. These are the findings of a study...

Gynecologic Cancers

Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Gives Ovarian Cancer Patients Better Chance of Survival

Patients with advanced ovarian cancer who undergo intensive treatment with chemotherapy that bathes the abdomen are significantly more likely to live longer than those who receive standard intravenous (IV) chemotherapy, according to a study that analyzed long-term follow-up from two landmark...

Gynecologic Cancers

It Takes a Village to Survive Ovarian Cancer 

My odyssey with ovarian cancer started in May 2005, when I saw my gynecologist for an annual exam and mentioned an odd twinge I had been experiencing on my left side. A subsequent pelvic ultrasound followed by an MRI showed that my ovaries were enlarged, and my doctor warned me that the problem...

Gynecologic Cancers

Higher Prediagnosis Body Mass Index Raises Mortality Risk in Endometrial Cancer

Higher prediagnosis body mass index (BMI) increases risk of overall and disease-specific mortality among women diagnosed with endometrial cancer, suggested a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Physical activity was associated with reduced risk of all-cause, but not...

Gynecologic Cancers

Most Women with Ovarian Cancer Do Not Get Guideline-specified Treatment Linked to Survival Benefits 

Most women with ovarian cancer are not receiving adequate treatment, as specified in National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines,1 and as a result are being deprived of the survival benefits correlated with guideline-recommended treatment, according to a study presented at the Society...

Gynecologic Cancers

Lynch Syndrome: A Multitude of Predispositions 

The current uncertainty regarding the relative frequencies of cancers of various anatomic sites in Lynch syndrome poses a difficulty in commenting on the syndrome’s overall cancer spectrum. It is even more vexing to address the order in which these cancers are prone to occur. What we do know is...

Gynecologic Cancers

Women with Lynch Syndrome and Endometrial Cancer Are at Increased Risk of Other Cancers 

Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder due to germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. Mismatch repair mutation carriers are at increased risk of several cancers, with endometrial cancer being one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women with Lynch syndrome. In...

Gynecologic Cancers

Combinatorial Immunologic Approach Yields Benefit in Preliminary Study of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

A two-step immunologic approach that includes a personalized dendritic cell vaccine for each patient followed by adoptive T-cell therapy holds promise for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer, according to results of two consecutive phase I studies presented at the American Association for...

Gynecologic Cancers
Lymphoma
Issues in Oncology

Guideline Adherence and Geriatric Assessment Studies among NCCN Scientific Posters of Interest 

For the first time at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Annual Conference, scientific posters were included as part of the program. The ASCO Post captured some of the most interesting findings for our readers, including the following news briefs. The findings of these studies support ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Gold Nanoparticles Can Help Fight Ovarian Cancer

Positively charged gold nanoparticles are usually toxic to cells, but cancer cells somehow manage to avoid nanoparticle toxicity. Mayo Clinic researchers found out why and determined how to make the nanoparticles effective against ovarian cancer cells. The discovery is detailed in the current...

Gynecologic Cancers

Pazopanib Maintenance Therapy Extends Progression‑free Survival in Patients with Ovarian Cancer 

Maintenance therapy with the targeted therapy pazopanib (Votrient) extended progression-free survival in women with ovarian cancer who were disease-free following initial treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, according to results of a phase III trial presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of...

Gynecologic Cancers
Global Cancer Care

Simple Rapid Vinegar Test Cuts Cervical Cancer Death Rates by One-third in Rural India 

In the era of personalized medicine for cancer care, it was both surprising and encouraging to hear about a simple low-tech intervention delivered by women in the community that cut the rate of death from cervical cancer in India by about one-third. The intervention, a simple visual inspection...

Gynecologic Cancers

Practice-changing Study Shows Survival Benefit for Antiangiogenesis in Advanced Cervical Cancer 

The addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to chemotherapy prolongs overall survival in women with metastatic cervical cancer compared with chemotherapy alone, according to the results of a randomized phase III study presented at the Plenary Session of the ASCO Annual Meeting.1 Women on the...

