Siriwan Tangjitgamol

Prevalence of Tissue BRCA Gene Mutation in Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Primary Peritoneal Cancers: A Multi-Institutional Study

Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer patients with BRCA gene mutation have enhanced sensitivity to platinum-based regimens and PARP inhibitors. However, the knowledge regarding BRCA mutation in Thai patients is limited. This study aimed at identifying the prevalence and characteristics of somatic and germline BRCA 1 and 2 mutations in Thai patients with these cancers. The paraffin blocks of tumors with histology of high grade serous, high grade endometrioid, or clear cell carcinoma obtained between June 2016 and December 2017 were analyzedto evaluate BRCA mutation using next-generation sequencing system. Blood or normal tissue paraffin blocks of positive patients were further tested for germline BRCA mutation. Tissue paraffin blocks of 178 patients were collected but only 139 were analyzed. Positive BRCA mutation was identified in 24 patients (17.3%): BRCA1 in 13 cases, BRCA2 in 10 cases, and BRCA1 and 2 in the rest one. Germline mutation study in blood or normal tissue in 23 positive patients revealed BRCA mutation in 14 cases, BRCA1 in 8 cases and BRCA 2  in 6 cases. Overall, the prevalence of somatic and germline mutation was 6.5% (9 out of 138 patients) and 8.7% (14 out of 138 patients), respectively. The most common histology associated with BRCA mutation was high grade serous cancer (27.3%). No significant difference was found between patients with or without BRCA mutation in terms of stage, outcome, platinum status, and survival outcome. BRCA mutation was demonstrated in less than 10% of Thai ovarian cancer patients. Higher rate of mutation was found in high grade serous cancer..

The situation of gynecological cancers in Thailand: incidence, histopathology, and survival outcomes from national cancer registry data

Cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers are the 3 main cancers of the female reproductive system. Analyzing data from the cancer registry database will help understand the situation and trends of these diseases. This study utilized data from Thailand's population-based cancer registries covering 16 provinces across 5 geographic regions between 2019 and 2021. Data collection included demographic characteristics, cancer incidence, histopathology, disease stage, and survival outcomes. Incidence rates were calculated using age-standardized rates (ASRs) per 100,000 population, and 5-year survival outcomes were compared across 2 time periods (2013-2017 vs. 2018-2022). During 2019-2021, Thailand recorded a mean annual ASR of 132.9 for females, with cervical cancer remaining the most common gynecologic cancer. The incidence of cervical cancer decreased from 19.5 per 100,000 in 1995-2000 to 10.3 per 100,000 in 2019-2021. Uterine cancer demonstrated a rising trend, from 3.6 per 100,000 in 2004-2006 to 6.1 per 100,000 in 2019-2021, while ovarian cancer incidence remained relatively stable at 5.9 per 100,000. Five-year survival rates improved significantly across all gynecologic cancers in 2018-2022 compared with 2013-2017. The hazard ratios for overall survival by stage ranged from 0.57 to 0.81 for cervical, 0.53 to 0.82 for uterine, and 0.57 to 0.81 for ovarian cancers (all p<0.05). The incidence of cervical cancer in Thailand has declined over the past 2 decades, while the burdens of uterine and ovarian cancers are increasing. Five-year survival rates have significantly improved across all gynecologic cancer types.

Practice guideline for management of endometrial cancer in Thailand: a Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society consensus statement

The Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society (TGCS) continues its efforts to elevate the standard of practice of gynecologic oncologists across all regions of Thailand. A key initiative involves collaborating with the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the National Cancer Institute, Thailand to regularly update and release clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for gynecologic cancer. The TGCS released the first CPG for endometrial cancer (EMC) in 2011. Following significant advancements in disease understanding and the major revision of EMC staging by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics in 2023, national experts collaborated to update the guideline for EMC. The key components of the CPG for EMC covered screening, diagnostic indications and methods, primary treatment including surgical approaches and procedures, pathological processes, adjuvant therapies, and the management of recurrent and advanced diseases through medical or surgical means. The guideline was based on scientific evidence, recommendations from international organizations, and the unique healthcare context of Thailand. The final version reflects a consensus reached through extensive discussions among TGCS members. To share our work with international organizations and healthcare professionals, an English version of the CPG was developed. While it mirrors the content of the Thai version, it differs in length and level of detail. The English version additionally included the level of evidence and a recommendation summary for each section, reflecting common domestic practices, available resources, and coverage under health reimbursement systems.

Risk of CIN2+ in women aged &gt;60 years with abnormal cervical cancer screening: a multicenter retrospective cohort study from the Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society research group

To study patterns of abnormal cervical cancer screening in women aged >60 years and explore the risk and predictors of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). This retrospective cohort study examined 1,596 women aged >60 years with abnormal cervical cancer screening results from eight Thai cancer centers. Those who underwent hysterectomy were excluded. Patient characteristics, previous and current cervical cancer screening results, and histopathology data were collected and analyzed. Mean age was 68.2±7.2 years. The abnormal screening results were normal cytology with positive high-risk human papillomavirus (0.9%), atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (37.7%), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (12%), atypical squamous cell cannot exclude high-grade lesion (11.7%), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (12.7%), atypical glandular cell (20.1%), squamous cell carcinoma (4.3%), and adenocarcinoma (0.7%). Risk of CIN2+ in women with abnormal screening was 17.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]=16.1-19.8); among those with available histopathology, the risk was 28.8% (95% CI=26.1-31.7). Univariable logistic regression showed that age >70 years, sexual activity within 1 year, previous abnormal/no screening, previous CIN2+ pathology, presence of symptoms, and high-grade cytology were significant predictors of CIN2+. In the multivariable analysis, lack of previous screening (adjusted odds ratio=4.05; 95% CI=1.91-8.60; p60 years should be individualized based on their risk factors, particularly for those who have never been screened.

Clinical Performance of Self-collected Specimen HPV-DNA vs Clinician- collected Specimen HPV-mRNA to Detect High-risk HPV and High-grade Cervical Lesions and Cancer

Self- collected specimens to detect high-risk (hr) HPV and high-grade cervical lesions (CIN2+) has been introduced aiming to increase cervical cancer screening coverage. The performance of self- collected specimen  compared to clinician collected specimen is one major concern. This study aimed to compare self-sampling HPV-DNA and clinician-sampling HPV-mRNA to detect hr-HPV and high-grade cervical lesions. Women with abnormal cervical cytology and/ or positive hr-HPV who attended the colposcopy clinics in 10 tertiary hospitals in Bangkok were enrolled. Self-collected specimens were evaluated for  HPV DNA using Cobas® 4800 HPV test prior to the clinician-collected specimens which were tested for HPV mRNA with APTIMA® HPV Assay. Subsequent colposcopy with biopsy was performed. The detection rates of hr-HPV from both HPV tests and their performance to detect high-grade lesions pathology were compared. Data from 497 women's specimens were analyzed. Both samplings had 86.8% concordance rate in detecting hr-HPV (Kappa 0.670; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.599-0.746, P value < 0.001). The sensitivity (95% CI) of self-collected specimen HPV DNA and clinician- collected specimen HPV-mRNA to detect high-grade lesions were 91.8% (85.4%-96.0%) and 90.2% (83.6%-94.9%) respectively. The corresponding negative predictive values (95% CI) were 91.9% (85.6%-96.0%) and 91.7% (86.0%-95.7%) respectively. HPV DNA testing from self-collected specimen to detect HR-HPV demonstrates high concordance with HPV mRNA testing from clinician-collected specimen. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of both tests to detect high-grade lesions are comparable.

Time for enhancing government-led primary prevention of cervical cancer