PurposeThe aim of the study was to evaluate the health economics of nurse-led telephone follow-up contacts (TFUs) within six weeks after benign hysterectomy in a societal perspective, using a cost minimization analysis model.MethodsA randomized, single-blinded, controlled, Swedish multicenter study comprising 487 women undergoing benign hysterectomy. The women were allocated 1:1:1:1 to either Group A (no TFUs), Group B (one clinically structured TFU the day after discharge), Group C (as B, but with additional TFUs once weekly for six weeks, in total six TFUs), or Group D (as C, but by applying a coaching technique). Time consumption for planned TFUs, informal care, and the number of unplanned telephone contacts and visits were recorded. Costs were assessed using a cost-per-patient price list for Link & ouml;ping University Hospital.ResultsThe total cost per patient more than doubled in the groups with repeated TFUs (Groups C and D) compared with no TFUs (Group A). Group D demonstrated fewer unplanned telephone contacts and lower informal care costs. Group B, with only one TFU, exhibited the highest time consumption for TFU. The additional costs of six TFUs, with or without coaching, substantially increased the costs. The coaching TFU group (Group D) had the lowest cost for informal care.ConclusionTFUs appeared to be costly and an inefficient way of using healthcare resources after benign hysterectomy. The coaching TFU seemed to reduce unplanned telephone contacts and lower informal care costs. Careful consideration of the costs and the impact on clinical outcomes is important before implementing TFU after surgery.Trial registrationThis study is registered retrospectively in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01526668 on January 27, 2012. Date of enrollment of first patient: October 11; 2011.

Objective: Although rare, malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) account for 70 % of ovarian malignancies in women younger than 30 years. Given the rarity of MOGCTs and the limited population-based data, this study aims to examine national treatment patterns and survival in women with MOGCTs, with a focus on fertility-sparing surgery.

Methods: This nationwide population-based study included all women (≥18 years) diagnosed with MOGCTs 2008-2022 in the Swedish Quality Register for Gynecologic Cancer. Main outcome was 5- and 10-year survival. Cox proportional regression models were used in univariable and adjusted survival analyses.

Results: The study population included 184 women: 43 with dysgerminomas and 141 with non-dysgerminomas (including 59 immature teratomas, 33 teratomas with malignant transformation, 27 yolk sac tumors, and 22 other subtypes). All but one of the women underwent primary surgery; 54 % had fertility-sparing surgery, and no residual disease was achieved in 89 %. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 53 %. During a median follow-up of 5.6 years (range 0.1-15 years), 18 women died. No deaths occurred in women with fertility-sparing surgery. Ten-year relative survival was 95 % (95 % CI 88-103) and overall survival 88 % (95 % CI 82-93). Older age at diagnosis was associated with poorer survival (per year: HR 1.09, 95 % CI 1.05-1.14, p < 0.001), as was FIGO stage IV versus stage I (HR 58, 95 % CI 13-265, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: MOGCTs had excellent survival outcomes in this nationwide population-based study, and fertility-sparing surgery was deemed safe. Future efforts should focus on improving outcomes in older women and those with stage IV disease.

