BACKGROUND: Although human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines effectively prevent cervical cancer, the HPV vaccination rates in Japan remain low because of concerns about alleged neurological adverse events. Darja Kanduc proposed a flawed hypothesis that molecular mimicry between HPV and human proteins could induce cross-reactive antibodies, causing autoimmune organ damage, even when only the portions of amino acid (AA)-sequences of the epitopes were identical between HPV and human proteins. METHODS: In this study, we conducted the same computational data analysis as Kanduc, using 22 linear epitopes (9-23 AA-length) of the HPV type 16 L1 protein (HPV16L1) registered in the database. RESULTS: We found that no human epitopes had identical AA-sequences to any HPV16L1 epitopes, demonstrating that HPV16L1 had no molecular mimicry with linear epitopes that have the potential to induce cross-reactive autoantibodies. On the other hand, we identified various numbers of human protein epitopes whose AA-sequences were partially identical with epitopes of HPV16L1, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We found that HPV16L1 had a smaller number of such proteins having "partial molecular mimicry" than HBV and RSV. CONCLUSIONS: Our current in silico analysis provided no evidence that HPV vaccinations could induce cross-reactive autoantibodies. The flawed molecular mimicry data should not be used as a scientific basis for alleged HPV vaccine-induced adverse events.

BACKGROUND: PARP inhibitors have been shown to improve progression-free survival in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. However, their potential for long-term response and cure remains unclear in real-world practice. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study of patients with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer who were treated with olaparib maintenance therapy in the Kansai Clinical Oncology Group. We analyzed clinical outcomes according to histological tissue type, platinum sensitivity, BRCA mutation status, and SLFN11 expression. Epithelial ovarian cancers were classified into type I (low-grade serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, low-grade endometrioid carcinoma) and type II (high-grade serous carcinoma, high-grade endometrioid carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma). RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were registered. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 12.0 and 42.0 months, respectively. Type II tumors exhibited significantly longer progression-free survival than type I tumors (p = 0.027). Among type II tumors, those with platinum-sensitive recurrence and a response to chemotherapy (PSR-R, n = 51) had significantly better progression-free survival than non PSR-R (p < 0.0001). Notably, eight PSR-R patients (15.7%) achieved greater than five years of progression-free survival ("super responders"), and all had no evidence of disease at the last follow-up. BRCA mutations and SLFN11 expression were not associated with progression-free survival or super responders. CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world cohort, a subset of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer achieved durable, potentially curative responses with olaparib maintenance, regardless of their BRCA mutation status. When evaluating PARP inhibitor therapy, long-term progression-free survival should be considered a key endpoint.

In Japan, neuropsychological symptoms after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations were publicized as "adverse effects," leading to vaccine hesitancy. Anti-vaccine activists claimed that adjuvants in HPV vaccines could cause an immune-mediated neurological disease. Adjuvants in the bivalent HPV vaccine (2vHPV) and quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV) are AS04 [composed of aluminum (Al) hydroxide (AH) and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL)] and Al hydroxyphosphate sulfate (AHS), respectively. We determined whether HPV vaccinations in mice could reproduce alleged immunopathology. We injected mice intramuscularly with 2vHPV, 4vHPV, two hepatitis B virus vaccines containing AH or AHS, or a varicella-zoster virus vaccine (vVZV) containing an adjuvant AS01 (comprising MPL and QS-21). Histologically, 12 weeks after vaccinations, all four Al-containing vaccine groups had Al-laden macrophage accumulation at the injected muscle; no groups had abnormalities in any other organs, including the brain, heart, liver, and kidney. Immunologically, although the four Al-containing vaccine groups had continuously increased levels of several cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-β, cytokine profiles were not associated with muscle pathology. No groups exhibited any clinical signs, except for the vVZV group, which lost body weight temporarily following each injection. Weight loss in the vVZV group was associated with increased levels of cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-18. Experiments using IL-18 receptor-deficient mice and AS01 injection alone demonstrated that IL-18 and AS01 contributed to weight loss. Since 2vHPV containing AS04 (AH and MPL) did not induce weight loss, QS-21, but not MPL, in AS01 seemed responsible for weight loss, demonstrating the safety of MPL.

Laeverin (LVRN) is a cell-surface immunoregulatory factor that is specifically expressed in embryo-derived extravillous trophoblast, which invades maternal spiral arteries without immune rejection during human placentation. Here, it is found that various epithelial cancer cell lines upregulated LVRN expression in association with the expression of POU5F1 after spheroid formation under floating conditions. Immunohistochemically, LVRN expression is detected in the lesions of vascular, lymphatic, and peritoneal invasion of ovarian, cervical, endometrial, breast, and lung cancers. LVRN-positive circulating tumor cells are also identified in the blood of uterine cervical and endometrial cancers, showing that LVRN expression is induced in cancer cells in the distant metastatic phase. Monomethylauristatin E-conjugated anti-LVRN antibody induced cell death in ovarian cancer-derived cell lines in the liquid phase in vitro and inhibited their peritoneal dissemination in nude mice in vivo. These findings indicate that LVRN is a unique and promising cell-surface target molecule for liquid-phase metastasizing cancer cells.

Intra-abdominal epithelioid neoplasm with EWSR1/FUS::CREB fusions is an emerging entity characterized by a broad age distribution, epithelioid morphology, variable epithelial marker expression, prominent lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, and systemic inflammation. A few ovarian cases have been reported. We describe a 63-yr-old woman who presented with anemia and elevated C-reactive protein. She underwent surgery for a 14-cm right ovarian mass. Grossly, the tumor was solid with cystic change and hemorrhage, and had a light tan cut surface. Histologically, it consisted of uniform sheets of epithelioid cells with ample pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, divided by fibrotic septa with dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for EMA, WT1, and vimentin; focally positive for CAM5.2; and negative for AE1/AE3, estrogen and progesterone receptors, PAX8, sex cord markers, desmin, HMB45, and Melan A. The Ki-67 labeling index was 20%. The differential diagnoses, including poorly differentiated carcinoma, sex cord-stromal tumors, perivascular epithelioid cell tumor, and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, were considered. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a FUS::CREM gene fusion. Based on clinicopathologic and genomic features, the tumor was classified as an ovarian example of EWSR1/FUS::CREB fusion-associated epithelioid neoplasm. Inflammation-related laboratory abnormalities resolved postoperatively. No adjuvant therapy was administered, and the patient remained disease-free at 12 mo. This represents the third reported ovarian tumor with FUS::CREM fusion and the seventh adnexal tumor with EWSR1/FUS::CREB family fusion. Prognostic information on these adnexal tumors is limited, but given the aggressive nature of analogous extra-adnexal and testicular tumors, cautious management and further studies are warranted.

Background: The prognosis for recurrent ovarian cancer is poor, but a small percentage of patients can be cured. The aim of this study was to clarify the criteria for being cured and the characteristics of cured cases. Methods: Ovarian cancer cases at 2 university hospitals and 8 community hospitals were analyzed to identify patients who were considered cured after complete remission (CR) following recurrence. Analyses of the tumors were performed and included BRCA1/2 mutation analysis. Results: Of the 157 cases of recurrence, 21 (13%) showed no evidence of disease (NED). NED cases had a lower rate of ascites at the initial diagnosis, longer disease-free survival, a higher rate of solitary lesions, and a higher rate of secondary debulking surgery. All CR cases except for one showed no further recurrence when DFS reached 4 years, which was considered a criterion for being cured. The case of relapse occurred after long-term treatment with bevacizumab. Furthermore, 19.4% of the CR cases achieved 4-year DFS, which represents 9.3% of the cases of recurrent ovarian cancer and 2.3% of all cases of ovarian cancer. BRCA mutation analysis of the tumor was possible in 17 of the 30 cases of recurrent ovarian cancer that achieved a 4-year DFS. Pathogenic variants of BRCA were found in 5 of the 11 cases of high-grade serous carcinoma. Conclusions: Approximately 10% of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer achieved a 4-year DFS and were mostly cured. The curing of cases not involving high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) was unrelated to the presence of pathogenic BRCA variants.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the clinical utility of the Silva classification (a risk-stratification system based on invasion pattern for HPV-associated cervical adenocarcinoma; HPVA) using Japanese cohort data; and to determine how HPV-independent adenocarcinoma (HPVI) should be positioned relative to Silva-classified HPVA. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 264 cases of surgically treated FIGO 2008 stage I-II cervical adenocarcinoma from eight institutions participating in the KAMOGAWA Study. Tumors were classified as HPVA or HPVI. HPVA cases were further categorized as low-risk or high-risk using the binary Silva classification, which incorporates invasion pattern and lymphovascular space invasion. Outcome measures included lymph node metastasis, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Of the 264 cases, 27 % were classified as low-risk HPVA, 49 % as high-risk HPVA, and 23 % as HPVI. Lymph node metastasis was observed in 0 %, 12 %, and 38 % of cases, respectively (p < 0.001). The 5-year DFS was 98 %, 83 %, and 53 %, and the 5-year OS was 100 %, 97 %, and 63 % (both p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that low-risk HPVA was associated with longer DFS (HR 0.12, 95 % CI 0.015-0.87) and HPVI was associated with shorter DFS (HR 2.76, 95 % CI 1.44-5.30), after adjusting for tumor size (≤2 cm, 2-4 cm, >4 cm) and age. Tumor size >4 cm, but not ≤2 cm was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: The three-tier system combining the histotype and binary Silva classification outperformed tumor size in prognostic stratification. The low-risk group showed excellent outcomes, supporting the potential for conservative management such as uterine preservation after conization.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) has been used to identify mutations in several hundred cancer-related genes. Patients may receive treatment that targets specific genetic mutations revealed by CGP. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of CGP in gynecologic malignancies. METHODS: Hospital records including CGP and clinical information were reviewed from 20 institutions in the Kinki District of Japan for patients with gynecological malignancies who underwent CGP. RESULTS: A total of 724 patients were included, of whom 162 had cervical cancer, 157 had endometrial cancer, 327 had ovarian cancer, 29 had other cancers, and 49 had sarcomas. Actionable gene alterations were identified in 370 (51.1%). The most commonly altered genes were PIK3CA (14.4%), high loss of heterozygosity (12.4%), and high tumor mutation burden (10.9%). Matched therapy, based on actionable gene alterations, was administered to 73 patients (10.1%). Of these, 23 patients received matched therapy for a high tumor mutation burden, 10 for high microsatellite instability and BRCA1/2, six for ERBB2, and five for PIK3CA. Twenty-five patients died before receiving their CGP results. The objective response and disease control rates were 23.6% and 41.8%, respectively. Of the 122 patients to whom genetic counseling was recommended, 68 accepted. CONCLUSIONS: CGP testing for gynecological malignancies in Japan may improve therapeutic efficacy. However, several issues remain to be addressed, including the low matched therapy rate and death prior to availability of CGP test results.

Abstract Recent next‐generation sequencing (NGS) studies have shown that synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancers (SEOCs) are often derived from the same clone. However, the clonal relationship in Lynch syndrome remains unclear. A 45‐year‐old woman was diagnosed with grade 2 endometrial endometrioid carcinoma and an ovarian yolk sac tumor with clear cell carcinoma. Genetic testing revealed different MLH1 variants in the endometrial and ovarian cancers, and peripheral blood analysis identified an exon 5 deletion in MLH1, confirming Lynch syndrome. The somatic variants in the tumors were distinct. A review of the literature found six cases of SEOC in Lynch syndrome with NGS‐based clonal analysis, four of which (67%) showed independent cancers with different somatic profiles. These findings suggest that, unlike sporadic SEOC, synchronous cancers in Lynch syndrome are more likely to arise from separate clones.

OBJECTIVE: In the differential diagnosis between uterine fibroids and uterine sarcomas, real-world magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostic information is scarce; furthermore, high diagnostic sensitivity is important in clinical practice. We previously developed a diagnostic algorithm to detect uterine sarcoma with high sensitivity using simple MRI images and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. In this multicenter study, we investigated the preoperative diagnosis of sarcoma in the real world and further validated the usefulness of our diagnostic algorithm. METHODS: Of 154 uterine sarcomas and 154 uterine fibroids treated at 15 centers between January 2006 and December 2020, 139 sarcomas (16 smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential) and 141 fibroids with diffusion-weighted imaging information were included in the analysis. The diagnostic algorithm was validated by 3 radiologists who were blinded to the clinical information and pathologic diagnoses and who read the MRIs. RESULTS: The sensitivity/specificity of preoperative diagnosis was 77.7%/92.9% for the preoperative report; 92.1%/72.3% for algorithm A; and 82.0%/85.8% for algorithm B (McNemar's test p<0.05). Comparison of overall survival rates among 3 groups (Group 1: negative A, Group 2: positive A and negative B; Group 3: positive B) using algorithms A and B showed p=0.012. On multivariate analysis, stage, and serum LDH level were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: MRI is useful for preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcoma, and the sarcoma diagnostic algorithm presented in this study is an option for diagnosing sarcoma with greater sensitivity. This information should be shared with patients.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of bevacizumab on platinum sensitivity in recurrent ovarian cancer remains poorly understood. This study examined the association between platinum-free interval (PFI) and sensitivity to subsequent platinum-containing chemotherapy in patients with first relapsed ovarian cancer after bevacizumab chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy for platinum-sensitive recurrence between November 2013, and December 2019, and who were initially treated by platinum-based chemotherapy with concurrent and maintenance bevacizumab. The primary endpoint was response rate to subsequent chemotherapy after various periods of PFI. The relevance between response rate and PFI was assessed for each PFI of 6-12, 12-24 and ≧24 months using Cochran-Armitage test. The secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) defined as time from chemotherapy for first recurrence to subsequent progression and response rate to subsequent chemotherapy for each treatment-free interval since last administration of bevacizumab (Bev-TFI). RESULTS: A total of 77 patients were eligible. The median PFI until first recurrence was 12 months (range: 6-43). The response rates of subsequent chemotherapy for patients with PFI of 6-12, ≥12-24, and 24 months were 42 %, 65 %, and 80 %, showing a linear trend (p < 0.05). Median PFS among the three groups was 8 (95 %CI: 6.7-9.2), 11 (95 %CI: 8.4-13.5) and 13 months (95 % CI: 5.4-20.5) (p = 0.107, log-rank test), respectively. By contrast, no linear trend was observed between Bev-TFI and response rate (p = 0.225). CONCLUSION: In patients with first relapse of primary ovarian cancer and bevacizumab beyond progression, the prolonged PFS effect of bevacizumab does not seem to affect sensitivity to subsequent platinum-based chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Recent clinical trials show the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or a combination of ICI and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. However, the basis for such treatment effects remains unclear, hindering the advancement of personalized therapy. AREAS COVERED: This review includes a detailed interpretation of subgroup analysis data from phase III clinical trials for endometrial cancer evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy plus ICIs (NRG-GY018, RUBY, AtTEnd, KEYNOTE-B21) or chemotherapy plus ICI with/without olaparib (DUO-E). We focused on the relationship between obesity, the effect of PARP inhibitors, and tumor immunity in endometrial cancer, searched for relevant literature published from 2000 to 2024 in PubMed, and conducted a narrative review. EXPERT OPINION: Chemotherapy plus ICI is appropriate for dMMR. Chemotherapy plus ICI and PARP inhibitor may be appropriate for TP53abn type or serous carcinoma because PARP inhibitor enhances the efficacy of ICI by activating the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. Obese patients may benefit more from ICIs, and this appears to cause the variation in efficacy between regions/countries. Administration for measurable disease appears important to increase the effect of ICIs. Diet and exercise may also be important factors.

With the incorporation of immune checkpoint inhibitors into the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC), a deeper understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment is critical. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are considered favorable prognostic factors for EC, but the significance of their spatial distribution remains unclear. B cell receptor repertoire analysis performed using six TLS samples located at various distances from the tumor showed that TLSs in distal areas had more shared B cell clones with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. To comprehensively investigate the distribution of TLSs, we developed an artificial intelligence model to detect TLSs and determine their spatial locations in whole-slide images. Our model effectively quantified TLSs, and TLSs were detected in 69% of the patients with EC. We identified them as proximal or distal to the tumor margin and demonstrated that patients with distal TLSs (dTLSs) had significantly prolonged overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) across multiple cohorts [hazard ratio (HR), 0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.36-0.88; p = 0.01 for overall survival; HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40-0.84; p = 0.004 for PFS]. When analyzed by molecular subtype, patients with dTLSs in the copy-number-high EC subtype had significantly longer PFS (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.91; p = 0.02). Moreover, patients with dTLSs had a higher response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors (87.5 vs. 41.7%) and a trend toward improved PFS. Our findings indicate that the functions and prognostic implications of TLSs may vary with their locations, and dTLSs may serve as prognostic factors and predictors of treatment efficacy. This may facilitate personalized therapy for patients with EC.

