Because it has been suggested that an environmental factor may play a role in the etiology of ovarian cancer, a case-control study was conducted to assess some environmental and other risk factors for ovarian cancer from 1994 to 1996 in northern Kyushu, Japan. We analyzed the data of 89 cases with epithelial ovarian cancer and 323 controls without any cancer or ovarian disorder. After controlling for the effect of potential confounders, the odds ratios of ovarian cancer across increasing quartiles of the heaviest body weight were 1.00, 1.15, 1.71, 2.29 (P= = = =0.008, test for trend). Significantly increased risks were noted for a history of diabetes mellitus (P< < < <0.05), and for a family history of ovarian cancer (P< < < <0.05). Significantly decreased trends for risk were obtained for the number of pregnancies (P< < < <0.01) and the number of live births (P< < < <0.001). This study provides additional support for an association between obesity and the risk of ovarian cancer. This relationship may at least partly explain the recent increase in the incidence of ovarian cancer in Japan, although possible contributions of other factors can not be ruled out.

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Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used in a retrospective analysis of chromosomal imbalances in frozen primary tumor specimens from 14 endometrial carcinoma patients. Chromosome changes were detected in nine cases (64%), and tumor stage and grade tended to parallel the degree of genomic imbalances. Gain of the entire long arm of chromosome I was observed in six cases (43%), three of which displayed only this chromosome change. Other common sites of copy number increases included 8q21 → qter (4 cases), 10p15 (4 cases), 10q11 → q24 (3 cases), and 13q21 → qter (3 cases, each with stage III disease). Two of the tumors with gains of chromosome 10 involved the whole chromosome, and this was the sole abnormality in one case. DNA amplification at 5p14 → p15 was identified in one specimen, a stage III tumor having numerous imbalances. DNA microsatellite analysis revealed multiple replication errors (RER), indicative of the RER+ phenotype, in four of 13 (31%) cases evaluated. The RER+ phenotype was observed in four of six stage Ia tumors but in none of seven stage Ib or stage III tumors. Multiple genomic imbalances detected by CGH were not observed in RER+ tumors but were detected in five of nine tumors without the RER+ phenotype. These investigations demonstrate the feasibility of CGH for the retrospective assessment of chromosomal changes in endometrial carcinoma specimens. Moreover, these data suggest that the etiologies in tumors with and without the RER+ phenotype may differ. Genes Chromosom. Cancer 18:115–125, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Irinotecan (CPT-11) and cisplatin are singly active against cervical cancer. We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of CPT-11 plus cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer. Twenty-nine chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer were treated with CPT-11 (60 mg/m²) on days 1, 8, and 15 by intravenous infusion over 90 min, followed by cisplatin (60 mg/m² i.v.) on day 1 over 90 min. The patients’ median age was 57 years (range 35–75). Nineteen patients (66%) had advanced primary disease. Six patients with recurrent disease (21%) had been treated with prior radiotherapy. The remaining 4 patients (14%) had residual or recurrent disease after radical surgery. The histologic diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma in 25 patients (87%), adenocarcinoma in 3, and adenosquamous cell carcinoma in 1. All eligible patients were included in the toxicity and response analysis based on the intent to treat. Two patients (7%) achieved a complete response and 15 (52%) a partial response (overall response rate: 59%, 95% confidence interval; 41–74%). Stable disease was recorded in 6 patients (21%) and progressive disease in 3 patients (10%). In 3 patients, image-guided evaluation of response was judged to be unfeasible at the time of independent extramural review (10%). The median time to response was 32 days (range 16–62 days). The median survival was 27.7+ months (range, 6.4–52.8+ months). Two dose-limiting side effects were observed: grade 3 (28%) or 4 (45%) neutropenia and grade 3 (7%) or 4 (7%) diarrhea. Other severe toxicities included anemia (45%), thrombocytopenia (3%), nausea/vomiting (31%), and alopecia (7%). The combination of CPT-11 with cisplatin is an active regimen for treatment of advanced or recurrent cervical cancer albeit with a significant degree of myelosuppression.

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