Gynecologic Oncology
Clinical discussions on gynecologic malignancies, surgical approaches, and multimodal treatment strategies.
Recent Discussions
For an elderly woman with a platinum-resistant recurrence of a high-grade serous ovarian cancer who has been rendered NED surgically, is observation a reasonable approach?
Based on her age, performance status, and goals of care, it is certainly reasonable to discuss all options with patients. With her being platinum resistant, I would counsel on prognosis and the need to consider quality of life. With the need for balance between QoL and OS, waiting until there is a m...
How do you manage patients with germline BRCA mutations who have STIC lesions found at the time of risk-reducing BSO?
How do you manage patients with germline BRCA mutations who have STIC lesions found at the time of risk-reducing BSO?Most experts agree these are worrisome lesions, likely precursors to high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). It is also biologically plausible that the presence of serous tubal intraepith...
How do you factor a decreasing but persistently elevated CA-125 into your decision regarding whether to proceed with interval cytoreductive surgery for PAX8+ high-grade serous cancer s/p neoadjuvant chemotherapy with minimal disease on imaging?
While a rapid decline in CA-125 often portends a better response to chemotherapy, it is not the sole factor on which I decide to operate or not. I rely more on imaging response to make a decision about interval cytoreduction. If there has been a good radiographic response, I will proceed with surger...
How would you approach a pre-viable pregnant patient in the second trimester with metastatic ovarian cancer who wants to keep the pregnancy?
I would recommend neoadjuvant chemotherapy and co-manage with maternal-fetal medicine to try to optimize the outcome for both mom and baby. Typically, we will start chemotherapy (platinum-based) after organogenesis is complete and continue q21 days until about 3-4 weeks before planned delivery. Once...
How do you manage refractory radiation cystitis status post pelvic EBRT/BT?
Thankfully chronic radiation cystitis and specifically radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis is relatively rare (2-8%) [1]. However, it can be a chronic and debilitating complication after pelvic radiotherapy. In managing these patients, first, I make sure to rule out another cause of cystitis – in...
How would you evaluate the role for adjuvant radiation in a very young female (20s) with a localized vulvar SCC, HPV independent, status post hemivulvectomy?
Either re-excision or observation provided no dVin at margin and at least a 3 mm negative margin for invasive disease.
Would you offer systemic chemotherapy to a patient with at least 2023 FIGO stage IC high grade serous (p53-mut) endometrial cancer with extensive LVI for whom nodal assessment was not done?
This question was addressed in a large NCDB study in 2020 by Nasioudis et al (Nasioudis et al., PMID 32675056) who looked at USC confined to the endometrium, which found that 5-year OS was 91% for chemo alone, 91% for chemoRT, 85% for those who received radiation alone, and 82% who were observed. Ad...
Does the path length of vaginal cuff cylinder brachytherapy treatment as adjuvant therapy for endometrial cancer vary based on histology (serous, etc)?
There was some thought that treatment of high risk histologies, positive LVI, or high Grade required a longer vaginal length be treated. Including 2/3 or full length. That is largely unsupported by high-quality data and would increase distal vagina toxicity in this population. Our clinic treats uppe...
If a patient meets criteria for extrafascial hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer, how do you determine your surgical approach (abdominal vs laparoscopic)?
For FIGO 1A1-1A2 (i.e., microinvasion which means no visible lesion) - I would perform a vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy (IA1) or robotic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy-nodes (IA2); for FIGO 1B1 with no visible lesion (eg., post-conization), I would perform a robotic cys...
How would you approach a patient who is unable to undergo the recommended ophthalmologic examinations during treatment with mirvetuximab soravtansine?
Until more data are available regarding the ocular safety and reviewed by the agency, I follow the recommendations. I feel there is a decent chance real-world experience may change this but officially I follow the recommendations as stated. Having said this, the testing recommended (“Conduct an opht...