AIM: Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared to nonpregnant women. The aim of this multicenter prospective study was to assess the current COVID-19 vaccination status of pregnant women in the southern Osaka district and to compare their antibody titers with those of nonpregnant women. METHODS: Serum antibody titers of anti-NCP antibodies (antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid) and anti-RBD antibodies (the receptor binding domain of the S1 subunit of the spike protein) were evaluated in 753 pregnant women at 34-35 weeks of gestation from October 2021 to March 2022. Anti-RBD antibody titre was also investigated in 1003 health care workers at Kindai University hospital 3 and 6 months after a second dose of the vaccine from March 2021 to April 2021. 519 (68.9%) pregnant women were vaccinated during pregnancy, of whom 497 (95.8%) received two doses. RESULTS: The COVID-19 infection rate calculated from the number of pregnant women with a positive anti-NCP antibody titre or with confirmed diagnosis was 5.1% (12/234) in the unvaccinated and 3.5% (18/519) in the vaccinated. The estimated half-life calculated from anti-RBD antibody titers and the number of days between vaccination and antibody testing was 39.9 days. The antibody titre and half-life in pregnant women were significantly lower and shorter than in nonpregnant women aged 20-39 years (109.4 days). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that pregnant women may have lower vaccine-acquired COVID-19 immunity than nonpregnant women.

UNLABELLED: A 69-year-old multiparous postmenopausal woman had undergone bilateral total hip arthroplasty 17 years ago. Computed tomography showed a mature teratoma of 10 cm in the pelvis. Subsequently, she presented with symptoms of hoarseness and weight loss, along with evidence of malignant transformation of the same tumor in the pelvis and multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Bilateral adnexectomy was performed via laparotomy, yet peritoneal dissemination persisted. The ovarian tumor's histopathological diagnosis was mature teratoma with squamous cell carcinoma. Additionally, the mediastinal lymph nodes biopsy revealed poorly differentiated carcinoma. Comprehensive genomic profiling testing of the ovarian tumor showed pathogenic variants of TP53 and PTEN, a high tumor mutational burden, homologous recombination deficiency and the absence of human papilloma virus. The similar genomic testing of the mediastinal tumor revealed three variants of uncertain significance that were common to the ovarian tumor. However, no variants of TP53 or PTEN were identified. Following surgery, she demonstrated a partial response to six cycles of conventional paclitaxel and carboplatin. She then received maintenance treatment with niraparib; however, disease progression subsequently occurred. The patient was treated with pembrolizumab and is currently receiving treatment with a partial response. Previous reports have demonstrated the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in 5 out of 6 cases of malignant transformation of mature teratomas, and this treatment appears to be a promising strategy. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13691-024-00740-z.

BACKGROUND: Considerable interobserver variability exists in diagnosis of ovarian high-grade endometrioid carcinoma (HGEC) and high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) due to histopathological similarities. While homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) correlates with drug sensitivity in HGSC, the molecular features of HGEC are unclear. METHODS: Fresh-frozen samples from 15 ovarian HGECs and 274 ovarian HGSCs in the JGOG-TR2 cohort were submitted to targeted DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, DNA methylation array, and SNP array. We additionally analyzed 555 ovarian HGSCs from TCGA-OV and 287 endometrial high-grade carcinomas from TCGA-UCEC. RESULTS: Unsupervised clustering using copy number signatures identified four distinct tumor groups (C1, C2, C3 and C4). C1 (n = 41) showed CCNE1 amplification and poor survival. C2 (n = 160) and C3 (n = 59) showed high BRCA1/2 alteration frequency with low and moderate ploidy, respectively. C4 (n = 22) was characterized by favorable outcome, higher HGEC proportion, no BRCA1/2 alteration or CCNE1 amplification, and low levels of HRD score, ploidy, intra-tumoral heterogeneity, cell proliferation rate, and WT1 gene expression. Notably, C4 exhibited a normal endometrium-like DNA methylation profile, thus, defined as "HGEC-type" tumors, which were also identified in TCGA-OV and TCGA-UCEC. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian "HGEC-type" tumors present a non-HRD status, favorable prognosis, and endometrial differentiation, possibly constituting a subset of clinically diagnosed HGSCs.

BACKGROUND: Autologous blood donation for placental malposition is common in Japan, but no studies have scientifically evaluated its usefulness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the necessity for autologous blood donation for placental malposition. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients who underwent autologous blood donation for placental malposition at Kindai University Hospital from 2012 to 2022. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were able to avoid allogeneic blood transfusion by autologous blood transfusion; secondary outcomes were autologous blood disposal rate, allogeneic blood transfusion rate, and complications of autologous blood donation and allogeneic blood transfusion. A systematic review of studies on autologous blood transfusion for placental malposition was conducted on PubMed. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (total placenta previa 16; marginal placenta previa 20; low-lying placenta 16) were included. Eight (15%) had complications at the time of autologous blood donation, including non-reassuring fetal heart rate, but no sequelae. Allogeneic blood transfusion was avoided by autologous blood transfusion in only five cases (9.6%). Autologous blood was discarded in nine cases (17%), seven of which had a low-lying placenta positioned normally at delivery. Allogeneic blood transfusion was performed in eight cases (15%) with no complications. In the systematic review, seven articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for further evaluation. The results showed that there were no publications that scientifically demonstrated the benefit of autologous blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that autologous blood donation for placental malposition has little benefit.

Four subtypes of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) have previously been identified, each with different prognoses and drug sensitivities. However, the accuracy of the classification depended on the assessor's experience. This study aimed to develop a universal algorithm for HGSC-subtype classification using deep learning techniques. An artificial intelligence (AI)-based classification algorithm, which replicates the consensus diagnosis of pathologists, was formulated to analyze the morphological patterns and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte counts for each tile extracted from whole slide images of ovarian HGSC available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. The accuracy of the algorithm was determined using the validation set from the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group 3022A1 (JGOG3022A1) and Kindai and Kyoto University (Kindai/Kyoto) cohorts. The algorithm classified the four HGSC-subtypes with mean accuracies of 0.933, 0.910, and 0.862 for the TCGA, JGOG3022A1, and Kindai/Kyoto cohorts, respectively. To compare Mesenchymal Transition (MT) with non-MT groups, overall survival analysis was performed in the TCGA dataset. The AI-based prediction of HGSC-subtype classification in TCGA cases showed that the MT group had a worse prognosis than the non-MT group (p = 0.017). Furthermore, Cox proportional hazard regression analysis identified AI-based MT subtype classification prediction as a contributing factor along with residual disease after surgery, stage, and age. In conclusion, a robust AI-based HGSC-subtype classification algorithm was established using virtual slides of ovarian HGSC.

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), which has unique clinical characteristics, arises from benign endometriotic cysts, forming an oxidative stress environment due to excess iron accumulation, and exhibits poor prognosis, particularly in advanced stages owing to resistance to conventional therapeutics. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death induced by lipid peroxidation and controlled by Hippo signaling. We hypothesized that overcoming ferroptosis resistance is an attractive strategy because OCCC acquires oxidative stress resistance during its development and exhibits chemoresistant features indicative of ferroptosis resistance. This study aimed to determine whether OCCC is resistant to ferroptosis and clarify the mechanism underlying resistance. Unlike ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma cells, OCCC cells were exposed to oxidative stress. However, OCCC cells remained unaffected by lipid peroxidation. Cell viability assays revealed that OCCC cells exhibited resistance to the ferroptosis inducer erastin. Moreover, Samroc analysis showed that the Hippo signaling pathway was enriched in OCCC cell lines and clinical samples. Furthermore, patients with low expression of nuclear Yes-associated protein 1(YAP1) exhibited a significantly poor prognosis of OCCC. Moreover, YAP1 activation enhanced ferroptosis in OCCC cell lines. Furthermore, suppression of zinc finger DHHC-type palmitoyltransferase 7 (ZDHHC7) enhanced ferroptosis by activating YAP1 in OCCC cell lines. Mouse xenograft models demonstrated that ZDHHC7 inhibition suppressed tumor growth via YAP1 activation by erastin treatment. In conclusion, YAP1 activation regulated by ZDHHC7 enhanced ferroptosis in OCCC. Thus, overcoming ferroptosis resistance is a potential therapeutic strategy for OCCC.

AIM: Quality of care is important to reduce disease progression, and improve both survival and quality of life. The Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology has published treatment guidelines to promote standardized high-quality care for ovarian cancer in Japan. We developed quality indicators based on the guideline recommendations and used them on large datasets of health service use to examine the quality of ovarian cancer care. METHODS: A panel of experts developed the indicators using a modified Delphi method. Adherence to each indicator was evaluated using data from a hospital-based cancer registry of patients diagnosed in 2018. All patients receiving first-line treatment at participating facilities were included. The adherence rates were returned to participating hospitals, and reasons for nonadherence were collected. A total of 580 hospitals participated, and the study examined the care received by 6611 patients with ovarian cancer and 1879 with borderline tumors using 11 measurable quality indicators. RESULTS: The adherence rate ranged from 22.6% for "Estrogen replacement within 6 months of operation" to 93.5% for "Bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin for germ cell tumor more than Stage II." Of 580 hospitals, 184 submitted the reasons for nonadherence. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of ovarian cancer care should be continuously assessed to encourage the use of best practices. These indicators may be a useful tool for this purpose.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are associated with improved survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the evaluation of TILs has not been applied to routine clinical practice due to reproducibility issues. We developed two convolutional neural network models to detect TILs and to determine their spatial location in whole-slide images, and established a spatial assessment pipeline to objectively quantify intraepithelial and stromal TILs in patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The predictions of the established models showed a significant positive correlation with the number of CD8+ T cells and immune gene expressions. We demonstrated that patients with a higher density of intraepithelial TILs had a significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in multiple cohorts. Based on the density of intraepithelial and stromal TILs, we classified patients into three immunophenotypes: immune-inflamed, excluded, and desert. The immune-desert subgroup showed the worst prognosis. Gene expression analysis showed that the immune-desert subgroup had lower immune cytolytic activity (CYT) and T-cell-inflamed gene-expression profile (GEP) scores, whereas immune-excluded subgroup had higher expression of interferon-γ and programmed death 1 receptor (PD-1) signaling pathway. Our established evaluation method provides detailed and comprehensive quantification of intraepithelial and stromal TILs throughout hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides, and has potential for clinical application for personalized treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, comprehensive cancer statistics data have been collected through national cancer registries, but these data are rarely summarized and reported in research articles. METHODS: Here, we compiled the national registry data on malignant tumors originating from gynecologic organs (ovary, corpus uteri, cervix uteri) in Japan. RESULTS: The number of new patients in 2019 was 13,380, 17,880, and 10,879, respectively, and the number of deaths in 2021 was 5081, 2741, and 2894, respectively. Compared with 40 years ago, the incidence of ovarian cancer has tripled, the incidence of uterine corpus cancer (mainly endometrial cancer) has increased eightfold, the mortality rate of uterine corpus cancer has tripled, and the incidence of cervical intraepithelial cancer has increased ninefold in data standardized by the world population. Compared with the United States, the incidence rate of ovarian cancer has overtaken and the mortality rate of uterine corpus cancer is the same, while both the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are higher in Japan. CONCLUSION: The incidence of gynecologic cancer is increasing significantly in Japan.

Drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DIILD) is one of the most common and important adverse drug reactions. Still, the details of the clinical presentation of DIILD caused by poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are unknown. A 73-year-old Japanese woman was started on niraparib maintenance therapy after radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy for high-grade serous carcinoma originating from the fallopian tube. Forty-seven days after starting niraparib, she presented to the hospital with dyspnea and was diagnosed with DIILD caused by niraparib. The drug was discontinued, and the patient was treated with steroid pulse therapy, and her condition improved. In clinical trials of PARP inhibitors, DIILD was reported in 0.13% of patients with olaparib, but no DIILDs, including pneumonia or pneumonitis, were reported in any patient with niraparib. This is the first report of DIILD caused by niraparib worldwide. In the future, the frequency of DIILD caused by niraparib should be clarified in real-world data.

While large publicly available cancer cell line databases are invaluable for preclinical drug discovery and biomarker development, the association between homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and drug sensitivity in these resources remains unclear. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed molecular profiles and drug screening data from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Unexpectedly, gene alterations in BRCA1/2 or homologous recombination-related genes, HRD scores, or mutational signature 3 were not positively correlated with sensitivity to platinum agents or PARP inhibitors. Rather, higher HRD scores and mutational signature 3 were significantly associated with resistance to these agents in multiple assays. These findings were consistent when analyzing exclusively breast and ovarian cancer cell lines and when using data from the COSMIC Cell Line Project. Collectively, the existing data from established cancer cell lines do not reflect the expected association between HRD status and drug response to platinum agents and PARP inhibitors in clinical tumors. This discrepancy may extend to other tumor characteristics, highlighting the importance of recognizing potential limitations in cell line data for researchers.

INTRODUCTION: Maintenance therapy with bevacizumab and the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors olaparib and niraparib after first-line treatment of advanced ovarian cancer has been approved. However, it is not clear which one should be used for which patients. AREAS COVERED: This paper presents a detailed analysis of data from phase 3 trials in ovarian cancer evaluating bevacizumab (ICON7, GOG-0218), olaparib (SOLO1, PAOLA-1), and niraparib (PRIMA, PRIME). We will discuss how the results of these trials relate to the 'rebound effect,' in which the risk of progression increases after discontinuation of bevacizumab in patients receiving bevacizumab, and to the significant difference in tissue permeability between olaparib and niraparib. EXPERT OPINION: In patients with homologous recombination deficiency and no macroscopic residual disease (R0) after primary debulking surgery (PDS), the combination of bevacizumab plus olaparib seems to be the best regimen. Olaparib monotherapy is suitable for patients with BRCA mutations other than PDS R0. Bevacizumab is most useful in cases with a short duration of the rebound effect, i.e. short survival. Niraparib is useful in others but may be more useful in Asians.

The first prophylactic vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and HPV18 was licensed in Japan in 2009. HPV vaccine effectiveness against high-grade cervical lesions has been demonstrated among young Japanese women, but evidence of its effects on invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is lacking. Using data from two different cancer registries, we compared recent trends of new ICC cases by age group using Poisson regression analysis. We also analyzed time trends in HPV16/18 prevalence among 1414 Japanese women aged <40 years newly diagnosed with ICC in the past decade. Based on the population-based cancer registry, the incidence of ICC among young women aged 20-29 years showed a significant decline from 3.6 to 2.8 per 100 000 women-years during 2016-2019, but no similar decline was observed for older age groups (p < 0.01). Similarly, using data from the gynecological cancer registry of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the annual number of ICCs among women aged 20-29 years also decreased from 256 cases to 135 cases during 2011-2020 (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, a declining trend in HPV16/18 prevalence in ICC was observed only among women aged 20-29 years during 2017-2022 (90.5%-64.7%, p = 0.05; Cochran-Armitage trend test). This is the first report to suggest population-level effects of HPV vaccination on ICC in Japan. Although the declining trend in HPV16/18 prevalence among young women with ICC supports a causal linkage between vaccination and results from cancer registries, further studies are warranted to confirm that our findings are attributable to vaccination.

IMPORTANCE: Although bevacizumab has been used in the treatment of ovarian cancer, its optimal use is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate time-dependent changes in the outcomes of bevacizumab therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was conducted using published data from 7 previous randomized phase 3 clinical trials with bevacizumab (ICON7, GOG-0218, BOOST, GOG-0213, OCEANS, AURERIA, and MITO16B) from January 10 to January 31, 2023. From 2 ancillary analyses of the ICON7 trial with individual patient data and tumor gene expression profiles, an ICON7-A cohort was generated comprising 745 cases. From other studies, published Kaplan-Meier curves were graphically analyzed. EXPOSURES: Bevacizumab treatment vs placebo or no treatment. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Restricted mean survival time and relative risk of progression at a given time point between bevacizumab treatment and control groups. RESULTS: In the ICON7-A cohort (n = 745), restricted mean survival analysis showed that bevacizumab treatment (n = 384) had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) than the control (n = 361) before bevacizumab discontinuation (restricted mean survival time ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.11; P < .001), but had significantly worse PFS after bevacizumab discontinuation (0.79; 95% CI, 0.69-0.90; P < .001), showing rebound. In a post hoc analysis, the rebound was similarly observed both in homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) (before, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09; P < .001; after, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98; P = .04) and non-HRD tumors (before, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.15; P < .001; after, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.90; P < .001) of the serous subtype, but not in the nonserous subtype (before, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.18; P < .001; after, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.78-1.15; P = .57). In Kaplan-Meier curve image-based analysis, the trend of rebound effect was consistently observed in the overall ICON7 and GOG-0218 cohorts and their subgroups stratified by prognostic factors, homologous recombination-associated mutations, and chemotherapy sensitivity. In contrast, no such trend was observed in the studies GOG-0213, OCEANS, AURERIA, and MITO16B, in which patients who experienced relapse received bevacizumab until progression. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In ovarian cancer, bevacizumab may reduce progression for approximately 1 year after initiation, but discontinuation may increase subsequent progression in the serous subtype regardless of HRD status. The results suggest that in the first-line treatment, bevacizumab may be more beneficial in patients with a shorter prognosis who are less likely to experience the rebound outcome.

Several studies in Europe and the United States have shown that sexual intercourse (SI) during pregnancy is not associated with preterm birth. However, it is unclear whether these findings apply to pregnant Japanese women. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to elucidate the influence of SI during pregnancy on preterm birth in Japan. A total of 182 women who underwent antenatal care and delivery were included in this study. The frequency of SI was assessed using a questionnaire, and its association with preterm birth was analyzed. The results showed that SI during pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher cumulative preterm birth rate (p = 0.018), which was more pronounced for SI more than once a week (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that SI, bacterial vaginosis in the second trimester, previous preterm birth, and smoking during pregnancy were independent risk factors for preterm birth. The combination of SI and second trimester bacterial vaginosis was associated with a 60% preterm birth rate, whereas either factor alone was associated with a lower rate, suggesting a synergistic effect (p < 0.0001). Future studies are needed to investigate the effect of prohibiting SI in pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis on preterm birth.

