Giulia Capanna

(1) Background: The number of adnexal masses detected during pregnancy has increased due to the use of first-trimester screening and increasingly advanced maternal age. Despite their low risk of malignancy, other risks associated with these masses include torsion, rupture and labor obstruction. Correct diagnosis and management are needed to guarantee both maternal and fetal safety. Adnexal masses may be troublesome to classify during pregnancy due to the increased volume of the uterus and pregnancy-related hormonal changes. Management should be based on ultrasound examination to provide the best treatment. The aim of this study was to describe the ultrasound features of ovarian masses detected during pregnancy and to optimize and personalize their management with the expertise of gynecologists, oncologists and sonographers. (2) Methods: Clinical, ultrasound, histological parameters and type of management (surveillance vs. surgery) were retrospectively retrieved. Patient management, perinatal outcomes and follow-up were also evaluated. (3) Results: according to the literature, these masses are most frequently benign, ultrasound follow-up is the best management, and obstetric outcomes are not considerably influenced by the presence of adnexal masses. (4) Conclusions: the management of patients with ovarian masses detected during pregnancy should be based on ultrasound examination, and a centralization in referral centers for ovarian masses should be considered.

(1) Background: adnexal masses during pregnancy detection are increased due to the use of first trimester screening and to advanced maternal age. Although the low risk of malignancy, other risks are associated: torsion, rupture or labour obstruction. Correct diagnosis and management are fundamental to guarantee both maternal and fetal safety. Adnexal masses may be troublesome to classify during pregnancy due to the increase in the uterus volume and to pregnancy-related hormonal changes. Management should be based on ultrasound examination to provide the best treatment. (2) Methods: the aim was to describe the ultrasound features of ovarian masses detected during pregnancy. We evaluated patient’s management, perinatal outcomes and follow-up. (3) Results: our study demonstrated that the management should be guided by an accurate ultrasound examination performed by an expert operator according to standardized techniques. Secondly, our results confirm the data present in the literature: the masses are most frequently benign, ultrasound follow-up is the best management strategy and obstetric outcome is not considerably affected. (4) Conclusions: the management of patients with ovarian masses detected during pregnancy should be based on ultrasound examination and a centralization in referral centers for ovarian masses should be considered.

We report the case of a tertiary cytoreductive surgery for isolated lymph-node recurrence (ILNR) in a 54-years old Brest cancer 2 (BRCA 2) mutated patients, with a personal history of ovarian cancer previously treated elsewhere. She was admitted to our department for a suspected isolated lymph-nodal pelvic recurrence. A positron emission tomography acquisition with contrast enhanced computed tomography (PET-CT) scan revealed an increased node at the level of the right external iliac (SUV 6.9) in correspondence with the obturator nerve, which was confirmed by transvaginal ultrasound. Since the recurrence was in a single site and the patient had previously undergone three lines of chemotherapy and maintenance with Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, we decided to perform tertiary cytoreductive surgery by minimally invasive laparoscopic approach. After gradual and careful isolation of the obturator nerve, lumbo-sacral trunk and venous vessels afferent to the external and internal iliac vein, the suspected node has been removed. No intra- and postoperative complications occurred. The patient was discharged three days after procedure. We decided to quarterly follow-up; actually, after 16 months no recurrence was detected. Several studies have reported ILNR as a unique clinical disease with low growth rate and less chemosensitivity; this can lead to considered ILNR more susceptible to take advantage of surgical treatment, even in case of second or third recurrence. The BRCA mutational status seems to play a role in the decision-making process in the approach to patients with platinum sensitive relapse of ovarian cancer or in specific isolated forms of recurrence such as the hepatic one. However, data on frequency and prognostic impact of BRCA gene mutation in ILNR are very limited. In this article we investigated the role of BRCA 1 or 2 mutational status in this rare pattern of recurrence according to more recent advances in literature.