Zentralblatt für Gynäkologie
-
Review Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
[Recurrent and 2nd line therapy in ovarian carcinoma: an overview of conventional systemic therapy modalities].
Remarkable improvements in primary surgery and chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer have been achieved in the last decades. Nevertheless, the majority of patients still develop recurrent disease and ultimately die from ovarian cancer. Evaluation of efficient second-line treatment is of clinical relevance. ⋯ Therefore, recommendations remain inconclusive. Retrospective comparisons may help the clinician to chose the currently best available treatment for an individual patient, however, these treatments have to be evaluated in prospectively randomised trials. The protocols of the ongoing studies in refractory or recurrent ovarian cancer of the AGO Ovarian Cancer Study Group are outlined.
-
With the identification and recombinant production of the hematopoietic growth factors, these cytokines have been evaluated in the treatment of primary bone marrow failure states and following myelosuppressive chemotherapy or radiotherapy. An increasing number of clinical trials with hematopoietic factors have been performed in patients with haematological and oncological diseases. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), erythropoietin and, in phase I/II trials, thrombopoietin (TPO) are available for the clinical use. ⋯ This results in a marked reduction of infectious risks and a shortening of drug- and radiation-induced myelosuppression. CSFs are most important in mobilizing peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and have allowed high-dose therapy combined with stem cell support in gynecological malignancies, e.g. ovarian carcinoma and breast cancer. However, evidence based, clinical practical guidelines for the use of hematopoietic growth factors in gynecological malignancies are not for all circumstances available.
-
From 1973 through 1993, the University of Leipzig Women's Hospital treated 285 patients with primary vulvar malignancies. Of these, 269 cases (94.3%) were squamous cell carcinomas. The patients age averaged 69 years (25-95 years). 232 women (81.4%) were older than 60 years. ⋯ These findings, therefore, justify the individualized operative treatment of patients with vulvar carcinoma according to each patient's initial prognostic situation. The relatively seldom vulvar carcinoma should only be treated by experienced surgeons in an appropriate hospital environment. Moreover, assessment of histological sections must be standardized, reproducible and above all, include the very accurate evaluation of all resection edges.
-
Caesarean and vaginal deliveries of macrosomic infants weighing > or = 4500 g were studied, and pregnant women analysed by indication for caesarean section, presentation, parity and age. Both maternal and neonatal injuries occurred. Puerperal morbidity was noted in women delivered either by caesarean section or vaginally. ⋯ In conclusion, decision making on management options when delivering a macrosomic infant depends on fetal presentation and maternal age and parity. Vertex presenting macrosomic infants weighing > or = 4500 g should be delivered vaginally, but liberal judgement is suggested in resorting to caesarean section delivery. Abnormal presentation, as well as malpresentations in primiparous women, are an absolute indication for caesarean section, whereas malpresentations in multiparous women are a relative (underlying) indication for caesarean section.
-
In a previous study 198 patients with histologically confirmed endometriosis underwent a "three-step" therapy, where surgical removal of endometriosis implants was followed by a 6 months treatment with 3.75 mg leuprorelinacetate depot as monthly subcutaneous injections and a second look laparoscopy with removal of residuals. In the following report long-term follow-up data generated in 112 of the above 198 patients on the post-treatment effect in respect to symptoms and pregnancy outcome in infertility are reported. For this purpose a special questionnaire was used. ⋯ Regain of quality of life and improvement of subjective conditions were reported in 54.9 % (28/51) and 52.9 % (27/51) respectively. The study results suggest that although the physiological effects of leuprorelin acetate treatment as suppression of ovarian function is rapidly reversible, the therapeutic effects linger, as evidenced by ongoing reduction of symptoms from baseline, leaving many patients asymptomatic or much improved longer than 1 year after treatment has ended. Besides long term relief and/or sustained reduction in symptom severity, the high pregnancy rate in infertility, as well as regain of quality of life and well being favour this therapeutic approach in endometriosis.