Background: Cervical cystic lesions encompass a range of benign and malignant pathologies. Magnetic resonance imaging or cytology alone cannot provide a definitive diagnosis, and conventional practice involves performing a cervical biopsy by conization to confirm the histology in cases exhibiting potential signs of lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH) or malignancy. However, as postoperative complications resulting from conization can impact future fertility and pregnancy, alternative diagnostic methods are needed for reproductive-age patients. This study aimed to establish the efficacy of a hysteroscopic biopsy for diagnosing cervical cystic lesions and compare it with conization. Methods: Thirteen patients with cervical cystic lesions suspected of LEGH or malignancy underwent a hysteroscopic biopsy, while 23 underwent conization. Patient background information, preoperative evaluation, histology, and postoperative outcomes were collected and compared retrospectively. Results: No significant differences were found between the hysteroscopy and conization groups in terms of mean patient age (45 vs. 48 years), operating time (23 vs. 35 min), blood loss (small amount vs. 43 mL), and postoperative hospitalization (1.1 vs. 1.6 days). Conclusion: A hysteroscopic biopsy allows for targeted resection of the cervix while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. It may serve as an efficient method for diagnosing cervical cystic lesions.

TCGA network has clarified that approximately 50% of high-grade serous ovarian cancers show homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). However, the frequency of HRD in Japanese patients with ovarian cancer remains unclear. We aimed to identify the frequency of HR-associated gene mutations in Japanese patients with ovarian cancer. The JGOG3025 study is a multicenter collaborative prospective observational study involving 65 study sites throughout Japan. We recruited 996 patients who were clinically diagnosed with ovarian cancer before surgery from March 2017 to March 2019, and 701 patients were eligible according to the criteria. We used frozen tumor tissues to extract DNA and performed next generation sequencing for 51 targeted genes (including 29 HR-associated genes) in 701 ovarian cancers (298 high-grade serous cases, 189 clear cell cases, 135 endometrioid cases, 12 mucinous cases, 3 low-grade serous cases, and 64 others). HRD was defined as positive when at least one HR-associated gene was mutated. The frequencies of HRD and tumor BRCA1/2 mutations were 45.2% (317/701) and 18.5% (130/701), respectively, in the full analysis set. Next, we performed multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients with HRD had adjusted hazard ratios of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.55-0.94) and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.38-0.86) for PFS and OS, respectively, compared to those without HRD (p = 0.016 and 0.007). Our study demonstrated that mutations in HR-associated genes were associated with prognosis. Further studies are needed to investigate the prognostic impact of each HR-associated gene in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish an evaluation method for detecting uterine sarcoma with 100% sensitivity using MRI and serum LDH levels. METHODS: One evaluator reviewed the MRI images and LDH values of a total of 1801 cases, including 36 cases of uterine sarcoma and 1765 cases of uterine fibroids. The reproducibility of the algorithm was also examined by four evaluators with different imaging experience and abilities, using a test set of 61 cases, including 14 cases of uterine sarcoma. RESULTS: From the MRI images and LDH values of 1801 cases of uterine sarcoma and uterine fibroids, we found that all sarcomas were included in the group with a high T2WI and either a high T1WI, an unclear margin, or high LDH values. In addition, when cases with DWI were examined, all sarcomas had high DWI. Among the 36 sarcoma cases, the group with positive findings for T2WI, T1WI, margins, and serum LDH levels all had a poor prognosis (p = 0.015). The reproducibility of the algorithm was examined by four evaluators and the sensitivity of sarcoma detection ranged from 71% to 93%. CONCLUSION: We established an algorithm to distinguish uterine sarcoma if tumors in the myometrium with low T2WI and DWI are present.

Abstract Background Uterine angioleiomyoma is benign tumor that composed of smooth muscle cells and thick-walled vessels. It is a very rare condition reported to present as lower abdominal mass, accompanied by dysmenorrhea and hypermenorrhea. However, its clinical presentation is not known. Case presentation We report the case of a 44-year-old Japanese woman who developed severe anemia with disseminated intravascular coagulation without obvious external bleeding. The patient had a huge abdominal mass of over 20 cm in size, which was thought to be a uterine tumor. She received daily blood transfusions and her condition improved rapidly after she underwent hysterectomy. Pathological examination of the tumor revealed spindle-shaped cells with little atypia and mitosis, and numerous large vessels with smooth muscle and thrombus in the vessels. Conclusions Uterine angioleiomyoma was identified as the cause of the coagulation abnormality. CCND2 and AR gene amplification was detected in the tumor. Uterine tumors that present with coagulopathy despite a clinical course suggestive of benign disease should undergo differential diagnosis for uterine angioleiomyoma.

Cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which is preventable by HPV vaccines. In Japan, the HPV vaccination rate has remained extremely low due to the concerns for alleged neuropsychological symptoms or "diverse symptoms" following injections of two HPV vaccines, Cervarix and Gardasil, in HPV vaccine lawsuits. In the lawsuits, the attorneys' group has used several manuscripts proposing that aluminum (Al) adjuvant contained in HPV vaccines causes immune-mediated disease, called macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF), as well as pathology in the central nervous system (CNS). We scientifically evaluated these manuscripts describing the "Al adjuvant-induced pathologies", particularly MMF. Although MMF patients have been reported to develop clinical symptoms/signs in various organs, including the CNS, muscle biopsy of the patients and animal experiments demonstrated that MMF pathology was localized only at the injected muscle. No muscle pathology which characterizes MMF was observed in any other muscles; thus, the systemic and neurological signs of MMF cases were irrelevant to localized MMF pathology. We evaluated that MMF-like pathology was induced as a local inflammatory response following vaccinations; MMF pathology was not the cause of systemic inflammation or "diverse symptoms." Lastly, MMF cases have been reported after vaccinations with Al-hydroxide-containing vaccines exclusively. Since Al-hydroxide is a component of Cervarix, but not Gardasil, "diverse symptoms" following two HPV vaccinations in Japan cannot be explained by MMF. Our evaluation would help readers understand the validity of the manuscripts on the role of Al adjuvants or MMF for the alleged "diverse symptoms."

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the homologous recombination repair pathway deficiency (HRD) in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). METHODS: In the ovarian cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we identified genes differentially expressed between tumours with and without HRD genomic scars and named these genes "HRDness signature". We performed SNP array, RNA sequencing, and methylation array analyses on 274 HGSC tumours for which targeted sequencing of 51 genes and clinical data were available to generate JGOG3025-TR2 dataset. The HRDness signature was tested on external datasets, including the JGOG3025-TR2 cohort, by computational scoring and machine-learning prediction. RESULTS: High scores and positive predictions of the HRDness signature were significantly associated with BRCA alterations, genomic scar scores, and better survival. On the other hand, among cases with high scores and/or positive predictions, those with BRCA1 methylation showed poorer survival. In the JGOG3025-TR2 cohort, HRD status was significantly associated with the use of olaparib after relapse and progression-free survival after its initiation. CONCLUSIONS: The HRDness gene expression signature is associated with a good prognosis, while BRCA1 methylation is associated with a poor prognosis. The newly generated JGOG3025-TR2 dataset will be useful in future HGSC studies.

According to the revision of the FIGO 2018 staging system, cervical cancer with pelvic lymph node metastases was changed to stage IIIC1. We retrospectively analyzed the prognosis and complications of locally resectable (classified as T1/T2 by TNM classification of the Union for International Cancer Control) stage IIIC1 cervical cancer. A total of 43 patients were divided into three groups: surgery with chemotherapy (CT) (ope+CT group) (T1; n = 7, T2; n = 16), surgery followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), or radiotherapy (RT) (ope+RT group) (T1; n = 5, T2; n = 9), and CCRT or RT alone (RT group) (T1; n = 0, T2; n = 6). In T1 patients, recurrence was observed in three patients, but there was no difference among the treatment groups, and no patients died. In contrast, in T2 patients, recurrence and death were observed in nine patients (8 in ope+CT; 1 in ope+RT), and recurrence-free survival and overall survival were lower in the ope+CT group (p = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Lymphedema and dysuria were more common in the ope+RT group. A randomized controlled trial comparing CT and CCRT as an adjuvant therapy after surgery in T1/T2 patients, including those with pelvic lymph node metastases, is currently underway. However, our data suggest that performing CT alone after surgery in T2N1 patients is likely to worsen the prognosis.

In the article titled "IFN-γ from lymphocytes induces PD-L1 expression and promotes progression of ovarian cancer" in 2015, we showed that PD-L1 expression is induced by IFN-γ from lymphocytes in the tumour microenvironment. This article proposed that PD-L1 expression in cancer cells is not stable but varies among cases, or even within a case, which is influenced by the stromal infiltration of cytotoxic lymphocytes. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors, especially anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies, are now widely used to treat various types of cancer. Predictive biomarkers for the efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors include PD-L1 expression, MSI/mismatch repair deficiency and high tumour mutation burden. However, clinical trials have proven that their use in ovarian cancer is still challenging. Reliable biomarkers and new treatment strategies may be sought by elucidating the complex immune microenvironment of ovarian cancer. Although the interaction between cytotoxic lymphocytes and PD-1/PD-L1 on tumour cells is at the centre of therapeutic targets, other immune checkpoints and various immunosuppressive cells also play important roles in ovarian cancer. Targeting these role players in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade may be a promising therapeutic strategy.

This retrospective study aims to compare the early manual removal of placenta (MROP) and conservative management of retained products of conception (RPOC) after 34 weeks of gestation. Nineteen cases underwent MROP within 24 h of delivery, of which nine patients had no symptoms requiring emergent treatment. These 9 patients (group M) were compared with 22 patients who were treated conservatively (group C). Massive bleeding was observed in 5 (56%) patients in group M and 11 (50%) patients in group C, with no significant difference in frequency. However, the lowest hemoglobin level within 72 h after massive bleeding was lower in group M (median: 6.7 vs. 7.7 g/dL, p = 0.029), suggesting that massive bleeding occurred in a short period of time. On the other hand, a retained placenta was observed in four patients in group M after the MROP; however, the placenta disappeared more quickly than in group C (median; 1.0 vs. 99.0 days, p = 0.009). In group C, all bleeding and infection occurred within 60 days of delivery, including heavy bleeding in six cases during the placental-extraction trial. Human chorionic gonadotropin in group C fell below the measurable threshold at a median of 67 days postpartum. In conclusion, for RPOC without urgent symptoms, early MROP and conservative treatment have their advantages and disadvantages. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine which of those treatments is superior.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been used to prevent chronic HPV infection, which accounts for cervical cancer. Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) conducted an HPV vaccination campaign in 2010 and the Obstetrical Gynecological Society of Osaka initiated a multicenter, prospective cohort study in Osaka, Japan - OCEAN (Osaka Clinical resEArch of HPV vacciNe) study - to investigate the oncogenic HPV prevalence and the long-term protection rate of HPV vaccine. A total of 2814 participants were enrolled on their visit for HPV vaccination between 12 and 18 years old. Among them, 102 participants received HPV/Pap co-test as primary cancer screening at the age of 20-21. We compared the prevalence in two groups (the vaccinated and the unvaccinated group). HPV infection ratio was significantly lower in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated (12.9% vs. 19.7%; p = .04). In particular, HPV 16 and 18 were not detected in the vaccinated group, while 4.9% of participants in the unvaccinated group were infected (p = .001), suggesting that vaccination provided effective protection against high-risk types of HPV. The cross-protection effect of HPV vaccines was also observed against HPV 31, 45, and 52. Although HPV vaccines were not contributed to the reduction of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN) (p = .28), CIN2 or worse was not observed in vaccinated group. Our research showed that at the age of 20-21, HPV vaccine inhibited the infection of high-risk HPV and had impacted on the development to CIN2 or worse in Japan.

Abstract Background Vulvar cancer is a rare disease, accounting for approximately 5% of gynecological malignancies. Primary adenocarcinoma of intestinal-type of the vulva or its precancerous lesion is extremely rare, and details regarding its origin, evolution and related genetic mutations are unknown. Treatment options for this cancer have not been defined. Case presentation A 63-year-old Japanese woman came to the hospital because she was aware of a vulvar mass. There was a 1 cm mass on the dorsal side of the vulva, just outside the remains of the hymen. Biopsy revealed suspected adenocarcinoma, and wide local excision was performed. From histopathology and immunohistochemistry, the specimen was diagnosed as tubulovillous adenoma with high-grade dysplasia of the vulva. No other primary lesions were found, and the vulva was considered the primary site. A gene panel test (FoundationOneCDx assay) showed a high tumor mutational burden and mutations in TP53, KEL, RB1, RNF43, PTEN, GNAS, and PIK3CA. Conclusions The current case of tubulovillous adenoma with high-grade dysplasia of the vulva had a variety of cancer-associated mutations, despite being a precancerous lesion. In cases of intestinal-type neoplasms of the vulva, it may be helpful to check tumor mutational burden and gene mutations for treatment selection.

Ovarian low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC) is usually a slow growing tumor with a relatively good prognosis. However, LGSC that have relapsed are highly resistant to chemotherapy, and there is currently no established treatment for them in contrast to high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). Here, we first review the literature on this topic and then describe a case of LGSC that relapsed and responded to Gemcitabine and Bevacizumab. The patient was a 37-year-old nulliparous woman who had undergone three cycles of topotecan after initial surgery at age 28.5 years as well as three months later during a disease-free interval. Intraperitoneal dissemination was observed and laparoscopic biopsy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed LGSC, and genetic testing revealed mutations in the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and TP53 genes. The mass of the disseminated lesion subsequently increased overall, and subileus was observed. The patient was treated, but the operation was incomplete. Postoperatively, Gemcitabine and Bevacizumab therapy was started. After six cycles, tumor markers became negative and Positron Emission Tomography-CT (PET-CT) showed decreased tumor activity. There were 20 cycles without any symptoms. LGSC is often resistant to anticancer drugs, but Gemcitabine and Bevacizumab therapy was able to suppress the lesions and symptoms in this case. With these findings, future genomic testing may assist in the treatment strategy for cases of LGSC recurrence, which are considered to be less likely to respond to anticancer drugs. Comprehensive genetic analysis will hopefully lead to the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis for more effective and targeted therapies.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate trends in bone mineral density (BMD) loss and related factors in early postmenopausal women in Japan, identify risk factors for future osteoporosis, and predict osteoporosis before it occurs. METHODS: The study population consisted of women who were 50 to 54 years old at the time of the survey in 2002 or 2006. The study included a questionnaire and physical measurement findings (BMD, height, body weight [WT], body mass index [BMI], and handgrip strength). One hundred sixty-seven women continued to participate in the study and had BMD measurements at the 9- or 10-year follow-up of the Japanese Population-based Osteoporosis study. Statistical analyses were performed using Pearson correlation to examine each factor of physical measurement and BMD for lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). The receiver operating characteristic curve of this data was also predictive of osteoporosis in 2011 for 2002 data; BMD at the age of 50 to 54 years was then used to predict the likelihood of being diagnosed with osteoporosis 9 and 10 years later. RESULTS: At the baseline in 2002 and 2006, WT, BMI, height, and handgrip strength were positively correlated with BMD. The optimal cutoff values for BMD in 2006 to predict osteoporosis in 2016 were LS less than 0.834 g/cm2 and FN less than 0.702 g/cm2. These data were also predictive of osteoporosis in 2011 for 2002 data; applying this to the 2002 data, LS/FN had a sensitivity of 92%/100%, a specificity of 87%/81%, a positive predictive value of 55%/48%, and a negative predictive value of 98%/100%. The larger WT and BMI also resulted in a greater decrease in BMD of FN after 9 or 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified a cutoff value for BMD to predict future osteoporosis in menopausal women and found a negative correlation between WT and BMI in menopausal women and changes in BMD of the FN over the next 10 years.

Cervical cancer is caused by infections of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can be preventable by vaccinations. In Japan, although about 3,000 people died of cervical cancer annually, the HPV vaccination rate has remained extremely low in the eligible population, since many Japanese have been concerned that "diverse symptoms," such as chronic pain, movement disorders, and cognitive impairment, may occur as adverse reactions after HPV vaccination. The concern has been raised by media coverage of the ongoing HPV vaccine lawsuits, in which the plaintiffs complained of their symptoms caused by HPV vaccination. The claims have been based on the alleged pathogenic findings in research articles on HPV vaccines, summarized in the document prepared by the plaintiffs' attorneys. We critically evaluated these articles, in which the authors proposed the following findings/hypothesis: (i) molecular mimicry between HPV L1 and human proteins leads to the production of cross-reactive antibodies; and (ii) HPV vaccine injection in mice causes damage in the brain, a mouse model for "HPV vaccine associated neuro-immunopathic syndrome (HANS)." We found that they were based mainly on the findings from a few research groups and that all the articles had flaws in the method, result, or discussion sections. Our current evaluation would help better understand the validity of the findings, which have been often misunderstood as the truth by the general public. We propose to accumulate high-quality data on potential adverse events following HPV vaccination and to continue critically evaluating them.

