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Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy Feb 2024Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN or VAIN), a rare precancerous disease, is difficult to treat. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a relatively new modality for the...
Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN or VAIN), a rare precancerous disease, is difficult to treat. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a relatively new modality for the treatment of various precancerous mucosal lesions of the lower genital organs, including VaIN. Due to the special structure and location of the vagina, it is difficult to apply photosensitizer and light irradiation to VaIN lesions. This article provides a tutorial guide on the application of ALA-mediated intravaginal PDT for the treatment of VaIN lesions under different situations.
Topics: Female; Humans; Photosensitizing Agents; Photochemotherapy; Carcinoma in Situ; Precancerous Conditions
PubMed: 38301857
DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.103997 -
Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy Dec 2023To compare dose volume parameters of target and organs at risk in vaginal vault brachytherapy using ovoids or cylinder in post-operative endometrial carcinoma.
PURPOSE
To compare dose volume parameters of target and organs at risk in vaginal vault brachytherapy using ovoids or cylinder in post-operative endometrial carcinoma.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study was done among 25 histologically proven post-operative endometrial carcinoma patients requiring vaginal brachytherapy. All patients underwent both cylinder and ovoids application alternatively on weekly basis. Ovoids size ranged from 2 to 3 cm diameter. Diameters of cylinder ranged between 2.5 and 3.5 cm. Bladder, rectum, urethra, and clinical target volume (CTV) were contoured on CT simulation images. Prescribed dose was 6-7 Gy in 2-3 fractions at 0.5 cm from the surface of applicator.
RESULTS
The mean values of D, D, V, V, V, and V of CTV were comparable between cylinder and ovoids plans. The mean dose of CTV was significantly higher with cylinder than with ovoids, and D was significantly higher with ovoids (mean = 15.63 Gy vs. 14.64 Gy, = 0.016, and D = 37.82% vs. 42.86%, = 0.042, for cylinder vs. ovoids). In the dosimetry of the vault, D, D, V, V, V, and mean of the vault did not show any significant difference between cylinder and ovoids. The V was significantly higher with cylinder plans than ovoids, and D of the vault was significantly higher with ovoids plans (V = 14.81% vs. 6.86%, = 0.02, and D = 37.77% vs. 44.80%, = 0.029, for cylinder vs. ovoids). D, D, D, and mean for the bladder, rectum, and urethra were comparable between the cylinder and ovoid plans.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that the dose to organs at risk, most of the dosimetric parameters of CTV, and vault were comparable between the cylinder and ovoid plans. Both applicators provide good reproducibility. The choice of applicator will ultimately depend on the institutional policies and oncologist decision. However, in patients with dog-ear configuration of the vagina, ovoids may be preferred as per ABS guidelines.
PubMed: 38230405
DOI: 10.5114/jcb.2023.134171 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Apr 2024
Topics: Female; Humans; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Vagina; Vaginal Neoplasms; Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Neoplasm Staging
PubMed: 38220528
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.01.030 -
Case Reports in Oncology 2024Malignant mixed müllerian tumor (MMMT) is a rare neoplasm, consisting of carcinomatous (epithelial) and sarcomatous (mesenchymal) components that most commonly arise in...
Malignant mixed müllerian tumor (MMMT) is a rare neoplasm, consisting of carcinomatous (epithelial) and sarcomatous (mesenchymal) components that most commonly arise in the endometrium and more infrequently in the ovaries, fallopian tube, cervix, and vagina. Primary peritoneal carcinosarcoma (PPCS) is an extremely rare extragenital presentation of MMMT. Although the occurrence of breast cancer and epithelial ovarian carcinoma in association with pathogenic variants is firmly established, the etiologic role of these genes in the development of other tumor types is less well known. Here, we present a rare case of PPCS in a 42-year-old Brazilian woman with a pathogenic variant, c.2808_2811del (NM_000059.3). The patient developed metastatic breast cancer at the age of 37 and underwent a risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy 2 years later. She was then diagnosed with PPCS 3 years after the risk-reducing surgery. She underwent treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy but passed away almost 5 years after the second primary tumor diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of peritoneal carcinosarcoma described in a pathogenic variant carrier, and its report leads to a better understanding of the disease's molecular features and possible therapeutic approaches.
PubMed: 38179550
DOI: 10.1159/000534179 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023Esophageal lichen planus (ELP) is an inflammatory disorder that affects the skin, cutaneous appendages and mucous membranes. The esophageal involvement is rare. We...
Esophageal lichen planus (ELP) is an inflammatory disorder that affects the skin, cutaneous appendages and mucous membranes. The esophageal involvement is rare. We present the case of a 70-year-old woman with years of dysphagia and a history of erosive lichen planus involving the vulva, vagina, gingiva, and skin, who was eventually diagnosed with esophageal lichen planus. The patient's condition was refractory and progressed to the development of intraepithelial squamous neoplasia. We reviewed the literature on this condition.
PubMed: 38173935
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1233566 -
Cureus Nov 2023Primary fallopian tube carcinomas (PFTCs) are quite rare with the incidence ranging from 0.3% to 1.1% amongst all the gynaecological malignancies. Here, we present a...
Primary fallopian tube carcinomas (PFTCs) are quite rare with the incidence ranging from 0.3% to 1.1% amongst all the gynaecological malignancies. Here, we present a rare case of a 44-year-old female (parity-2, live-2 and abortion-2), with one previous classical caesarean section and one vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC), bilateral tubal ligation done referred to our gynaecology OPD with complaints of pain in the abdomen since the past six days. The patient also had complaint of spotting per vagina for the past two months. Her ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced CT abdomen and pelvis were suggestive of broad ligament fibroid, which turned out to be a PFTC. Primary fallopian tube malignancies are so rare that this entity may be missed in routine clinical practice and surprisingly noticed during operative procedure or on histopathology reports. Thus, one must be aware of this rare clinical entity and keep it in mind while taking patients on the operating table.
