Gynecol Oncol

Recurrent psammocarcinoma of the peritoneum with complete response to tamoxifen therapy.

Year 1998
Molpus KL. Wu H. Fuller AF Jr.
Vincent Gynecologic Oncology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA. Kelly.Molpus@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Psammocarcinoma is a rare type of serous carcinoma arising from the ovary or peritoneum, characterized by massive psammoma body formation, invasiveness, and low-grade cytological features. A case of primary peritoneal psammocarcinoma is presented. Aspects of clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management are described. Emphasis is placed on successful management of recurrent disease using tamoxifen therapy.

Significance of intraperitoneal cytology in patients undergoing radical hysterectomy.

Year 1998
Estape R. Angioli R. Wagman F. Madrigal M. Janicek M. Ganjei-Azar P. Penalver M. Averette H.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, FL 33136, USA.
The incidence and prognostic significance of positive intraperitoneal cytology taken during a radical hysterectomy was reviewed. A prospective study looking at intraperitoneal cytology was conducted by using 400 consecutive radical hysterectomies from January 1988 through June 1996. All selected patients had peritoneal washings performed prior to a radical hysterectomy with pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. A single pathologist reviewed all cytological and histologic specimens. A total of 400 patients were included in the study. Only 7 of 400 (1.8%) had positive intraperitoneal cytology. Four had squamous cell cancer and 3 had adenocarcinoma. Five had stage IB cervical cancer and the remainder were stage IIA. Three had positive nodes. Six of 7 had tumor size greater than 3 cm. Three of 7 had > 50% invasion and 2 of 7 had lymphovascular space invasion. No other risk factors were present in these specimens. Six of 7 recurred within 18 months of surgery. Recurrences were local or retroperitoneal; none were upper abdomen or intraperitoneal. The incidence of positive peritoneal cytology during radical hysterectomy is 1.8%. The cost of these cytology specimens did not offer an advantage to the current surgical-pathological factors used to determine prognosis and adjuvant therapy.