Epithelial ovarian cancer remains the lethal gynecological malignancy in women. The representative histotype is high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), and most patients with HGSC present at advanced stages with peritoneal dissemination. Since the peritoneal dissemination is the most important factor for poor prognosis of the patients, complete exploration for its molecular mechanisms is mandatory. In this narrative review, being based on the clinical, pathologic, and genomic findings of HGSC, chromosomal instability and epigenetic dynamics have been discussed as the potential drivers for cancer development in the fallopian tube, acquisition of cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties, and peritoneal metastasis of HGSC. The natural history of carcinogenesis with clonal evolution, and adaptation to microenvironment of peritoneal dissemination of HGSC should be targeted in the novel development of strategies for prevention, early detection, and precision treatment for patients with HGSC.

Only four cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma with a yolk sac tumor (YST) component have been reported in the English literature. No genetic investigation has been performed in these cases. We report a case of colorectal adenocarcinoma in which the recurrent tumor had a YST component. A 49-year-old woman presented with a pelvic tumor three years after endoscopic mucosal resection of sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma. The pelvic tumor consisted of an undifferentiated carcinoma component and a YST component. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level was elevated to 42 ng/mL. Treatment as conventional colorectal carcinoma produced some anticancer effects, but the patient died 14 months after the recurrence and 49 months after the EMR. With the help of the next-generation sequencing results of the recurrent tumor, APC c.835 − 8A > G and TP53 c.524G > A (p.R175H) mutations were identified by direct sequencing in both the primary and the recurrent tumors, confirming the relationship between the two metachronous tumors.

In preeclampsia, plasma antithrombin activity is decreased, which leads to exacerbation of the disorder. We previously showed that long-term magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) administration prolonged the pregnancy period and may be able to improve pregnancy outcomes for patients with severe preeclampsia. The present study aimed to investigate the changes in plasma antithrombin activity during long-term MgSO4 administration for patients without severe hypertension. This multicenter retrospective study included patients with preeclampsia and superimposed preeclampsia without severe hypertension at diagnosis. The participants were divided into two groups: MgSO4 nontreatment group (three institutions) and MgSO4 treatment group (one institution). Antithrombin activity from time of diagnosis to delivery were compared between the two groups. In the MgSO4 nontreatment group (n = 16), antithrombin activity prior to delivery was significantly lower than at time of diagnosis (p = 0.015). In three cases, antithrombin activity was less than 60%. On the other hand, in the MgSO4 treatment group (n = 34), antithrombin activity did not change until just before delivery (p = 0.74). There were no cases in which antithrombin activity was decreased below 60%. Long-term MgSO4 administration for preeclampsia without severe hypertension may prevent a decrease in antithrombin activity and improve the disease state of preeclampsia.

Plasmablastic lymphoma is a mature B-cell neoplasm with plasmablastic differentiation, often associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and other forms of immunosuppression. Although it is usually an aggressive disease, spontaneous regression has been seen in a few cases. Plasmablastic lymphoma of the uterus is rare. We report a case of atypical lymphoplasmacytic proliferation resembling plasmablastic lymphoma associated with pyometra that disappeared completely as the pyometra resolved. A 76-year-old HIV-negative woman presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Ultrasound and MRI findings were consistent with pyometra diagnosis. Endometrial biopsy revealed large plasmablastoid cells with abundant cytoplasm and prominent nucleoli proliferating in the endometrium. Immunohistochemistry showed that large cells stained positive for CD138, CD79a, and MUM1, and negative for CD20, PAX5, CD3, and CD5. Ki67 labelled at least 80% of the large cells. Epstein-Barr virus was detected in a small number of cells. The histologic picture was highly indicative of lymphoma, especially plasmablastic lymphoma, though the clinical context was unusual. As the pyometra was treated and resolved, the intrauterine abnormality disappeared completely. The patient has been well after 16 months with no sign of recurrent disease. This case underscores the sometimes blurry distinction between benign inflammation and lymphoma.

Background In cancer therapy, higher-resolution tumor-agnostic biomarkers that predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy are needed. Mutation signatures reflect underlying oncogenic processes that can affect tumor immunogenicity, and thus potentially delineate ICI treatment response among tumor types. Methods Based on mutational signature analysis, we developed a stratification for all solid tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Subsequently, we developed a new software (Genomic Subtyping and Predictive Response Analysis for Cancer Tumor ICi Efficacy, GS-PRACTICE) to classify new tumors submitted to whole-exome sequencing. Using existing data from 973 pan-cancer ICI-treated cases with outcomes, we evaluated the subtype-response predictive performance. Results Systematic analysis on TCGA samples identified eight tumor genomic subtypes, which were characterized by features represented by smoking exposure, ultraviolet light exposure, APOBEC enzyme activity, POLE mutation, mismatch repair deficiency, homologous recombination deficiency, genomic stability, and aging. The former five subtypes were presumed to form an immune-responsive group acting as candidates for ICI therapy because of their high expression of immune-related genes and enrichment in cancer types with FDA approval for ICI monotherapy. In the validation cohort, the samples assigned by GS-PRACTICE to the immune-reactive subtypes were significantly associated with ICI response independent of cancer type and TMB high or low status. Conclusions The new tumor subtyping method can serve as a tumor-agnostic biomarker for ICI response prediction and will improve decision making in cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND: Poly (adenosine diphosphate)-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for tumors with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), including pathogenic mutations in BRCA1/2, have been developed. Genomic analysis revealed that about 20% of uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) have HRD, including 7.5%-10% of BRCA1/2 alterations and 4%-6% of carcinomas of the uterine corpus, and 2.5%-4% of the uterine cervix have alterations of BRCA1/2. Preclinical and clinical case reports suggest that PARP inhibitors may be effective against those targets. The Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) is now planning to conduct a new investigator-initiated clinical trial, JGOG2052. METHODS: JGOG2052 is a single-arm, open-label, multi-center, phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of niraparib monotherapy for a recurrent or persistent rare fraction of gynecologic malignancies with BRCA1/2 mutations except for ovarian cancers. We will independently consider the effect of niraparib for uLMS or other gynecologic malignancies with BRCA1/2 mutations (cohort A, C) and HRD positive uLMS without BRCA1/2 mutations (cohort B). Participants must have 1-3 lines of previous chemotherapy and at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST (v.1.1). Niraparib will be orally administered once a day until lesion exacerbation or unacceptable adverse events occur. Efficacy will be evaluated by imaging through an additional computed tomography scan every 8 weeks. Safety will be measured weekly in cycle 1 and every 4 weeks after cycle 2 by blood tests and physical examinations. The sample size is 16-20 in each of cohort A and B, and 31 in cohort C. Primary endpoint is the objective response rate. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Japan Primary Registries Network (JPRN) Identifier: jRCT2031210264.

Bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF antibody, targets mainly tumor blood vessels and exerts a cytostatic antitumor effect. In primary ovarian cancer, bevacizumab is used for 15 months, but its effect on progression-free survival disappears after 2 years and does not prolong overall survival. And in the treatment of primary ovarian cancer, there is no evidence that bevacizumab increases the intratumor concentration of chemotherapy and enhances response rates. On the other hand, bevacizumab is not affected by resistance mechanisms to chemotherapeutic agents or poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. In the era of using PARP inhibitors for primary ovarian cancer, bevacizumab will become a molecularly targeted drug that will play a central role in chemo-refractory and recurrent ovarian cancer.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are transient ectopic lymphoid aggregates whose formation might be caused by chronic inflammation states, such as cancer. However, how TLSs are induced in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and how they affect patient survival are not well understood. We investigated TLS distribution in relation to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and related gene expression in high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) specimens. CXCL13 gene expression correlated with TLS presence and the infiltration of T cells and B cells, and was a favorable prognostic factor for HGSC patients. Coexistence of CD8+ T cells and B-cell lineages in the TME significantly improved the prognosis of HGSC and was correlated with the presence of TLSs. CXCL13 expression was predominantly coincident with CD4+ T cells in TLSs and CD8+ T cells in TILs, and shifted from CD4+ T cells to CD21+ follicular dendritic cells as TLS matured. In a mouse ovarian cancer model, recombinant CXCL13 induced TLSs and enhanced survival by the infiltration of CD8+ T cells. These results suggest that TLS formation was associated with CXCL13-producing CD4+ T cells and that TLSs facilitated the coordinated antitumor response of cellular and humoral immunity in ovarian cancer.

With the development of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer is changing dramatically. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide a direction for the individualization of advanced ovarian cancer treatment based on the mechanism of action of molecularly targeted drugs currently used in Japan. The PAOLA-1 study showed very good progression-free survival in patients with homologous recombination deficiency tumors who underwent complete surgery with primary debulking surgery and who received olaparib plus bevacizumab. Niraparib has high intratumor penetration, and in a subgroup analysis of the PRIMA study, it was most effective in patients with residual tumors after interval debulking surgery. These data suggest the importance of achieving complete surgery and aiming for cure in the treatment of ovarian cancer and how the use of bevacizumab, olaparib, and niraparib should be individualized.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to assess the oncologic outcomes of elderly patients who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer across three variables: hysterectomy approach, lymph node resection, and adjuvant therapy. METHODS: Hospital records of patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer were obtained from 19 institutions. Patients were categorized into three risk groups: low, intermediate, and high. In each group, disease-free survival and overall survival were compared according to hysterectomy approach, lymph node resection, and adjuvant therapy using Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression analysis with a 95% confidence interval was performed to estimate relative risk (RR) of death. RESULTS: A total of 1246 patients were included. In the low-risk group, the adjusted RR for death for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) versus laparotomy and lymph node resection versus no lymph node resection were 0.64 (0.24-1.72) and 0.52 (0.24-1.12), respectively. In the intermediate-risk group, the adjusted RR for death for MIS versus laparotomy, lymph node resection versus no lymph node resection, and adjuvant therapy versus no adjuvant therapy were 0.80 (0.36-1.77), 0.60 (0.37-0.98), and 0.89 (0.55-1.46), respectively. In the high-risk group, the adjusted RRs for death for lymph node resection versus no lymph node resection and adjuvant therapy versus no adjuvant therapy were 0.56 (0.37-0.86) and 0.60 (0.38-0.96), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MIS is not inferior to laparotomy in uterine-confined diseases. Lymph node resection improved the outcome for all disease stages and histological types. In contrast, adjuvant therapy improved the outcomes only in high-risk patients.

PURPOSE: Homologous recombination DNA repair deficiency (HRD) is associated with sensitivity to platinum and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors in certain cancer types, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate. In these cancers, BRCA1/2 alterations and genomic scar signatures are useful indicators for assessing HRD. However, alterations in other homologous recombination repair (HRR)-related genes and their clinical significance in other cancer types have not been adequately and systematically investigated. METHODS: We obtained data sets of all solid tumors in The Cancer Genome Atlas and comprehensively analyzed HRR pathway gene alterations, their loss-of-heterozygosity status, per-sample genomic scar scores, ie, the HRD score and mutational signature 3 ratio, DNA methylation profiles, gene expression profiles, somatic TP53 mutations, sex, and clinical information including chemotherapeutic regimens. RESULTS: Biallelic alterations in HRR genes other than BRCA1/2 were also associated with elevated genomic scar scores. The association between HRR-related gene alterations and genomic scar scores differed significantly by sex and the presence of somatic TP53 mutations. HRD cases determined by a combination of these indices also showed HRD features in gene expression analysis and were associated with better survival when treated with DNA-damaging agents. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence for the usefulness of HRD analysis in all cancer types, improves chemotherapy decision making and its efficacy in clinical settings, and represents a substantial advancement in precision oncology.

In Japan, the National Immunization Program against human papillomavirus (HPV) targets girls aged 12-16 years, and catch-up vaccination is recommended for young women up to age 26 years. Because HPV infection rates increase soon after sexual debut, we evaluated HPV vaccine effectiveness by age at first vaccination. Along with vaccination history, HPV genotyping results from 5795 women younger than 40 years diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2-3 (CIN2-3), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) or invasive cervical cancer were analyzed. The attribution of vaccine-targeted types HPV16 or HPV18 to CIN2-3/AIS was 47.0% for unvaccinated women (n=4297), but 0.0%, 13.0%, 35.7% and 39.6% for women vaccinated at ages 12-15 years (n=36), 16-18 years (n=23), 19-22 years (n=14) and >22 years (n=91), respectively, indicating the greater effectiveness of HPV vaccination among those initiating vaccination at age ≤18 years (P<0.001). This finding was supported by age at first sexual intercourse; among women with ≥CIN2, only 9.6% were sexually active by age 14, but the percentage quickly increased to 48.1% by age 16 and 77.9% by age 18. Additionally, the HPV16/18 prevalence in CIN2-3/AIS was 0.0%, 12.5% and 40.0% for women vaccinated before (n=16), within 3 years (n=8) and >3 years after (n=15) first intercourse, respectively (P=0.003). In conclusion, our data appear to support routine HPV vaccination for girls aged 12-14 years and catch-up vaccination for adolescents aged ≤18 years in Japan.

Serous carcinoma of the uterus (USC) is a pathological subtype of high-grade endometrial cancers, with no effective treatment for advanced cases. Since such refractory tumors frequently harbor anti-tumor immune tolerance, many immunotherapies have been investigated for various malignant tumors using immuno-competent animal models mimicking their local immunities. In this study, we established an orthotopic mouse model of high-grade endometrial cancer and evaluated the local tumor immunity to explore the efficacy of immunotherapies against USC. A multivariate analysis of 62 human USC cases revealed that the tumor infiltrating cell status, few CD8+ cells and abundant myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), was an independent prognostic factor (p<0.005). A murine endometrial cancer cell (mECC) was obtained from C57BL/6 mice via endometrium-specific deletion of Pten and Tp53, and another high-grade cell (HPmECC) was established by further overexpressing Myc in mECCs. HPmECCs exhibited higher capacities of migration and anchorage-independent proliferation than mECCs (p<0.01, p<0.0001), and when both types of cells were inoculated into the uterus of C57BL/6 mice, the prognosis of mice bearing HPmECC-derived tumors was significantly poorer (p<0.001). Histopathological analysis of HPmECC orthotopic tumors showed serous carcinoma-like features with prominent tumor infiltration of MDSCs (p<0.05), and anti Gr-1 antibody treatment significantly prolonged the prognosis of HPmECC-derived tumor-bearing mice (p<0.05). High CCL7 expression was observed in human USC and HPmECC, and MDSCs migration was promoted in a CCL7 concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that anti-tumor immunity is suppressed in USC due to increased number of tumor-infiltrating MDSCs via CCL signal.

New approaches beyond PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition are required to target the immunologically diverse tumor microenvironment (TME) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). In this study, we explored the immunosuppressive effect of B7-H3 (CD276) via the CCL2-CCR2-M2 macrophage axis and its potential as a therapeutic target. Transcriptome analysis revealed that B7-H3 is highly expressed in PD-L1-low, non-immunoreactive HGSOC tumors, and its expression negatively correlated with an IFNγ signature, which reflects the tumor immune-reactivity. In syngeneic mouse models, B7-H3 (Cd276) knockout (KO) in tumor cells, but not in stromal cells, suppressed tumor progression, with a reduced number of M2 macrophages and an increased number of IFNγ+CD8+ T cells. CCL2 expression was downregulated in the B7-H3 KO tumor cell lines. Inhibition of the CCL2-CCR2 axis partly negated the effects of B7-H3 suppression on M2 macrophage migration and differentiation, and tumor progression. In HGSOC patients, B7-H3 expression positively correlated with CCL2 expression and M2 macrophage abundance, and patients with B7-H3-high tumors had fewer tumoral IFNγ+CD8+ T cells and poorer prognosis than patients with B7-H3-low tumors. Thus, B7-H3 expression in tumor cells contributes to CCL2-CCR2-M2 macrophage axis-mediated immunosuppression and tumor progression. These findings provide new insights into the immunological TME and could aid the development of new therapeutic approaches against the unfavorable HGSOC phenotype.

To clarify the impact of blood pressure (BP) management ranges on pregnancy outcomes, we conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis of 215 women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with essential hypertension either before or within 14 weeks of gestation. Patients were classified according to systolic BP (sBP; <130, 130-139, 140-159, and ≥160 mmHg) or diastolic BP (dBP; <80, 80-89, 90-109, and ≥110 mmHg) at 8-11, 12-15, and 16-19 weeks of gestation. The risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age neonates was assessed in each BP group. Moreover, a subgroup analysis was performed in 144 eligible patients whose BP was measured at both 12-13 and 14-15 weeks of gestation. At 16-19 weeks of gestation, higher sBP significantly increased the incidence of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia (13.3%, 24.6%, 32.2% and 75.0%, respectively) and small-for-gestational-age neonates (6.0%, 13.1%, 16.9% and 50.0%, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that women with sBP < 130 mmHg at 16-19 weeks of gestation had a significantly lower risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia than women with sBP of 140-159 mmHg. Subgroup analyses also showed that even at 14-15 weeks of gestation, sBP < 130 mmHg was associated with a significantly lower risk of early-onset superimposed preeclampsia than an sBP of 140-159 mmHg. In conclusion, sBP < 130 mmHg within 14 weeks of gestation reduced the risk of developing early-onset superimposed preeclampsia in women with chronic hypertension.