Gynecologic Cancers

Driven by the Past 

When I was 9 years old, a bout of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain sent me to the emergency room. The physicians diagnosed appendicitis and rushed me to the operating room. But what the surgeon found instead was a 10-cm-wide, grade 2, immature teratoma. In 1968, treatment for malignant ovarian...

Gynecologic Cancers

Learning to Negotiate the Genomic Complexities of Cancer

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network recently reported the results of an integrated analysis of the genomic features of 373 endometrial carcinomas.1 This report joins previously published results of similar analyses in ovarian, breast, and colorectal cancers, squamous cell carcinoma of...

Gynecologic Cancers

Integrated Genomic Characterization of Endometrial Carcinomas Suggests New Classification Scheme 

As recently reported in Nature, investigators in The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network performed an integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic characterization of 373 endometrial carcinomas, including 307 endometrioid and 66 serous or mixed histology cases, using array- and...

Gynecologic Cancers
Skin Cancer

ASCO Impact Report Indicates Strong Interest in New Treatments for Melanoma and Cervical Cancer 

New treatments for melanoma and cervical cancer were cited as the most important subjects of new clinical information presented at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meerting, according to the second annual ASCO Impact Report released recently by Encuity Research.  New treatments for melanoma, with an emphasis...

Breast Cancer
Gynecologic Cancers

Despite a Recurrence, I'm Not Surrendering My Life to Cancer

This is the first time I’m going public with the fact that I have advanced ovarian cancer. I thought I could avoid the fate of my mother and her mother, both of whom died of ovarian cancer in their 50s, and live well past my 60s and even 70s. But at 58, I’ve had to accept that that is not likely. I ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Roche Files for Cervical Cancer Primary Screening Indication for cobas HPV Test

Roche recently announced it has submitted a Premarket Approval (PMA) supplement to the FDA seeking the addition of a cervical cancer primary screening indication for the cobas HPV Test. Approval of the expanded indication would mean the cobas HPV Test could be used as the first-line test rather...

Gynecologic Cancers
Survivorship

I Overcame Cervical Cancer but Not Its Long-term Effects 

In 1979, when I was just 35 years old, I started experiencing abnormal vaginal bleeding and lower back pain. When a Pap test came back normal, the gynecologist I saw said not to worry about anything, that I was fine. But I wasn’t fine. My symptoms quickly escalated, and I sought the opinion of...

Gynecologic Cancers

CDC Report Shows Stagnated HPV Vaccination Rate for Girls 

For the first time since the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine became available for adolescent girls in 2006, the vaccination rate for teenagers has stalled, according to data published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The data...

Gynecologic Cancers

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Interval Debulking May Be Appropriate for Some Patients With Poor Performance Status Advanced Ovarian Cancer 

Patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer—especially patients with poor performance status—appear to derive benefits from neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery vs primary surgery followed by chemotherapy, according to results of the Medical Research Council (MRC) CHORUS trial. In ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Weekly Carboplatin/Paclitaxel Improves Quality of Life, Toxicity vs Every-3-week Regimen in Advanced Ovarian Cancer 

Patients with advanced ovarian cancer have similar survival outcomes thus far with a weekly regimen of carboplatin/paclitaxel vs the standard every-3-week regimen, but the weekly regimen is much better tolerated with improved quality of life, according to final results of the Multicenter Italian...

Gynecologic Cancers

'Best-Ever' Published Prognostic Factor for Early-Stage Type 1 Endometrial Cancer 

Immunohistochemical demonstration of the L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM; CD171) “has been shown to be the best-ever published prognostic factor” in Federation Internationale de Gynecologie et d’Obstetrique (FIGO) stage I, type I endometrial cancers “and shows clear superiority over the standardly ...

Gynecologic Cancers

Role of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer 

In a study of ovarian cancer cells taken from patients, scientists from Georgia Institute of Technology have confirmed that metastasizing cancer cells have a different molecular structure from primary tumor cells and display genetic signatures consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition....

Gynecologic Cancers

Olaparib Shows Robust Progression-Free Survival Benefit in Patients With BRCA Mutations 

Maintenance therapy with olaparib extended progression-free survival and the time to disease progression after a second subsequent therapy in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed serous ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation, according to an updated analysis of Study 19 presented at the 2013 ASCO...

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