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Abstract. the management of recurrent cervical cancer depends mainly on previous treatment and on the site and extent of recurrence. concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation is the treatment of choice for patients with pelvic failure after radical hysterectomy alone. However, the safe delivery of high doses of radiotherapy is much more difficult in this clinical setting compared with primary radiotherapy. Pelvic exenteration usually represents the only therapeutic approach with curative intent for women with central pelvic relapse who have previously received irradiation. In a recent series, the 5-year overall survival and operative mortality after pelvic exenteration ranged from 21 to 61% and from 1 to 10%, respectively. Free surgical margins, negative lymph nodes, small tumour size and long disease-free interval were associated with a more favourable prognosis. currently, pelvic reconstructive procedures (continent urinary conduit, low colorectal anastomosis, vaginal reconstruction with myocutaneous flaps) are strongly recommended after exenteration. concurrent cisplatin-based chemo-radiation is the treatment of choice for isolated para-aortic lymph node failure, with satisfactory chances of a cure in asymptomatic patients. chemotherapy is administered with palliative intent to women with distant or loco-regional recurrences not amenable by surgery or radiotherapy. cisplatin is the most widely used drug, with a response rate of 17-38% and a median overall survival of 6.1-7.1 months. cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy achieves higher response rates (22-68%) when compared with single-agent cisplatin, but median overall survival is usually less than one year. In a recent gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) trial the combination topotecan + cisplatin obtained a significantly longer overall survival than single-agent cisplatin in patients with metastatic or recurrent or persistent cervical cancer. A subsequent gog study showed a trend in terms of longer overall survival and better quality of life for the doublet cisplatin + paclitaxel vs. the doublets cisplatin + topotecan, cisplatin + vinorelbine, and cisplatin + gemcitabine. Molecularly targeted therapy may represent a novel therapeutic tool, but its use alone or in combination with chemotherapy is still investigational.

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This series, identifying two different phases of the learning curve and suggesting that the initial learning phase for the procedure can be achieved after six cases, confirms the feasibility and safety of a robotic approach for single-site hysterectomy. However, the limits of this study mainly rely on the limited casuistic and short follow-up, although the preliminary results appear promising. Larger series and prospective studies comparing R-SSH hysterectomy with standard robotic multiport hysterectomy are necessary to define properly the role of this innovative surgical technique.

The aim of this paper was to assess hypersensitivity reactions in 69 patients who received carboplatin (CBDCA) retreatment for recurrent ovarian cancer. Hypersensitivity reactions developed in 15 (21.7%) patients and occurred during the second cycle of retreatment in 13 (86.7%) of them. Reactions consisted of skin rash, flushing, itching, or abdominal cramping in eight (53.3%) and severe respiratory or cardiovascular events in seven patients (46.7%). One patient had a chest pain, without any other symptoms suggestive of hypersensitivity, followed by cardiac arrest unresponsive to standard resuscitative measures. All the other cases promptly recovered from symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that allergy history and CBDCA retreatment interval (interval time between the last cycle of first-line chemotherapy and CBDCA retreatment) were independent predictive variables for the risk of hypersensitivity, whereas patient age, first-line chemotherapy, total CBDCA dose given during first-line treatment, recurrence treated with CBDCA (first versus other), and CBDCA regimen at recurrence had no predictive value. Hypersensitivity reaction rate was higher in patients with CBDCA retreatment interval longer than 23.4 months compared to those with a shorter interval (36.3% versus 8.3%, P = 0.0132). Nine patients were subsequently treated with cisplatin, and two (22.2%) still developed allergic reactions. In conclusion, hypersensitivity reactions to CBDCA retreatment can occur in approximately one fifth of the cases, and a CBDCA retreatment interval longer than 2 years appears to be the strongest predictive variable for the development of allergic reactions.

Elderly EOC patients can receive an adequate treatment, but patients who are older than 75 years can be undertreated, if not adequately selected. The pretreatment assessment of frailty through mFI could be suggested in the surgical and medical management.

Fertility-sparing treatment may represent a realist option for accurately selected young patients with endometrial atypical hyperplasia or well differentiated, early endometrial cancer. Oral progestins, and especially medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and megestrol acetate with different doses and schedules, represent the most commonly used hormone agents in this clinical setting. Approximately three fourths of the women achieve a histologically documented complete response, with an mean response time of 12 weeks, but about one third of these subsequently developed a recurrence after a mean time of 20 months. The expression of receptor for progesterone receptor (PR), PTEN gene, DNA mismatch repair gene MLH1 and phospho-AKT on tissue specimens may be useful for selecting patients fit for a conservative management. Several successful pregnancies have occurred after a fertility-sparing treatment of endometrial atypical hyperplasia or endometrial cancer, more frequently with assisted reproductive technologies. The implementation of in vitro fertilisation techniques not only increases the chance of conception, but it may also decrease the interval to conception. The opportunity of a demolitive surgery after delivery or after childbearing being no longer required is a still debated issue. Large multicenter trials are strongly warranted to better define the selection criteria for a conservative treatment, endocrine regimen of choice, the optimal dosing, the duration of treatment and follow-up protocols. In any case, the patient should be accurately informed about the relatively high recurrence rates after complete response to hormone treatment and expectations for pregnancy.