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCC) exhibits an association with endometriosis, resistance to oxidative stress, and poor prognosis owing to its resistance to conventional platinum-based chemotherapy. A greater understanding of the molecular characteristics and pathogenesis of ovarian cancer subtypes may facilitate the development of targeted therapeutic strategies, though the mechanism of drug resistance in ovarian CCC has yet to be determined. In this study, we assessed exome sequencing data to identify new therapeutic targets of mitochondrial function in ovarian CCC because of the central role of mitochondria in redox homeostasis. Copy number analyses revealed that chromosome 17q21-24 (chr.17q21-24) amplification was associated with recurrence in ovarian CCC. Cell viability assays identified an association between cisplatin resistance and chr.17q21-24 amplification, and mitochondrion-related genes were enriched in patients with chr.17q21-24 amplification. Patients with high expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 (PDK2) had a worse prognosis than those with low PDK2 expression. Furthermore, inhibition of PDK2 synergistically enhanced cisplatin sensitivity by activating the electron transport chain and by increasing the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Mouse xenograft models showed that inhibition of PDK2 with cisplatin inhibited tumor growth. This evidence suggests that targeting mitochondrial metabolism and redox homeostasis is an attractive therapeutic strategy for improving drug sensitivity in ovarian CCC.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate utility of MRI in differentiation of uterine low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS) from rare leiomyoma variants. This multi-center retrospective study included consecutive 25 patients with uterine LGESS and 42 patients with rare leiomyoma variants who had pretreatment MRI. Two radiologists (R1/R2) independently evaluated MRI features, which were analyzed statistically using Fisher's exact test or Student's t-test. Subsequently, using a five-point Likert scale, the two radiologists evaluated the diagnostic performance of a pre-defined MRI system using features reported as characteristics of LGESS in previous case series: uterine tumor with high signal intensity (SI) on diffusion-weighted images and with either worm-like nodular extension, intra-tumoral low SI bands, or low SI rim on T2-weighted images. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the two readers' Likert scales were analyzed. Intra-tumoral low SI bands (p < 0.001), cystic/necrotic change (p ≤ 0.02), absence of speckled appearance (p < 0.001) on T2-weighted images, and a low apparent diffusion coefficient value (p ≤ 0.02) were significantly associated with LGESS. The pre-defined MRI system showed very good diagnostic performance: AUC 0.86/0.89, sensitivity 0.95/0.95, and specificity 0.67/0.69 for R1/R2. MRI can be useful to differentiate uterine LGESS from rare leiomyoma variants.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to play a critical role in tumor development from initiation to metastasis. EMT could be regarded as a continuum, with intermediate hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes having high plasticity. Classical EMT is characterized by the phenotype change of epithelial cells to cells with mesenchymal properties, but EMT is also associated with multiple other molecular processes, including tumor immune evasion. Some previous studies have shown that EMT is associated with the cell number of immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and the expression of immune checkpoints, such as programmed cell death-ligand 1, in several cancer types. At the molecular level, EMT transcriptional factors, including Snail, Zeb1, and Twist1, produce or attract immunosuppressive cells or promote the expression of immunosuppressive checkpoint molecules via chemokine production, leading to a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. In turn, immunosuppressive factors induce EMT in tumor cells. This feedback loop between EMT and immunosuppression promotes tumor progression. For therapy directly targeting EMT has been challenging, the elucidation of the interactive regulation of EMT and immunosuppression is desirable for developing new therapeutic approaches in cancer. The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and immunotherapy targeting immunosuppressive cells could be a promising therapy for EMT.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interval from menarche to the onset of premenstrual symptoms and its relationship with menarche age. DESIGN: Cross-sectional school-based survey. SETTING: Urban areas of Sendai, the largest city in northeastern Japan. PARTICIPANTS: 1422 female Japanese 10th-12th grade senior high school students participated in the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The time of awareness of premenstrual symptoms, and the interval from menarche to the onset of premenstrual symptoms. RESULTS: 1290 students had menstruation and completed the whole survey. The median age at menarche was 12 years (IQR: 11-13 years). The prevalence of self-reported premenstrual symptoms was 49%. The median age at which students became aware of premenstrual symptoms was 15 years (IQR: 14-16 years). The median time from the onset of menarche to awareness of premenstrual symptoms was 2 years. This time was negatively correlated with menarche age (ρ=-0.47, p<0.001). A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that early menarche was significantly associated with a lower cumulative risk of developing premenstrual symptoms (OR: 0.73 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.91)). CONCLUSIONS: High school students in Japan began experiencing premenstrual symptoms at around 15 years old, and within 2 years of menarche. This study suggested that social factors other than hormonal factors, such as early menarche, might be associated with the onset of premenstrual symptoms.

Background and Objectives: Maternal brain tumors diagnosed during pregnancy are very rare, and their clinical course remains incompletely understood. We recently experienced a case of a brain tumor diagnosed at 30 weeks of gestation, and the treatment was initiated after delivery at 32 weeks of gestation. In this study, we reviewed case reports of brain tumors diagnosed during pregnancy, focusing on whether the brain tumor was treated during pregnancy or after termination of pregnancy and on the timing of therapeutic intervention. Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed and Ichushi-Web for articles published after January 2000 that reported cases of maternal brain tumors diagnosed during pregnancy. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the tumor was treated during pregnancy (Group A) or after termination of pregnancy (Group B). Results: In total, 42 patients were included in the study (13 (31%) in Group A and 29 (69%) in Group B). The most common symptoms before diagnosis were those caused by increased intracranial pressure (57.1%). The diagnosis was made at 18 ± 6 weeks of gestation in Group A and 26 ± 9 weeks of gestation in Group B (p = 0.007). In all cases diagnosed after 34 weeks of gestation, termination of pregnancy was followed by treatment. Treatment was initiated within two weeks of diagnosis in 50% of patients in Group A and 30% in Group B. Conclusions: When severe symptoms caused by increased intracranial pressure last for several weeks, imaging tests should be considered. Termination of pregnancy is a good option for a brain tumor diagnosed after 34 weeks of gestation, while comprehensive treatment decisions should be made based on the severity of symptoms and the course of pregnancy in other cases.

Based on our previous phase II clinical trial of anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody nivolumab for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (n = 19, UMIN000005714), we aimed to identify the biomarkers predictive of response. Tumor gene expression was evaluated by proliferative, mesenchymal, differentiated, and immunoreactive gene signatures derived from high-grade serous carcinomas and a signature established prior for ovarian clear cell carcinoma. Resulting signature scores were statistically assessed with both univariate and multivariate approaches for correlation to clinical response. Analyses were performed to identify pathways differentially expressed by either the complete response (CR) or progressive disease (PD) patient groups. The clear cell gene signature was scored significantly higher in the CR group, and the proliferative gene signature had significantly higher scores in the PD group where nivolumab was not effective (respective p values 0.005 and 0.026). Combinations of gene signatures improved correlation with response, where a visual projection of immunoreactive, proliferative, and clear cell signatures differentiated clinical response. An applicable clinical response prediction formula was derived. Ovarian cancer-specific gene signatures and related pathway scores provide a robust preliminary indicator for ovarian cancer patients prior to anti-PD-1 therapy decisions.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has been described as a minimally invasive surgery. The purpose of this study is to clarify its minimal invasive features using a patient questionnaire on the postoperative quality of life (QOL) over various time periods following either laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) or abdominal hysterectomy (AH) and to compare the results. METHODS: This study enrolled 28 patients who underwent total hysterectomy for uterine fibroids in 2012 (14 AH cases and 24 LH cases) were enrolled in this study. The 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was completed on postsurgical day 3; weeks 1, 2, and 4; and month 6. The results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Patients who underwent LH scored significantly higher on physical functioning on postoperative day 3 and week 2; physical role and bodily pain on day 3 and week 1; general health on postoperative day 3, weeks 1, 2, and 4, and month 6; social functioning on day 3; and emotional role on day 3 and week 1. No significant differences were found between vitality and mental health at any time point or in the categories above at any other time point. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative QOL in LH cases was improved on day 3 and week 1; however, no significant differences between the LH and AH groups were found in most categories at week 4 and month 6. LH leads to superior short-term QOL early in the postoperative period relative to AH.

The in vitro growth (IVG) of human follicles is a potential fertility option for women for whom cryopreserved ovarian tissues cannot be transplanted due to the risk of cancer cell reintroduction; however, there is currently no established method. Furthermore, optimal IVG conditions may differ between the follicles of adult and pre-pubertal females due to molecular differences suggested by basic research. To systematically identify differences between the secondary follicles of adult and pre-pubertal females, a comparative transcriptomic study using mice was conducted herein. Among differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Figla was up-regulated in mature mice. We successfully down-regulated Figla expression in secondary follicle oocytes by a Figla siRNA microinjection, and the subsequent IVG of follicles showed that the diameter of these follicles was smaller than those of controls in mature mice, whereas no significant difference was observed in premature mice. The canonical pathways of DEGs between control and Figla-reduced secondary follicles suggest that Figla up-regulates VDR/RXR activation and down-regulates stem cell pluripotency as well as estrogen signaling. We demonstrated for the first time that folliculogenesis of the secondary follicles of premature and mature mice may be regulated by different factors, such as Figla with its possible target genes, providing insights into optimal IVG conditions for adult and pre-pubertal females, respectively.

Recently, several malignant peritoneal mesotheliomas (MPMs), occurring in young women without asbestos exposure and with fusion genes such as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1, have been reported. In the present case, we encountered MPM with STRN-ALK fusion in a 17-year-old female adolescent. The case did not respond to chemotherapy and is currently in a clinical trial of alectinib. This is the fourth reported case of MPM with STRN-ALK fusion. Of the 45 cancer cases with STRN-ALK fusion in which the fusion partners were examined, all cases except for the current case showed fusion of exon 3 of STRN and exon 20 of ALK. This is the first case with fusion of exon 2 of STRN and exon 20 of ALK. Further advances in cancer genomic medicine may help clarify the clinical significance of this new fusion. KEY POINTS: Malignant peritoneal mesotheliomas (MPMs) can occur in young women without asbestos exposure and show fusion genes that activate anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) by gene rearrangement. ALK rearrangement and the fusion partner can be detected by companion diagnostics and by next generation sequencing. Patients with MPMs with ALK rearrangement may benefit from target therapy.

BACKGROUND: A uterine manipulator cannot be used to elevate the ovary in benign ovarian surgery during pregnancy. This report describes our method of elevation of the ovary using a metreurynter with the success rate of the procedure and a comparison of surgical results and pregnancy outcomes between the successful and unsuccessful cases. METHODS: Between August 2003 and February 2020, 11 pregnant patients with a tumor found sunk in the Cul-de-sac underwent laparoscopic cystectomy for a benign ovarian cyst with a metreurynter. The surgical results, success and failure of the elevation by a metreurynter, pregnancy outcomes, and fetal status at delivery were evaluated. RESULTS: Elevation of ovarian tumors with a metreurynter was successful in nine cases. However, it was unsuccessful in the remaining two cases wherein the ovary was lifted with forceps while the uterus was in a compressed state. The operative time was also longer in these cases. The pregnancy prognosis, however, was good for both, successful and unsuccessful cases. CONCLUSIONS: The metreurynter is an inexpensive and practical obstetric device, and its optimal use allows the performance of a procedure with minimal burden on a pregnant uterus. Therefore, we recommend the appropriate use of this method to enable effective laparoscopic cystectomy of ovarian tumors during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Extragonadal endometriosis is a rare condition, and its disease manifestation and long-term prognosis have not been elucidated. We report an extragonadal endometriosis case controlled by drug therapy for 14 years with analysis of the sex hormone receptor expression and PIK3CA mutation. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was diagnosed with bladder endometriosis at age of 30 years, and underwent bilateral nephrostomy and GnRHa therapy with add-back therapy. The patient was switched to dienogest therapy at age 35 and had hematuria and bloody stools at age 38. PET-CT revealed a 6-cm mass in the bladder with fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation and the diagnosis of endometriosis in the bladder, sigmoid colon, and cecum was confirmed after the biopsy result. The lesion's tubular structures were positive for the estrogen receptor, but only 30% positive for the progesterone receptor, and the H1047R mutation in PIK3CA was found in tubular structures of the bladder lesion. GnRHa therapy caused the tumors to shrink. CONCLUSION: Decreased progesterone receptor expression and oncogenic mutations may influence the course of less common and rare site endometriosis. Rare site endometriosis often requires long-term hormone therapy, and management should be tailored to the patient's life stage, keeping in mind complications, such as decreased bone density.

The fifth edition of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology guidelines for the treatment of ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer was published in 2020. The guidelines contain 6 chapters-namely, (1) overview of the guidelines; (2) epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer; (3) recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer; (4) borderline epithelial tumors of the ovary; (5) malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary; and (6) malignant sex cord-stromal tumors. Furthermore, the guidelines comprise 5 algorithms-namely, (1) initial treatment for ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer; (2) treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer; (3) initial treatment for borderline epithelial ovarian tumor; (4) treatment for malignant germ cell tumor; and (5) treatment for sex cord-stromal tumor. Major changes in the new edition include the following: (1) revision of the title to "guidelines for the treatment of ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer"; (2) involvement of patients and general (male/female) participants in addition to physicians, pharmacists, and nurses; (3) clinical questions (CQs) in the PICO format; (4) change in the expression of grades of recommendation and level of evidence in accordance with the GRADE system; (5) introduction of the idea of a body of evidence; (6) categorization of references according to research design; (7) performance of systematic reviews and meta-analysis for three CQs; and (8) voting for each CQ/recommendation and description of the consensus.

OBJECTIVE: Carcinosarcoma (CS) of the uterus or ovary is a rare, biphasic tumor comprising epithelial and mesenchymal elements, and exhibits more aggressive clinical features than its carcinoma counterpart. Four molecular subtypes of CS were recently established based on genomic aberration profiles (POLE, MSI, CNH, and CNL) and shown to be associated with multiple clinicopathological parameters, including patient outcomes. However, the role of the immune microenvironment in CS remains unclear. Here, we investigated the influence of the immune cells that infiltrate CS to better understand the immunological status of gynecological CS. METHODS: Tumor immune microenvironmental analyses on CS samples were performed using immune cell profiling with RNA-seq, transcriptomic subtyping with microenvironmental genes, and T-cell receptor repertoire assay. Carcinoma and sarcoma elements from CS samples were also assessed separately. RESULTS: Relying on estimations of tumor-infiltrating cell types from RNA-seq data, POLE and MSI (hypermutator) tumors showed an enrichment of M1 macrophages, plasma cells and CD8+ T cells, whereas CNH and CNL (non-hypermutator) tumors had high levels of M2 macrophages. Further subclassification by immune-related, non-cancer genes identified a fraction of tumors with distinct patient outcomes, particularly those with the CNH genomic aberration subtype. T-cell heterogeneity was independently correlated with prolonged progression-free survival. Differential analysis of carcinoma and sarcoma elements identified many shared mutations but there was little overlap in the T-cell receptor repertoire between the two elements. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor immune microenvironmental analyses could offer potential clinical utility in the stratification of gynecological CS above classification by genomic aberration subtype alone.

INTRODUCTION: In Japan, two groups of women, HPV vaccinated and unvaccinated, are approaching age 20, when they should begin cervical cancer screening. To improve Japan's current poor cervical cancer screening rate, we need to know how these women are thinking about screening. METHODS: We conducted an internet survey of 20-y-old women, exploring their understanding of HPV and cervical cancer screening. We then gave them leaflets with basic information about HPV and cervical cancer, stressing the importance of early detection by screening. We analyzed the leaflet's effects on their attitudes based on their vaccination status. RESULTS: Our study of 618 women found a significantly higher intention for engagement for cervical cancer screening in women HPV-vaccinated as teenagers (29% versus 17%). They were also more aware that: (1) HPV is transmitted by sexual intercourse (49.1% versus 39.2%); (2) the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer (49.0% to 34.0%); and (3) the appropriate cervical cancer screening interval is every 2 y (63.3% versus 56.2%). Women in both groups responded well to the leaflet, with significant improvements in intention to receive screening. However, 65%-67% were not swayed. DISCUSSION: HPV-vaccinated women were more knowledgeable about cervical cancer and had a greater intention to receive screening. Our educational leaflet was moderately effective in both groups for increasing intentions to screen, but the majority in both groups were still resistant to screening. CONCLUSION: Japan needs to develop more effective educational programs and tools to vigorously impart the importance of cervical cancer screening.

The clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular characteristics of α-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing endometrial carcinoma (AFP+ EC) are poorly understood. From 284 cases of endometrial carcinoma in our pathology archive, we identified five cases (1.8%) of AFP+ EC with fetal gut–like (4/5) and/or hepatoid (2/5) morphology. All cases exhibited lymphovascular infiltration. In addition, 24 cases of endometrial carcinoma with elevated serum AFP levels were retrieved from the literature. The patient age ranged from 44 to 86 years (median: 63). Of 26 cases whose FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage and follow-up information was available (mean follow-up 24 months), 15 were stage I or II and 11 were stage III or IV. Even in stage I or II disease, death or relapse occurred in more than half of the patients (8/15). Detailed analysis of our five cases revealed that, on immunohistochemistry, AFP+ EC was positive for SALL4 (4/5), AFP (3/5), and HNF1β (4/5) in &gt;50% of neoplastic cells and negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors (5/5), PAX8 (4/5), and napsin A (5/5). Four cases exhibited aberrant p53 immunohistochemistry and were confirmed to harbor TP53 mutations by direct sequencing. No mutation was found in POLE, CTNNB1, or KRAS. In conclusion, AFP+ EC merits recognition as a distinct subtype of endometrial carcinoma, which occurs in 1.8% of endometrial carcinoma cases, are associated with TP53 abnormalities, exhibit lymphovascular infiltration, and can show distant metastasis even when treated in early stage.

