Gynecologic Oncology
Clinical discussions on gynecologic malignancies, surgical approaches, and multimodal treatment strategies.
Recent Discussions
In vulvar cancer patients with a well lateralized primary s/p vulvectomy and ipsilateral LND meeting nodal-based criteria for adjuvant RT, would you consider RT to the ipsilateral groin and pelvis?
Risk of contra lateral node involvement for lateralized lesion is a function of the size of tumor, thickness of tumor and number of positive nodes in the ipsilateral groin (>2 node). If the contralateral node has not been assessed by dissection or SNLB then I would treat both groins all the time. If...
When would you continue bevacizumab versus using PARPi alone for maintenance therapy in BRCA+ or HRD+ ovarian cancer after response to primary platinum + bevacizumab?
In patients who start treatment with combination platinum based chemotherapy + bevacizumab, and are found to be BRCA+ or HRD+, I will commonly continue bevacizumab and layer on the PARPi in the maintenance setting. This is based on both the PAOLA-1 data, as well as the population adjusted indirect c...
How do you counsel patients with locally advanced malignancies who have ECOG 3-4?
I agree with @Dr. First Last and @Dr. First Last's comments about the implications of PS and specific situations where medical therapies have the potential to improve PS (heme malignancies small cell) and/or extend quality of life. I have two goals in this conversation. To make sure I understand the...
What is your strategy for breakthrough chemotherapy induced N&V in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy and already received a NK-1 antagonist, 5-HT3 antagonist, dexamethasone, and olanzapine?
I find the MASCC anti-emetic guidelines to be very well written Davis et al., PMID 34398289.Very few randomized clinical trials in cancer for antiemetics (with positive trials associated with metoclopramide (D2 receptor antagonist) and olanzapine).So - most are based on trial and error + clinician p...
Would you transition from denosumab to anabolic agents in patients who are in urgent need for extensive dental work?
From my experience, this is a catch-22. If you stop the Denosumab you will markedly increase osteoclastic activity throughout the entire skeleton which is why it is recommended that you not stop the medication without some other intervention. I have had several patients with either osteonecrosis of ...
What would you recommend for early stage vulvar cancer with close margins?
With negative sentinel LN's in an early stage patient, I would try to avoid the use of radiation if possible. Re-excision with a clear margin of 1-2 cm, extending to the deep perineal fascia, should be adequate to give a high rate of local control and cure, in the absence of other negative prognosti...
What are your top takeaways in Gyn Cancers from ESMO 2024?
Ovarian CA (Immunotherapy) There has been limited success with single agent immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. Three ovarian cancer immunotherapy studies presented at ESMO 2024 are worth noting.ATHENA-COMBO: Rucaparib +/- Nivo as Maintenance in Newly Diagnosed Ovarian Cancer - ATHENA-COMBO Ph3 TrialA...
Would you ever re-treat recurrent ovarian cancer with mirvetuximab soravtansine if the patient responded to it in the past (e.g., more than 6 months ago)?
As far as I know, there is no data on the repeat use of mirvetuximab for women who have progressed on prior treatment. I would tend to use cytotoxic therapy in this setting, but if the patient tolerated it well previously and has a good performance status, a short trial of repeat mirvetuximab seems ...
How would you manage a young woman with vulvar langerhans cell histiocytosis and positive margins after wide local excision?
It is a complex situation/question, with no major existing studies to answer it directly. Further management depends on various factors- are there other sites of disease on full-body PET CT scan? Is further surgery possible without any disfigurement or major cosmetic issues? If localized disease onl...
How would you treat IIB ovarian carcinosarcoma which recurred locally at 1 month post initial debulking surgery, progressed through 2 cycles of adjuvant carbo/taxol, and is now s/p repeat debulking?
Platinum refractory ovarian cancers are incredibly challenging. In terms of more conventional chemotherapy options and based on the AURELIA trial, one could consider bevacizumab in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan. I would not use paclitaxel since the cancer is progressi...