The following articles appeared in the September issues of the surveyed journals. Articles that seem to be of most interest to the practicing gynecologic oncologist are included. The journals that are surveyed are New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gynecologic Oncology, Cancer, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lancet, Cancer Research, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Journal of the American Medical Association. The participants in this program are the active clinical fellows at Memorial Hospital: Bhavana Pothuri, Mario Leitao, Christopher Awtrey, Sarah Ferguson, Alan Schlaerth and Rami Eitan. The managing editor is Douglas Levine. Comments, questions, complaints and suggestions are always appreciated, please E-mail us at: VJC@smgo.org or click here.  To subscribe or unsubscribe to the VJC, click here.

Gynecologic Oncology – Mario Leitao

Title: Explorative Laparoscopy Prior to Exenterative Surgery

Authors: Christhardt Köhler, Roberto Tozzi, Marc Possover and Achim Schneider

Source: Gynecologic Oncology, Volume 86, Issue 3, September 2002, Pages 311-315.

Summary: German group reports on their experience with laparoscopy to assess for resectability in exenterative candidates. Reports that a laparotomy was avoided in nearly 50% of the cases secondary to unresectable or intraabdominal spread.

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Journal of Clinical Oncology - Bhavana Pothuri

Title: Correlation of Smoking History and Other Patient Characteristics With Major Complications of Pelvic Radiation Therapy for Cervical Cancer

Authors: Patricia J. Eifel, Anuja Jhingran, Diane C. Bodurka, Charles Levenback, Howard Thames

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 20, Issue 17 (September), 2002: 3651-3657

Summary: This study looked at 3,489 patients treated with radiation therapy for cervical cancer to identify patient-related factors that influenced the risk of serious late complications of pelvic radiation therapy.  Heavy smoking was the strongest independent predictor of overall complications (increased incidence of sm bowel complications).  Thin women had a higher risk of GI complications, while obese patients were more likely to have bladder complications.

Click here for abstract from JCO

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Journal of the National Cancer Institute – Rami Eitan

Title: A Prospective Study of High-Grade Cervical Neoplasia Risk Among Human Papillomavirus-Infected Women

Authors: Philip E. Castle, Sholom Wacholder, Attila T. Lorincz, David R. Scott, Mark E. Sherman, Andrew G. Glass, Brenda B. Rush, John E. Schussler, Mark Schiffman

Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 94, No. 18, 1406-1414, September 18, 2002

Summary: Study of 1812 women positive for oncogenic HPV DNA and followed for 10 years prospectively. In multivariate analysis, oral contraceptive use and parity were not associated with an increased risk of CIN3 or cancer. Smoking increased the risk of developing cancer to a RR of up to 4.9 in this patient population.

Click here for abstract from JNCI

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Obstetrics and Gynecology – Alan Schlaerth

Title: Preference and compliance in postoperative thromboembolism prophylaxis among gynecologic oncology patients

Authors: G. Larry Maxwell MD, Ingrid Synan MS, Risa P. Hayes PhD and Daniel L. Clarke-Pearson MD

Source: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Volume 100, Issue 3, September 2002, Pages 451-455.

Summary: This article compares low molecular weight heparin and external pneumatic compression in terms of patient preference and compliance based on patient surveys. Postoperatively, 78% of patients receiving low molecular weight heparin were satisfied and 74% receiving external pneumatic compression were satisfied with their prophylaxis. Poor patient compliance with low molecular weight heparin was noted in 6.8% (7/103) of patients as compared to 9.6% (10/104) of patients receiving external pneumatic compression.

Click here for abstract from Obstetrics and Gynecology 

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American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Chris Awtrey

Nothing of interest this month

New England Journal of Medicine – Bhavana Pothuri

Nothing of interest this month

Journal of the American Medical Association – Rami Eitan

Nothing of interest this month

Cancer – Mario Leitao

Nothing of interest this month

Lancet – Chris Awtrey

Title: Risk of ovarian cancer in breast-cancer patients with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer: a population-based cohort study

Authors: Kjell Bergfeldt, Bosse Rydh, Fredrik Granath, Henrik Grönberg, Lukman Thalib, Hans-Olov Adami and Per Hall

Source: The Lancet, Volume 360, Issue 9337, 21 September 2002, Pages 891-894.

Summary: This is a huge study from Sweden that looked at 30,552 breast cancer patients registered in their National Cancer Register and cross referenced the Swedish Generation Register to look at 146,117 1st degree relatives. Over a 6-year period of followup they identified 122 incident ovarian cancers in the group of patients with a breast cancer history. The group noted a two-fold increased risk of primary ovarian cancer in women with a history of primary breast cancer (95% CI 1.6_¯2.4).

Click here for abstract from the Lancet

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Cancer Research – Sarah Ferguson

Nothing of interest this month