Spheroids exhibit drug resistance and slow proliferation, suggesting involvement in cancer recurrence. The protein kinase C inhibitor UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine) has shown higher efficacy against slow proliferating and/or quiescent ovarian cancer cells. In this study, tumorigenic potential was assessed using anchorage-independent growth assays and spheroid-forming capacity, which was determined with ovarian cancer cell lines as well as primary ovarian cancers. Of 12 cell lines with increased anchorage-independent growth, 8 formed spheroids under serum-free culture conditions. Spheroids showed reduced proliferation (P < 0.0001) and Ki-67 immunostaining (8% vs. 87%) relative to monolayer cells. Spheroid formation was associated with increased expression of mitochondrial pathway genes (P ≤ 0.001) from Affymetrix HT U133A gene expression data. UCN-01, a kinase inhibitor/mitochondrial uncoupler that has been shown to lead to Puma-induced mitochondrial apoptosis as well as ATP synthase inhibitor oligomycin, demonstrated effectiveness against spheroids, whereas spheroids were refractory to cisplatin and paclitaxel. By live in vivo imaging, ovarian cancer xenograft tumors were reduced after primary treatment with carboplatin. Continued treatment with carboplatin was accompanied by an increase in tumor signal, whereas there was little or no increase in tumor signal observed with subsequent treatment with UCN-01 or oltipraz. Taken together, our findings suggest that genes involved in mitochondrial function in spheroids may be an important therapeutic target in preventing disease recurrence.

Cervical elastography might be an objective method for evaluating cervical ripening during pregnancy, but its usefulness has not been fully investigated. We examined the significance of cervical elastography in the last trimester of pregnancy. Cervical elastography was performed at weekly checkups after 36 weeks of gestation in 238 cases delivered at our hospital from 2017 to 2018. The correlation with the onset time of natural labor, which is an index for judging maternal delivery preparation status, was examined. A total of 765 examinations were conducted, and cervical stiffness determined by cervical elastography was positively correlated with the Bishop score (r = 0.46, p < 0.0001). When examined separately for each week, only the examinations performed at 39 weeks were associated with the onset of spontaneous labor up to 7 days later (p = 0.0004). Furthermore, when stratified and analyzed by the Bishop score at 39 weeks of gestation, cervical elastography was associated with the occurrence of spontaneous labor pain for up to seven days in the groups with Bishop scores of 3-5 and 6-8 (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.03, respectively). In conclusion, cervical elastography at 39 weeks of pregnancy is useful for judging the delivery time.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to characterize magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with recurrent ovarian adult granulosa cell tumors (AGCTs). METHODS: Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging manifestations of recurrent AGCTs were evaluated in 11 patients. RESULTS: Initial recurrences of AGCT were diagnosed between 13 months and 30 years (mean, 11.3 years). Recurrent tumors were located in the pelvic peritoneum, the abdominal peritoneum, the retroperitoneum, and bone. The number of recurrent tumors varied from 1 to 5. Tumors varied in morphology and all margins were well circumscribed. The internal structures noted were as follows: multilocular cystic and solid and cystic. Furthermore, internal hemorrhage and sponge-like multicystic components were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian AGCTs recurred in the pelvic peritoneum, abdominal peritoneum, and the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Large recurrent AGCTs were commonly well circumscribed, round or lobulated, and multilocular cystic or solid and cystic. Moreover, they frequently included internal hemorrhage and sponge-like multicystic components.

Introduction: In June of 2013, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) suspended its position of strong recommendation for the routine immunization of young girls against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) because of reports of adverse reactions after the vaccination. For the next four years, the MHLW's website warned about the significance of these adverse events. In January of 2018, MHLW's website was modified to reflect a less negative stance. We have studied public awareness of MHLW's revised leaflet in Japanese women whose daughters were of the targeted age for receiving the HPV vaccine and how this awareness influenced their intentions to get their daughters vaccinated. Materials and Methods: From June to December of 2018, a survey was conducted through the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology at 14 different medical facilities. The questionnaire was distributed to women whose daughters were of the HPV-vaccine-targeted age. The survey measured their responses before and after being presented with the 2018-revised MHLW leaflet. Responses from 384 mothers were analyzed. Results: Before being presented with the leaflet, the survey found that the percentage of responder's daughters already vaccinated was 6.5% (24/372). After reading the MHLW leaflet, an additional 6.9% (24/346) responded "I want to get my daughter vaccinated immediately", and 37.6% (130/346) responded "I have positive feelings about HPV vaccination". Discussion: By presenting the new MHLW leaflet at obstetrics and gynecology facilities, we expect to be able to effectively increase the HPV vaccination rate in Japan.

Chylous leakage is caused by interruption of lymphatic vessels carrying triglyceride-rich lymph during para-aortic lymph node dissection in patients with gynecological malignancies. Our search of literature revealed no report like our case that the renal atrophy was late onset after healing of the chylous cyst infection. A case is 60-year-old. She was preoperatively diagnosed with endometrial cancer, endometrioid carcinoma FIGO grade 3, stage IA of the FIGO system. Laparoscopic-modified radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy and partial omentectomy were performed. On the 16th postoperative day, a percutaneous drainage was performed, and revealed chylous effusion from the lymph cyst. The drainage tube was removed, and she discharged on the 34th postoperative day. On the 99th postoperative day, a follow-up plain CT to check for a recurrence of endometrial cancer revealed atrophy of left kidney. It is probable that the chylous leakage was the primary cause of renal atrophy. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent chylous leakage during surgery to avoid repeating the same complication again.

To obtain baseline data for cervical cancer prevention in Japan, we analyzed human papillomavirus (HPV) data from 5045 Japanese women aged less than 40 years and diagnosed with cervical abnormalities at 21 hospitals during 2012-2017. These included cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1, n = 573), CIN2-3 (n = 3219), adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS, n = 123), and invasive cervical cancer (ICC, n = 1130). The Roche Linear Array was used for HPV genotyping. The HPV type-specific relative contributions (RCs) were estimated by adding multiple infections to single types in accordance with proportional weighting attributions. Based on the comparison of type-specific RCs between CIN1 and CIN2-3/AIS/ICC (CIN2+), RC ratios were calculated to estimate type-specific risks for progression to CIN2+. Human papillomavirus DNA was detected in 85.5% of CIN1, 95.7% of CIN2-3/AIS, and 91.2% of ICC. Multiple infections decreased with disease severity: 42.9% in CIN1, 40.4% in CIN2-3/AIS, and 23.7% in ICC (P < .0001). The relative risk for progression to CIN2+ was highest for HPV16 (RC ratio 3.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.01-4.98), followed by HPV31 (2.51, 1.54-5.24), HPV18 (2.43, 1.59-4.32), HPV35 (1.56, 0.43-8.36), HPV33 (1.01, 0.49-3.31), HPV52 (0.99, 0.76-1.33), and HPV58 (0.97, 0.75-1.32). The relative risk of disease progression was 1.87 (95% CI, 1.71-2.05) for HPV16/18/31/33/35/45/52/58, but only 0.17 (95% CI, 0.14-0.22) for HPV39/51/56/59/66/68. Human papillomavirus 16/18/31/33/45/52/58/6/11 included in a 9-valent vaccine contributed to 89.7% (95% CI, 88.7-90.7) of CIN2-3/AIS and 93.8% (95% CI, 92.4-95.3) of ICC. In conclusion, our data support the Japanese guidelines that recommend discriminating HPV16/18/31/33/35/45/52/58 genotypes for CIN management. The 9-valent vaccine is estimated to provide over 90% protection against ICC in young Japanese women.

Endometrial cysts (ECs) are thought to be the origin of endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC). A hypothesis that the oxidative stress of iron in cysts causes "malignant transformation of ECs" has been proposed, but this has not been verified. Several population-based studies showed that endometriosis was a risk factor but did not reflect the "malignant transformation of ECs". A review showed that most patients were diagnosed with EAOC early in monitoring following detection of ECs, and that these cases might have been cancer from the start. Epidemiologically, EAOC was reduced by hysterectomy rather than by cystectomy of ECs. Gene mutation analyses identified oncogenic mutations in endometriosis and normal endometrium and revealed that the same mutations were present at different endometriotic lesions. It was also shown that most of the gene mutations found in endometriosis occurred in normal endometrium. Taking together, EAOC might be caused by eutopic endometrial glandular epithelial cells with oncogenic mutations that have undergone menstrual blood reflux and engrafted in the ovary, rather than by low-risk ECs acquiring oncogenic mutations and becoming malignant. This review discusses the mechanisms of EAOC development and targeted therapy based on genetic variation in EAOC with a focus on eutopic endometrium.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping using dye or radioisotopes has been performed in patients with uterine cancer. Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) can be handled safely and is taken up by lymph nodes (LNs); however, its efficacy in detecting SLNs in uterine cancer remains unknown. This pilot study evaluated the use of SPIO as a tracer for SLN detection in patients with uterine cancer. SPIO was injected into the uterine cervixes of 15 patients with uterine cancer scheduled for pelvic LN dissection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed preoperatively. Five patients also underwent radioisotope injection and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography. Dissected LNs were stained with iron and examined pathologically. Of the radioisotope-positive LNs, 92% were also SPIO/MRI-positive. SPIO/MRI and iron staining were positively correlated. SLNs were identified by iron staining in 93% of cases. Iron staining was strongly positive in two of the five areas of LN metastasis; these were considered SLNs. Staining was negative or very weak in the other three areas and lymph flow disturbance was considered. SPIO and radioisotopes are taken up similarly by SLNs. SPIO/MRI and iron staining may thus be useful for detection of SLNs and diagnosis of LN metastasis in patients with uterine cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel followed by interval debulking surgery (NACT-IDS) to primary debulking surgery plus postoperative chemotherapy (PDS) for advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted by an Expert Panel of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology Ovarian Cancer Committee. Multiple public search engines including PubMed/MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database, were searched in March 2019 using the entry keywords "ovarian cancer [all fields]" AND "interval debulking surgery [all fields]", AND "neoadjuvant chemotherapy [all fields]". Key inclusion criteria were prospective clinical trials examining platinum-based NACT for stage II-IV epithelial ovarian cancer. The primary outcome of interest was survival, and the secondary outcome was adverse events with each intervention. RESULTS: After screening 333 studies, four phase III randomized clinical trials were identified that met the inclusion criteria. These trials included 1692 women (847 receiving NACT-IDS and 845 receiving PDS). It was found that NACT-IDS and PDS had similar overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87-1.07, P = 0.53) and progression-free survival (HR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.90-1.08, P = 0.74). In contrast, NACT-IDS was associated with significantly lower rates of perioperative complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95%CI: 0.20-0.36, P < 0.001) and perioperative mortality (OR: 0.17, 95%CI: 0.06-0.50, P < 0.001) compared to PDS. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that NACT-IDS with carboplatin and paclitaxel does not negatively impact the survival of women with advanced ovarian cancer compared to PDS, while perioperative complications and mortality are significantly reduced by 70-80%.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) has become increasingly common in recent years because it minimizes invasiveness. However, myoma can recur after myomectomy. Therefore, we began using laparoscopic ultrasonography, which involves inserting a probe into the peritoneal cavity via a trocar and placing it in direct contact with the uterus. During surgery, this enables the detection of myomas as a small as 1 mm in diameter, which are often undetectable on MRI. Here, we report the effectiveness of laparoscopic ultrasonography. METHODS: The subjects were 26 women who underwent LM at our institution from February 2015 to December 2016. Preoperative MRI was performed, and all myomas detected on MRI were removed during LM. Laparoscopic ultrasonography was then performed to assess for residual myomas, which were removed. RESULTS: In six patients (23%), residual myomas were identified on laparoscopic ultrasonography after the first enucleation of the myomas detected on preoperative MRI. All detected residual myomas, the largest of which was less than 10 mm in diameter, were removed. CONCLUSION: Small myomas undetectable on preoperative MRI were detected on laparoscopic ultrasonography and removed.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of resistance development to anti-VEGF therapy in ovarian cancer is unclear. We focused on the changes in tumour immunity post anti-VEGF therapy. METHODS: The frequencies of immune cell populations and hypoxic conditions in the resistant murine tumours and clinical samples were examined. The expression profiles of both the proteins and genes in the resistant tumours were analysed. The impact of granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expression on myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) function in the resistant tumours was evaluated. RESULTS: We found a marked increase and reduction in the number of Gr-1 + MDSCs and CD8 + lymphocytes in the resistant tumour, and the MDSCs preferentially infiltrated the hypoxic region. Protein array analysis showed upregulation of GM-CSF post anti-VEGF therapy. GM-CSF promoted migration and differentiation of MDSCs, which inhibited the CD8 + lymphocyte proliferation. Anti-GM-CSF therapy improved the anti-VEGF therapy efficacy, which reduced the infiltrating MDSCs and increased CD8 + lymphocytes. In immunohistochemical analysis of clinical samples, GM-CSF expression and MDSC infiltration was enhanced in the bevacizumab-resistant case. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-VEGF therapy induces tumour hypoxia and GM-CSF expression, which recruits MDSCs and inhibits tumour immunity. Targeting the GM-CSF could help overcome the anti-VEGF therapy resistance in ovarian cancers.

Homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway deficiency (HRD) is involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) as well as in the sensitivity to platinum chemotherapy drugs. In this study, we obtained data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) on HGSOC and identified scores for the loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance, and large-scale state transitions, and calculated the HRD score. We then investigated the relationships among the score, genetic/epigenetic alterations in HRR-related genes, and the clinical data. We found that BRCA1/2 mutations were enriched in the group with HRD scores ≥63. Compared with the groups with scores ≤62, this group had a good prognosis; we thus considered HRD scores ≥63 to be the best cutoff point for identifying HRD cases in HGSOC. Classification of HGSOC cases by the HRD status revealed a better prognosis for HRD cases caused by genetic alterations (genetic HRD) than those caused by epigenetic changes and those caused by undetermined reasons (p = 0.0002). Among cases without macroscopic residual tumors after primary debulking surgery, 11 of 12 genetic HRD cases survived after the median observation period of 6.6 years, showing remarkably high survival rates (p = 0.0059). In conclusion, HGSOC can be classified into subtypes with different prognoses according to HRD status. This classification could be useful for personalized HGSOC treatment.

OBJECTIVE: High-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC) are genomically characterized by homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and TP53 mutations, which lead to intratumor heterogeneity (ITH). This study aimed to reveal the relationship between HRD, ITH and prognosis and analyze their changes during treatment. METHODS: We obtained 573 SNP array and gene expression array data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. SNP array data were processed to calculate the Clonality Index (CI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) scores. Gene expression array data were used for classifying molecular subtypes. Additionally, we obtained 33 samples from 20 HGSOC patients, including 4 samples from interval debulking surgery (IDS) and 9 samples from recurrent surgery. RESULTS: We divided HGSOC samples into 2 groups. The high CI group showed a high recurrent risk, and the high LOH group showed a statistically good prognosis. Combining the two factors, the high LOH/low CI group showed a statistically good prognosis. In terms of molecular subtypes, the mesenchymal subtype, which had a poor prognosis, showed a high CI with statisitically significant difference and the immunoreactive subtype, which had a good prognosis, showed a tendency to have a high LOH score. Throughout treatment, the CI decreased to one at the IDS (n = 4) and then increased at recurrence (n = 3). LOH scores greatly decreased in two cases at the IDS. CONCLUSIONS: ITH and HRD were associated with prognosis in HGSOC. ITH decreased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting that the chemo-resistant cancer clone remains after chemotherapy.

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) is a rare malignant disease and demonstrates various patterns in preoperative imaging. Therefore, accurate diagnosis is important. Given its unique form, we report a case of LG-ESS with a nodule-in-nodule appearance on preoperative imaging. A 41-year-old woman was referred to our department for further examination of a 45 mm diameter uterine corpus mass. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed several small nodules within a larger nodule. T2-weighted images showed moderate-to-high signal intensity with focal bands of low signal intensity in the small nodules. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Histopathological findings of the small nodules showed densely concentrated endometrial stromal cells reminiscent of a proliferative phase endometrium with a concentric arrangement of small spiral arteriole-like vessels. The small nodules exhibited an expansile growth pattern and were surrounded by less densely concentrated endometrial stromal cells intermingled with the normal uterine myometrium. LG-ESS with smooth muscle differentiation and sex cord-like elements was partially observed. In summary, LG-ESS demonstrating a unique nodule-in-nodule appearance on preoperative imaging histopathologically comprised tumor cells of varying densities. Our current case suggests that preoperative diagnostic imaging with MRI may be useful.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a risk factor for ovarian cancer. Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC), most commonly clear cell carcinoma, is believed to develop from ovarian endometrial cysts. In this study, we reviewed published cases of EAOC considered to have developed from endometrial cysts, and focused on the observation period. METHODS: We searched for articles published since January 2000 that reported cases of ovarian cancer thought to have originated from endometrial cysts using PubMed, Web of Science, and Ichushi-Web. The period from the start of follow-up of the endometrial cyst to the diagnosis of ovarian cancer was calculated. RESULTS: Seventy-nine cases were identified from 32 articles. The median period from the diagnosis of endometrial cysts to the diagnosis of ovarian cancer was only 36 months. Approximately 75% of cases developed into cancer within 60 months and most cases developed within 120 months. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that clinically detectable cysts subsequently diagnosed as ovarian cancer might already have contained cancer cells. Therefore, the mechanism of EAOC development needs to be re-examined and appropriate management guidelines need to be developed.