PubMed: 38130542
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.49142 -
Gynecologic Oncology Reports Dec 2023To perform a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with vaginal malignant neoplasms (VMN) in the Republic of Belarus.
OBJECTIVE
To perform a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with vaginal malignant neoplasms (VMN) in the Republic of Belarus.
METHODS
The Belarusian Cancer Registry was reviewed for patients diagnosed with VMN from 1990 to 2019. The data collected included age at diagnosis, demographic information, histology, stage, treatment modalities, and outcomes. Data were compared across decades (1990-1999, 2000-2009, and 2010-2019).
RESULTS
A total of 868 patients were diagnosed with VMN in Belarus between 1990 and 2019. The estimated age-standardized incidence rate of VMN per 100,000 female population increased from 0.1 in 1999 to 0.4 in 2019 ( < 0.05). The mortality rate for this period was 0.0-0.2 per 100,000 female population. Of all newly diagnosed cases of VMN, 70.9% ( = 615) lived in urban centers and 29.1% (n = 253) lived in rural areas. The most common histological type was squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for 78.4% of cases. The median age at diagnosis was 63.4 years (range, 15.0-87.0 years). When compared across the three decades, the number of stage I cases increased slightly more than twofold (from 19.1% to 38.5% for 1990-1999 to 2010-2019). Furthermore, the number of stage III cases decreased from 30.3% to 13.0% from 1990 to 1999 to 2010-2019. There were no significant changes in the number of patients diagnosed with stage II or IV disease over time. The overall 5-year survival rate for the entire group was 68.7 ± 5.1%, with no statistically significant difference between women living in urban centers vs. rural areas (67.8 ± 5.1% vs. 65.8 ± 10.4%; = 0.99). However, there was a 26.2% increase in the 5-year survival rate for the entire group over the study period. This increase was higher for women living in rural areas (+61.7%) than for those in urban centers (+51.3%); > 0.05. Furthermore, a comparison of 5-year adjusted survival rates between 2000 and 2015 showed increased survival for stages I, II, and III, with the most significant increase noted for stage III disease (2.4-fold increase).
CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective study found that the survival rates of women with VMN in Belarus have improved over the past 30 years. This is likely due to improvements in early detection as well as improved approaches to treatment, particularly for those living in rural areas. Additional study is needed to further understand and improve the outcomes of women diagnosed with VMN in Belarus.
PubMed: 38088958
DOI: 10.1016/j.gore.2023.101309 -
BMJ Case Reports Dec 2023A woman in her 90s with chronic uterine prolapse presented with abdominal pain and a vaginal mass. The patient had generalised peritonitis and a strangulated bowel...
A woman in her 90s with chronic uterine prolapse presented with abdominal pain and a vaginal mass. The patient had generalised peritonitis and a strangulated bowel obstruction originating from a perforated posterior vagina. We performed partial intestinal resection and a total hysterectomy, including excision of the perforation of the vaginal site and the adnexa. The patient died on postoperative day 8 due to worsening systemic sepsis. The pathological diagnosis revealed an invasive carcinoma in the perforated area of the vagina. Obstetric factors are the most frequent cause of female genital tract perforation, and chronic uterine prolapse is associated with this condition; however, vaginal cancer has never been reported as a cause of perforation. Therefore, close collaboration in gynaecology should be considered to investigate whether vaginal perforation and uterine prolapse are related to cancer.
Topics: Female; Humans; Hysterectomy; Intestinal Obstruction; Uterine Prolapse; Vagina; Vaginal Neoplasms; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38086574
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-255815 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Feb 2024
Topics: Female; Humans; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Vagina; Pelvis
PubMed: 38008629
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2023.11.012 -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Dec 2023The epidermis, the keratinized stratified squamous epithelium surrounding the body surface, offers a valuable framework to investigate how terrestrial animals overcome...
The epidermis, the keratinized stratified squamous epithelium surrounding the body surface, offers a valuable framework to investigate how terrestrial animals overcome environmental stresses. However, the mechanisms underlying epidermal barrier function remain nebulous. In this study, we examined genes highly expressed in the human and mouse upper epidermis, the outer frontier that induces various barrier-related genes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the messenger RNA level of hemoglobin α (HBA), an oxygen carrier in erythroid cells, was enriched in the upper epidermis compared with that in the whole epidermis. Immunostaining analysis confirmed HBA protein expression in human and mouse keratinocytes (KCs) of the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum. HBA was also expressed in hair follicle KCs in the isthmus region; its expression levels were more prominent than those in interfollicular KCs. HBA expression was not observed in noncutaneous keratinized stratified squamous epithelia of mice, for example, the vagina, esophagus, and forestomach. HBA expression was upregulated in human epidermal KC cultures after UV irradiation, a major cause of skin-specific oxidative stress. Furthermore, HBA knockdown increased UV-induced production of ROS in primary KCs. Our findings suggest that epidermal HBA expression is induced by oxidative stress and acts as an antioxidant, contributing to skin barrier function.
Topics: Humans; Female; Animals; Mice; Hair Follicle; Epidermis; Keratinocytes; Hemoglobins; RNA, Messenger; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
PubMed: 37981423
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.08.008