MRI plays an essential role in patients before treatment for uterine mesenchymal malignancies. Although MRI includes methods such as diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, the differentiation between uterine myoma and sarcoma always becomes problematic. The present paper discusses important findings to ensure that sarcomas are not overlooked in magnetic resonance (MR) images, and we describe the update in the differentiation between uterine leiomyoma and sarcoma with recent reports.

BACKGROUND: Because reports on the management of recurrent granulosa cell tumor have been sparse, a consensus as to which patients should undergo surgical resection and which patients should be considered for chemotherapy has not been established. METHODS: A total of 21 tumor recurrences in eight patients with granulosa cell tumor were reviewed. RESULTS: Surgery was performed as the main treatment for 13 recurrences, while chemotherapy was chosen as the main treatment for eight recurrences. Complete tumor resection could be accomplished in 13 of 16 surgeries (81.3%), which include all the ten recurrences without involvement of liver or diaphragm and without ascites. The number of recurrent masses was significantly higher in the early recurrence group (progression free survival < 2 years) than in the late recurrence (progression free survival > 2 years). All cases with a solitary recurrent tumor at an extra-peritoneal site presented a significantly longer progression free survival. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with recurrent granulosa cell tumor, surgery may provide the best disease control. In cases with complete resection, the number of recurrent masses was the predictive factor for the next recurrence, and adjuvant chemotherapy might be considered in such cases.

Carcinosarcoma (CS) of the uterus or ovary is a rare, aggressive and biphasic neoplasm composed of carcinoma and sarcoma elements. Previous genomic studies have identified the driver genes and genomic properties associated with CS. However, there is still no molecular subtyping scheme with clinical relevance for this disease. Here, we sequence 109 CS samples, focusing on 596 genes. We identify four molecular subtypes that resemble those observed in endometrial carcinoma: POLE-mutated, microsatellite instability, copy number high, and copy number low subtypes. These molecular subtypes are linked with DNA repair deficiencies, potential therapeutic strategies, and multiple clinicopathological features, including patient outcomes. Multi-regional comparative sequencing reveals genomic alteration-independent CS cell differentiation. Transcriptome and DNA methylome analyses confirm epithelial-mesenchymal transition as a mechanism of sarcoma differentiation. The current study thus provides therapeutic possibilities for CS as well as clues to understanding the molecular histogenic mechanism of its development.

Side population (SP) cells harbor malignant phenotypes in cancer. The aim of this study was to identify genes that modulate the proportion of ovarian cancer SP cells. Using a shRNA library targeting 15,000 genes, a functional genomics screen was performed to identify genes whose suppression increased the SP percentage. The biological effects caused by alteration of those identified genes were investigated in vitro and in vivo. We found that suppression of MSL3, ZNF691, VPS45, ITGB3BP, TLE2, and ZNF498 increased the proportion of SP cells. Newly generated SP cells exhibit greater capacity for sphere formation, single cell clonogenicity, and in vivo tumorigenicity. On the contrary, overexpression of MSL3, VPS45, ITGB3BP, TLE2, and ZNF498 decreased the proportion of SP cells, sphere formation capacity and single cell clonogenicity. In ovarian cancer cases, low expression of MSL3, ZNF691 and VPS45 was related to poor prognosis. Suppression of these six genes enhanced activity of the hedgehog pathway. Cyclopamine, a hedgehog pathway inhibitor, significantly decreased the number of SP cells and their sphere forming ability. Our results provide new information regarding molecular mechanisms favoring SP cells and suggest that Hedgehog signaling may provide a viable target for ovarian cancer.

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is a highly aggressive histological subtype of endometrial cancers harboring highly metastatic and chemoresistant features. Our previous study showed that STAT1 is highly expressed in USC and acts as a key molecule that is positively correlated with tumor progression, but it remains unclear whether STAT1 is relevant to the malicious chemorefractory nature of USC. In the present study, we investigated the regulatory role of STAT1 toward platinum-cytotoxicity in USC. STAT1 suppression sensitized USC cells to increase cisplatin-mediated apoptosis (p < 0.001). Furthermore, phosphorylation of STAT1 was prominently observed on serine-727 (pSTAT1-Ser727), but not on tyrosine-701, in the nucleus of USC cells treated with cisplatin. Mechanistically, the inhibition of pSTAT1-Ser727 by dominant-negative plasmid elevated cisplatin-mediated apoptosis by increasing intracellular accumulation of cisplatin through upregulation of CTR1 expression. TBB has an inhibitory effect on casein kinase 2 (CK2), which phosphorylate STAT1 at serine residues. Sequential treatment with TBB and cisplatin on USC cells greatly reduced nuclear pSTAT1-Ser727, enhanced intracellular accumulation of cisplatin, and subsequently increased apoptosis. Tumor load was significantly reduced by combination therapy of TBB and cisplatin in in vivo xenograft models (p < 0.001). Our results collectively suggest that pSTAT1-Ser727 may play a key role in platinum resistance as well as tumor progression in USC. Thus, targeting the STAT1 pathway via CK2 inhibitor can be a novel method for attenuating the chemorefractory nature of USC.

Placental dysfunction is the underlying cause of common major disorders of pregnancy, such as fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. However, the mechanisms of placental dysfunction are not entirely elucidated. We previously reported 10 reliable preeclampsia pathways based on multiple microarray data sets, among which was the sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway. In this study, we describe the significant role of SHH signaling involved in placental development and fetal growth. The placental expression levels of surrogate markers of the SHH pathway, patched homolog 1 (PTCH1) and glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) 2, were evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of the SHH pathway in trophoblast syncytialization, a critical process for placental development and maturation, using primary cytotrophoblasts. Moreover, the potential roles of placental SHH signaling in the regulation of the IGF axis were explored by pathway analysis of microarray data. Finally, the influence of SHH signaling on fetal growth was examined by placental administration of cyclopamine, an SHH pathway inhibitor, to pregnant mice. The SHH pathway was downregulated in preeclampsia placentas, and its activation was highly correlated with birth weight. Trophoblast syncytialization was modulated by noncanonical SHH–adenylate cyclase (ADCY) signaling rather than canonical SHH–GLI signaling. The IGF1 receptor pathway was regulated by both noncanonical SHH–ADCY signaling and canonical SHH–GLI signaling. Inhibition of placental SHH signaling significantly reduced fetal weight in mice. Placental development and fetal growth were regulated through the SHH pathway via the IGF axis.

We report a case of massive bleeding due to a coagulation disorder associated with acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP); the patient survived by massive transfusion. She presented at 34 weeks of gestation, met six of the Swansea criteria, and was diagnosed with severe AFLP. We performed an emergency cesarean section because termination of the pregnancy was necessary for the treatment of the AFLP. After the surgery, which led to massive bleeding in the peritoneal cavity due to the coagulation disorder, she underwent two further operations and three transarterial embolizations. She received factor VII and underwent plasma exchange, and hemostasis was achieved on day 10 after hospitalization. The total volume of blood transfused was 772 units (170 units of red cell concentrate, 212 units of fresh frozen plasma, and 390 units of platelet concentrate). To the best of our knowledge, this is the most severe case of non-fatal AFLP reported to date in terms of the transfusion volume.

近畿大学医学会奨励賞受賞

OBJECTIVE: Recently, we established new histopathological subtypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) that include the mesenchymal transition (MT) type, the immune reactive (IR) type, the solid and proliferative (SP) type and the papillo-glandular (PG) type. Furthermore, we identified that the mesenchymal transcriptome subtype might be sensitive to taxane. We investigated whether these different histopathological subtypes of HGSOC require individualized chemotherapy for optimal treatment. METHODS: We conducted the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) 3016A1 study, wherein we collected hematoxylin and eosin slides (total n = 201) and performed a histopathological analysis of patients with HGSOC registered in the JGOG3016 study, which compared the efficacy of conventional paclitaxel and carboplatin (TC) and dose-dense TC (ddTC). We analyzed the differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) among the four histopathological subtypes. We then compared the PFS between the TC group and the ddTC group for each histopathological subtype. RESULTS: There were significant differences in both PFS and OS among the four histopathological subtypes (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Overall, the MT subtype had the shortest PFS (median 1.4 y) and OS (median 3.6 y). In addition, the MT subtype had a longer PFS in the ddTC group (median 1.8 y) than in the TC group (median 1.2 y) (p = 0.01). Conversely, the other types had no significant difference in PFS when the two regimens were compared. CONCLUSIONS: The MT type of HGSOC is sensitive to taxane; therefore, the ddTC regimen is recommended for this histopathological subtype.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a potential risk factor for stroke in women with Moyamoya disease. However, the rarity of the disease has limited clinical expertise to ensure a healthy pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to explore the possible risk factors for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke in pregnant women with Moyamoya disease. METHODS: A retrospective review of cases in our hospital during a 20-year period and a review of the reported data were conducted to investigate pregnancy-related cerebrovascular events in women with Moyamoya disease. RESULTS: Thirty pregnancies in 20 women with Moyamoya disease were identified in the case review of our hospital. All were previously diagnosed cases, and no stroke had occurred during the study period. In the reported data review, pregnancy-related stroke in women with Moyamoya disease was identified in 54 (44 intracranial hemorrhage and 10 cerebral infarction). Intracranial hemorrhage occurred most commonly during the antepartum period (n = 39; 88.6%), with most events occurring at ≥24 weeks. Of the intracranial hemorrhage cases, 7 (15.9%) were complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and 8 patients (18.2%) died of stroke. The onset of cerebral infarction was either in the antepartum (n = 4; 40.0%) or postpartum (n = 6; 60.0%) period. All postpartum cases occurred within 3-7 days after delivery. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy-related stroke in patients with Moyamoya disease might be susceptible to gestational age. Intracranial hemorrhage is prone to occur during the antepartum period, especially at ≥24 weeks, and cerebral infarction tends to occur postpartum.

BACKGROUND: V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is a novel inhibitory immune-checkpoint protein. VISTA expression on tumour cells and the associated regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated VISTA expression and function in tumour cells, and evaluated its mechanism and activity. METHODS: VISTA in tumour cells was assessed by tissue microarray analysis, immunohistochemical staining and western blot. A series of in vitro assays were used to determine the function of tumour-expressed VISTA. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in syngeneic models. RESULTS: VISTA was highly expressed in human ovarian and endometrial cancers. Upregulation of VISTA in endometrial cancer was related to the methylation status of the VISTA promoter. VISTA in tumour cells suppressed T cell proliferation and cytokine production in vitro, and decreased the tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in vivo. Anti-VISTA antibody prolonged the survival of tumour-bearing mice. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration that VISTA is highly expressed in human ovarian and endometrial cancer cells, and that anti-VISTA antibody treatment significantly prolongs the survival of mice bearing tumours expressing high levels of VISTA. The data suggest that VISTA is a novel immunosuppressive factor within the tumour microenvironment, as well as a new target for cancer immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: To investigate magnetic resonance (MR) findings and to detect malignant transformation of ovarian endometriotic cysts by comparing longitudinal changes in patients with ovarian malignant/borderline tumors associated with ovarian endometriotic cysts (tumor group) with those of patients with endometriotic cysts (control group). METHODS: Tumor group patients (n = 10) had ovarian malignant/borderline tumors with pathologically confirmed association with endometriosis and available prior MRI of endometriotic cysts. Control group patients (n = 40) had been diagnosed more than two times as having ovarian endometriotic cysts by MRI examination. The tumor and solid portion sizes were measured. Two radiologists independently evaluated signal intensity (SI) of the cystic portion on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images (WI), presence of shading on T2WI, and T2 dark spot sign in both groups and evaluate longitudinal changes of those findings. RESULTS: Pathological diagnoses of the tumor group were clear cell carcinoma (n = 6), endometrioid carcinoma (n = 1), serous carcinoma (n = 1), mucinous borderline tumor (n = 1), and endometrioid borderline tumor (n = 1). Tumor size had increased significantly in the tumor group (p = .004), but not in controls. Solid portions were identified in all cases only when neoplasms were suspected. Disappearance of shading during the follow-up period was observed more in tumor group (n = 2) than in the controls (n = 0). No significant difference was found between groups in the SI on T1 and T2WI, and T2 dark spot sign for the two MR examinations. CONCLUSIONS: The MR findings suggesting malignant transformation were emergence of a solid portion and increase in cyst size. Disappearance of shading also facilitates the follow-up of endometriotic cysts.

In Japan, the trend for cervical cancer at younger ages has been increasing. As a countermeasure, the HPV vaccine was introduced as a routine vaccination in April 2013. However, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) announced a "Suspension of its active inoculation recommendation for HPV vaccine" in June 2013. In 2016, 32 months after that suspension, we conducted survey via Internet and compared the results with our previous ones conducted at 9 and 23 months after suspension (in 2014 and 2015, respectively). We examined the 'time-dependent change' of the 'intention of mothers to inoculate their daughters with the HPV vaccine' in terms of efficacy of external decision-making support. 17.5% of mothers in the first survey replied that they would inoculate their daughters under the current circumstances, 12.1% in the second survey, and 6.7% in the third, showing a consistent decrease in willingness over time (p = 0.03, p < 0.01). If the government recommendation were to be reintroduced, 22.5% of mothers in the first survey replied they would inoculate their daughters, 21.0% in the second survey, which indicated no significant difference (p = 0.65) over the first interval; however, this was significantly decreased to 12.2% in the third survey (p < 0.01). Our study revealed that the intention to inoculate their daughters has been declining among Japanese mothers over time triggered by the suspension.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a life-threatening opportunistic infection that sometimes occurs in immunocompromised patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Here, we report two extremely rare cases of PCP in non-HIV pregnant women who underwent chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma. Case  1 is a 34-year-old primigravida who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She received ABVD chemotherapy and developed PCP at 37 weeks of gestation. After the onset of PCP, emergent cesarean section was performed due to a nonreassuring fetal status. Case  2 is a 31-year-old multigravida with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who was administered R-CHOP chemotherapy. At 34 weeks of gestation, she complained of dyspnea and developed PCP. She delivered her baby vaginally immediately after the onset of symptoms. Both patients were treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (ST) and recovered shortly thereafter. The babies’ courses were also uneventful. PCP remains a serious cause of death, especially in non-HIV patients, and, therefore, appropriate prophylaxis and a prompt diagnosis are imperative.

Isolated levocardia (IL) is a rare condition of situs anomaly in which there is a normal left-sided heart (levocardia) with dextro position of the abdominal viscera. IL has been reported in children and adults with complex cardiac defects, whereas there are only few published reports regarding the prenatal diagnosis of IL. We report two prenatal cases of IL diagnosed by ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In both cases, fetal cardiac function remained within the normal range throughout pregnancy, and no treatment for the heart was required after birth. For the dextro position of abdominal viscera, one case was followed without any surgical procedure, but the other case required prophylactic operation due to malrotation of the small intestine. Although the prognosis of IL largely depends on the severity of associated cardiac anomaly, future bowel obstruction caused by intestinal malrotation may also be life-threatening. In this respect, prenatal diagnosis of IL is important, even when there is no associated cardiac structural anomaly. If IL is suspected in routine fetal ultrasonography, MRI may be recommended to obtain more detailed information on the anatomy of abdominal viscerae, and careful observation for bowel problems is required, especially after oral nutrition is started.

子宮内膜症、および、内膜症関連卵巣癌である卵巣明細胞癌について、以下の研究実績が得られた。(1) 正所性子宮内膜、内膜症、卵巣明細胞癌のPIK3CA変異解析を行い、正所性子宮内膜には高頻度にPIK3CA変異が認められ、それが特にPIK3CA変異を伴わない卵巣癌症例における正所性子宮内膜で頻度が高く、いわゆるpassenger変異というべき状態であることを見出した。一方、一見、PIK3CA変異を認める卵巣明細胞癌であっても、腫瘍を詳細に解析すると、部位によってPIK3CA変異があったりなかったりする、いわゆる腫瘍内不均一性を認めることも見出した。これらの結果は、正所性子宮内膜は、発癌母地である可能性が高いものの、そのことを証明することは容易ではないことを示唆している。本研究については、現在論文投稿中である。（２）腸管や膀胱に生じた希少部位子宮内膜症の症例について、PIK3CA変異や性ホルモンレセプター発現と治療経過の関連について報告した。（３）内膜症性嚢胞を有する不妊症患者について、嚢胞の穿刺排液とホルモン療法を併用する治療法が、生殖補助療法の成績を向上させるかについて検討するための前向き臨床試験を開始した。（４）マウス卵巣にPik3ca変異とArid1a変異を生じさせることにより、内膜症関連卵巣癌である明細胞癌を生じさせる実験系を確立した。（５）正所性子宮内膜と子宮内膜症、内膜症関連卵巣癌の関わりについて論じる総説論文を発表した。

1) 卵巣高異型度漿液性癌(HGSOC)のFFPE標本からDNAを抽出し、SNPアレイを行って、clone数を調べた。その結果、clone数が多いと予後不良であること、さらに、化学療法後残存した腫瘍ではclone数の減少がみられることを見出した。また、化学療法後残存した腫瘍において、homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)のスコアも低くなっていることを見出した。HRDスコアが低いということは腫瘍細胞のDNA修復能が高いことを示唆しており、本研究の結果から、HGSOCの化学療法後には、DNA修復能が高いクローンが選択されて残存しており、それが再発の原因であると考えられた。 2) The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)データを入手し、SNPアレイの解析を行い、やはりclone数が多いと予後不良であることを見出した。さらに、HRDスコアも算出し、HRDスコアが高いと予後良好であることも見出した。そして、BRCA1/2遺伝子変異に加えて、CHEK1 homozygous deletion, PTEN homozygous deletion, BRCA1メチル化、RAD51Cメチル化が高HRDスコアと相関しており、それらがHRDをもたらす原因となっていると考えられた。HRDの原因別にHRD症例をHRD-genetic, HRD-epigenetic, HRD-undeterminedに分類したところ、HRD-epigeneticは予後不良であった。この結果から、原因がBRCA1やRAD51CなどのDNAメチル化が原因となってHRDとなっている腫瘍では、化学療法後によりDNA修復機能を有する脱メチル化クローンが優勢となるため、化学療法抵抗性となりやすいことが示唆された。

チョコレート嚢胞を有する女性において嚢胞摘出術を行うと、35歳以上では残存卵巣機能が障害され、妊孕能が低下するが、35歳未満では妊孕能が維持されることを見出し、2020年にActa Medica Kindai Universityに論文発表した。 一方、チョコレート嚢胞合併不妊患者に対する嚢胞反復穿刺吸引術＋ジェノゲスト併用療法が生殖補助医療(ART)の治療成績に及ぼす影響に関して調査する前方視的観察研究を開始し、現在進行中である。目標症例数は研究群が61例、コントロール群61例であり、これまで各群ともに約20例が登録された。 また、チョコレート嚢胞の発生メカニズムを分子的に探索しようと異所性子宮内膜腺管をレーザーマイクロダイセクションで回収し、PIK3CA変異解析を行ったところ、高頻度にPIK3CA変異を認めることが明らかとなった。さらに、PIK3CA変異は正所性子宮内膜にも認められることが明らかになった。そして、内膜症関連卵巣癌におけるPIK3CA変異も確認した。このように、子宮内膜症はoncogenic mutationを有する腫瘍性病変であることも明らかとなった。

本研究では、超常磁性酸化鉄(Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide: SPIO)を用いた子宮頸癌・体癌における新規リンパ節転移診断法の開発を目指した。 子宮頸部に超常磁性酸化鉄(Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide: SPIO)を投与した造影MRI検査によって、術前に正診率85％の確率でリンパ節転移診断が可能であり、CT (67%) や PET-CT (71%)よりも高いという結果であった。 またSPIOがラジオアイソトープに代わるトレーサーになりうる可能性が示唆され、SPIOを用いたセンチネルリンパ節の同定が可能と考えられた。

本研究は難治性である卵巣明細胞癌（OCCC）のゲノム解析により治療抵抗性に関連する遺伝子変異を探索することを目的とした。OCCCの再発に寄与する遺伝子変異領域の増幅（chr17q21-24）を同定し、この領域上のPDK2の高発現が、ミトコンドリア活性と関連しシスプラチン耐性に寄与していた。さらにOCCCの進行癌と初期癌のRNAシークエンス解析から進行例にはEpithelial mesenchymal transitionが亢進し、SNAILは骨髄由来免疫抑制細胞の遊走に関与していた。婦人科悪性腫瘍研究機構で集積した約190例のOCCCの腫瘍検体からRNAシークエンスを行い解析基盤を構築した。

悪性腫瘍は様々なゲノム形質を有する細胞で構成されており，これを腫瘍内不均一性という．卵巣高異型度漿液性癌(HGSOC)は，約半数で相同組換修復(HRR)という遺伝子修復機構に異常が認められる．HGSOCのゲノムデータを解析し，腫瘍内不均一性とHRRの異常を数値化して検討を行い，腫瘍内不均一性とHRR異常が予後と関連性があること，化学療法前後で腫瘍内不均一性が減少すること，そして治療の時系列でHRR異常のスコアが変化する場合があることを明らかにした．

本研究は、血中浮遊DNAの由来をepigeneticで分類し、がん診断・治療効果予測に応用しようというものである。網羅的メチル化アレイデータより、種々の細胞種に特異的なepigeneticマーカーを同定し、それを活用したcfDNA由来プロファイリング法をデジタルPCR機器を用いて確立し、その後、この由来プロファイリング法が、乳癌転移再発症例、術前補助療法症例の効果予測、原発巣や術後再発の診断、他癌の診断に応用できるかを検証する予定である。 乳癌細胞そのものの同定としてゲノム変異に対するPCRを用いる。乳癌に高率で遺伝子変異をしているPIK3CAのexon9, 20にあるHot spotに対するmutation(1624G>A, 1633G>A, 3140A>G, 3140A>T)を識別するPCR primer probeセットをデザインした。また、ルミナール型乳 がんの再発症例で変異率が上昇しているESR1遺伝子の変異Hot spotであるリガンド結合ドメインの変異(1609T>A, 1610A>G, 1610A>C,1 613A>G )を検出するPCRもデザインした。 また、それぞれの細胞種のepigenetics markerを、公的データベースから正常細胞、癌細胞の網羅的epigeneticsデータを入手しマー カーの同定を試みた。目的の細胞種以外で完全に無メチル化でその細胞腫のみメチル化しているという特異性の高いmarkerの同定が困難であることが判明。内・外・中胚葉由来マーカーなどとの組み合わせで、計算で由来細胞のプロファイリングをする方向性が必要であることが判明した。 2018年に研究代表の所属が変更され、新所属先での研究体制を整備した。

ヒト遺伝子を標的としたshRNAライブラリーを安定発現するヒト卵巣癌細胞株を作成した。この細胞株を用いて、発現抑制によりanoikis耐性に関与する遺伝子の同定に成功し、そのひとつ、ABHD2について、機能実験を行い、シスプラチン耐性との関連を見出した。 また、発現抑制によりHoechst 33342の高い排出能をもつSide Population細胞が増加する遺伝子を同定した。この遺伝子について、発現抑制株はスフィア形成能などの幹細胞形質を獲得していることを機能実験で示した。

マウスに卵巣癌細胞を接種し、動物由来タンパクを20%含む餌を与えると、動物由来タンパクを10%含む餌や植物由来タンパクを20%含む餌を与えた場合に比して、腫瘍増殖速度が減少した。マウス血中のインシュリン濃度やIGF-1濃度は、動物由来タンパクを与えたマウスの方が植物由来タンパクを与えたマウスよりも高かった。腫瘍細胞におけるmTOR経路の活性をあらわすリン酸化4-EBP1の発現量を調べると、動物由来タンパクを与えたマウスの方が植物由来タンパクを与えたマウスよりも多かった。したがって、動物由来タンパクの摂取によって、腫瘍細胞におけるIGF-1/mTOR経路が活性化し、腫瘍細胞の増殖を促進させる。

卵巣癌において抗VEGF抗体治療抵抗性の解明は臨床的に重要であるが、マウスモデルを用いて抗VEGF抗体抵抗性には腫瘍局所の免疫抑制が関与することを見出した。抗VEGF抗体治療は腫瘍局所に骨髄由来免疫抑制性細胞(MDSCs)を誘導し、腫瘍局所のリンパ球活性を抑制していた。抗体治療により腫瘍局所に低酸素環境が惹起され、腫瘍細胞におけるGM-CSF発現が亢進し、MDSCsを腫瘍局所に誘導していることが判明した。GM-CSF経路を阻害すると、腫瘍の局所免疫が改善し、抗VEGF抗体治療抵抗性が解除されることがわかった。腫瘍免疫を標的とする、抗VEGF抗体との新規併用治療の開発が期待される。

卵巣癌においてどの症例にどの薬物療法が有用であるかを示すバイオマーカーを確立し、治療個別化を行うことが、予後改善のためには喫緊の課題である。我々は卵巣癌高異軽度漿液性癌が、遺伝子発現プロファイルにより予後の異なる４つのサブグループにわかれ、この分類方法が卵巣癌標準治療であるTC（タキサンとプラチナ）療法のそれぞれ薬剤の感受性に関連することを見出し、遺伝子発現プロファイルと相関する病理組織細分類を提唱し、背景にある腫瘍微小環境の特性を明らかにした。これらは化学療法選択の個別化治療を実践するうえで予測バイオマーカーとなりうる。

卵巣癌発生やがん進展での局所免疫状態の経時的変化、特に卵巣癌の免疫抵抗性獲得因子の探索するためにがん(抑制)遺伝子変異を組合わせた細胞株をマウスに接種し、腫瘍局所の免疫細胞を解析し有意に変化する免疫細胞サブセットを同定した。一方で、OVAを発現するマウス卵巣癌細胞株を用いて免疫抵抗性獲得遺伝子の探索を行うために免疫抵抗性獲得能を有するOVA発現株を作成し、親株との遺伝子発現解析の比較にて、複数種の免疫抑制因子遺伝子を抽出した。上述の免疫関連遺伝子を、マウス卵巣癌細胞株に強制発現し、in vitro・in vivoモデルで免疫抑制機能を再確認し、卵巣癌治療の新たな治療標的になる可能性を示した。

卵巣癌が比較的容易に治療抵抗性（化学療法耐性、少ない細胞数からの腫瘍形成能力）を獲得するのは、何らかの遺伝子発現低下が起因ではないかと仮定し、ほぼ全ゲノムを対象としたスクリーニングを行った。その結果、たった一つの遺伝子発現低下が卵巣癌の治療抵抗性獲得を起こす事を見いだした。しかもそのような遺伝子が、少なくとも6つあることも分かった。この6因子の発現低下から生じる治療抵抗性獲得には、ヘッジホッグ経路が関わる事も分かり、その阻害剤の投与で、獲得された治療抵抗性が減弱する事も分かった。これにより、難治性卵巣癌に対する新たな治療選択を探索する道が開けると期待できる。

足場非依存性増殖能は癌細胞の性質として知られているが、すべての癌細胞がこの性質を示すわけではない。今回我々は、卵巣癌細胞株OVCA420細胞を用いて、shRNAライブラリーを用いた機能ゲノミクススクリーニングを行った。その結果、ABHD2の発現抑制が、卵巣癌細胞において足場非依存性増殖能の亢進をもたらすことを見出した。また、ABHD2の発現抑制は、卵巣癌の臨床サンプルおよび細胞株において化学療法抵抗性と相関していた。この結果は、卵巣癌におけるDNA異常が、どのように癌の進展や薬剤抵抗性に関わるかを明らかにしており、新規治療法や薬剤選択のバイオマーカー開発のために有用と考えられる。

卵巣癌が宿主免疫から逃避する際に変化する複数の遺伝子について、免疫学的な機能ゲノミクススクリーニングにより探索し、複数個の遺伝子を同定した。さらにそれらの遺伝子のうち数個は、がん細胞に遺伝子導入し、免疫細胞（CD8T細胞）と共培養実験にて、免疫抑制活性を示すことから、卵巣癌に対する新たな免疫抑制メカニズムの一つの可能性であることが示唆された。今後はマウス卵巣癌モデルにて検証する予定である。

卵巣癌において最も予後不良の組織型である卵巣高異型度漿液性腺癌(High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma; HGSOC)について研究を行った。そして、HGSOCの４つの遺伝子発現サブタイプに該当する病理組織分類を樹立し、その分類とタキサン感受性との相関を示した。この結果により、HGSOCの中で、タキサンを含む化学療法レジメンのためのバイオマーカーを明らかにできる可能性がある。

1)化学療法耐性の卵巣明細胞腺癌に高発現しているHNF1βは、酸化ストレス耐性をもたらしていることが明らかになった。シスプラチンをはじめとする化学療法剤は癌細胞内の酸化ストレスを惹起するため、HNF1βによる酸化ストレス耐性が卵巣明細胞腺癌の化学療法耐性に寄与している可能性が示唆された。 2)卵巣漿液性腺癌の発現マイクロアレイ解析によって、化学療法に耐性で予後不良の癌では、免疫反応が乏しく、その背景にはMHC class1分子の欠如があることが明らかになった。 3)卵巣癌に対して化学療法を行う前と後のマイクロアレイデータの比較によって、化学療法によって免疫反応が生じることは、化学療法への感受性と関連していることが明らかとなった。 4)卵巣癌において、CD1,CD4,CD8,CD57,FOXP3,PD1がそれぞれ陽性のリンパ球数、さらに、腫瘍細胞由来の免疫抑制分子であるPD-L1,PD-L2,COX-1,COX-2,TGF-β1の発現を免療組織染色で調べて、hierarchical clusteringで分類したところ、CD4陽性リンパ球および、CD8陽性リンパ球が腫瘍内に浸潤している卵巣癌では、もっとも予後がよく、化学療法に感受性を示し、その他のタイプでは免疫抑制分子のいずれかの高発現を認めた。したがって、卵巣癌において、腫瘍細胞由来の免疫抑制分子が化学療法耐性をもたらしており、同シグナルをブロックすることで予後が改善すると期待される。

卵巣内膜症性嚢胞内の酸化ストレス環境下において卵巣明細胞腺癌が発生し、卵巣明細胞腺癌では転写因子 HNF1βが高発現していることが知られている。今回、HNF1βが卵巣明細胞腺癌細胞の酸化ストレス耐性をもたらすことが明らかとなった。さらにHNF1βは GLUT1 の発現を亢進することによって、糖の取り込みを亢進させていた。HNF1βとその下流遺伝子は、卵巣明細胞腺癌では低メチル化によって発現が亢進していた。

多分化能を発揮させる遺伝子の発現が、卵巣癌の発生や幹細胞の同定、化学療法抵抗性に関連している可能性があると考え、山中4因子の卵巣癌での発現、および卵巣癌細胞株に山中4因子を発現させることによる変化を検討した結果、卵巣未熟奇形腫の未分化な部分に山中4因子のひとつであるOCT4が発現することを見出した。 また、この研究の過程において、卵巣癌の転移に関してはTGF-b経路が重要な役割を果たしている可能性を見出した。

胎盤の組織培養より分離したextravillous trophoblast(分離EVT)を血小板と共培養することで母体血管を浸潤するendovascular EVT様の細胞への形態変化を誘導することに成功した。通常培養した分離EVTと血小板と共培養した分離EVTとの間のマイクロアレイ解析と胎盤組織の免疫染色により、MCAM(CD146)がendovascular EVTに強発現していることを見出した。

本研究では卵巣癌細胞が免疫抑制因子PD-L1を強発現している症例において有意に腹腔内に悪性細胞を認める頻度が高いことを見出し、この分子が免疫学的に腹腔内播種を促進している可能性を考えた。そこで、マウスの腹腔内播種モデルを用いて検討したところPD-L1の強制発現あるいは抑制により、CD8の癌細胞攻撃能およびマウスの腹腔内播種モデルにおける予後に有意に関連することがわかった。卵巣癌においては腹腔内の免疫環境が播種に重要であることが示された。

1)卵巣癌細胞39株および、初代培養17サンプルにDNAメチル化阻害剤を添加し、発現マイクロアレイを行うことによって、卵巣癌におけるメチル化遺伝子群を同定した。その解析から、卵巣癌において、TGF-beta経路がゲノムワイドなDNAメチル化によって制御されている事が明らかとなった。2)卵巣癌において、原発巣に比して大網播種性転移巣ではTGF-beta経路の活性が亢進していることを明らかにした。そして、マウスモデルを用いて、TGF-beta阻害剤が卵巣癌の腹膜播種性転移の治療薬になりうることを明らかにした。3)卵巣癌細胞におけるPDL-1発現は、CD8陽性Tリンパ球の活性を抑制して腫瘍免疫からのescapeをもたらし、そのことが卵巣癌の腹膜播種を促進させることを明らかにした。

卵巣明細胞腺癌のマイクロアレイデータを元に、卵巣明細胞腺癌が腎細胞癌に類似していること、さらにRas活性が亢進していることを明らかにして、腎細胞癌に用いられるマルチキナーゼ阻害剤sorafenibが卵巣明細胞腺癌に有用であることを動物実験によって示した。その結果を元に、京都大学医学部医の倫理委員会の承認を得て、化学療法耐性の卵巣明細胞腺癌再発患者へのsorafenib投与を開始した。

卵巣癌の微小環境によるシグナル分子のエピジェネティックな変化に伴い、HIF-SNAIL-E-cadherin 経路、S100A4-RhoA 経路、Hedgehog 経路、さらにTGFβ経路の活性化が、卵巣癌細胞の播種性転移を促進させることを明らかとした。さらにRhoA、Hedgehog、TGFβの各シグナル経路を阻害する低分子化合物は、卵巣癌播種性転移の治療薬となりうることを明らかにした。

卵巣癌細胞株のマイクロアレイ解析によって、明細胞腺癌を特徴づける遺伝子群を同定した。その結果、1) 卵巣明細胞腺癌を特徴づける遺伝子群には、チョコレートのう胞内の酸化ストレス環境によって上昇する遺伝子が多く含まれること、2) 明細胞腺癌は腎細胞癌と類似し、キナーゼ活性との関連が深いRas活性が高く、増殖能との関連が深いE2F活性が低いことを明らかにした。したがって、明細胞腺癌に対して、増殖をターゲットとする抗がん剤ではなく、キナーゼ活性を阻害する分子標的薬が有用と考えられた。