Introduction: The primary aim was to determine the occurrence of lymph ascites 4-6 weeks after surgery for endometrial cancer. Secondary aims were to assess risk factors for lymph ascites and the association with lymphedema of the legs. Material and Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of an observational prospective multicenter study, performed in 14 Swedish hospitals that included 235 women undergoing surgery for early-stage endometrial cancer between June 2014 and January 2018; 116 underwent surgery including pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy and 119 had surgery without lymphadenectomy. Lymph ascites (free intraabdominal fluid or encapsulated pelvic or para-aortic fluid) was assessed by vaginal ultrasound 4-6 weeks postoperatively. Lymphedema was assessed using circumferential measurements of the legs preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively, enabling estimation of leg volume. A BMI-standardized leg volume increase &gt;= 10% was classified as lymphedema. Evaluation of risk factors was performed using multiple logistic regression. Results: Lymph ascites 4-6-weeks postoperatively occurred in 28.5% (67/235) of the women. The estimated volume of the lymph ascites in these women was mean 28 mL (standard deviation 48 mL) and median 14 mL (interquartile range 2-36 mL). Lymphadenectomy was a risk factor for lymph ascites (aOR 9.97; 95% CI 4.53-21.97) whereas the use of minimally invasive surgery (aOR 0.50; 95% CI 0.25-0.99) reduced the risk. Twenty-two of 231 women (9.5%) developed lymphedema of the legs 1 year after surgery. The presence of lymph ascites was predictive of lymphedema (aOR 3.90; 95% CI 1.52-9.96). Conclusions: Lymph ascites was common 4-6 weeks after surgery but in a low and clinically insignificant volume. Lymphadenectomy was a strong risk factor for lymph ascites and the use of minimally invasive surgery seemed to reduce the risk. Detection of lymph ascites at early postoperative follow-up may be a means of selecting patients at high risk of developing lymphedema after treatment with endometrial cancer for preventive measures against lymphedema progression.

Introduction: Vulvar cancer may cause serious local symptoms that may impact negatively on the woman's health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, knowledge about the prevalence of vulvar and lymphedema symptoms at diagnosis and during follow-up is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal development of vulvar and lymphedema symptoms as well as the trajectory of HRQOL in women with vulvar cancer. Furthermore, associations between vulvar symptoms and HRQOL were investigated. Material and methods: In this nationwide prospective cohort study, women completed validated patient-reported outcome measures; the EORTC-QLQ C30 and the EORTC-QLQ-VU34 at diagnosis, three, and 12 months post-treatment. Mean scores of symptom- and functioning scales were calculated over time. Heatmaps were used to visualize proportional changes in the prevalence of symptoms at baseline and 12 months after treatment. Linear mixed-effects models with patient-specific random intercepts were specified to estimate changes in mean scores of HRQOL over time. Additionally, adjusted linear mixed-effects models were applied to investigate the effect of the most prevalent vulvar symptom on HRQOL. The study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04152512). Results: Between 2019 and 2021, 153 women consented to participate in the study, and 140 (92%) completed the patient-reported outcome measures at least once. In total, 105 (69%) completed the patient-reported outcome measures at all three time points. The most prevalent reported symptom was itchy, irritated skin in the vulva, which decreased from 82% at diagnosis to 56% 12 months after treatment. All vulvar symptoms, except narrowing of the vaginal entrance, improved over time but persisted in large proportions of the women. Women with severe vulvar symptoms reported a significant decline in HRQOL. A deterioration of leg swelling symptoms was reported by 33% of the women. Emotional-, role-, social-, and cognitive functioning, global and mental health improved significantly after treatment. Conclusion: Local vulvar symptoms were highly prevalent at diagnosis; however, as most aspects of HRQOL, they improved significantly during the first year of follow-up. Severe vulvar symptoms were associated with impaired HRQOL. Symptoms of leg lymphedema increased after treatment. (c) 2025 The Authors. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG).

IntroductionPopulation-based registers provide an important source of real-world data. The growing number of large cohort studies using data from cancer registers makes validation of such registers important. The Swedish Quality Register of Gynecologic Cancer (SQRGC) is a nationwide population-based register containing data on patient and tumor characteristics, treatment, and follow-up. To ensure that the results from research and quality assurance reports using SQRGC data are robust and reliable, the accuracy and completeness of the register need to be validated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of data on cervical cancer and vulvar cancer in the SQRGC.Material and MethodsQuality of data in the SQRGC was investigated by evaluating completeness, timeliness, comparability, and validity in accordance with recommendations from the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the national Swedish guidelines on validation of cancer registers. Completeness was evaluated by coverage relative to the Swedish National Cancer Register, and timeliness as the time from diagnosis until entry into the SQRGC. We randomly selected 276 women diagnosed with cervical cancer (n = 138) and vulvar cancer (n = 138) between 2014 and 2019 for validation. An external monitor manually re-abstracted data on 10 core variables per sub-register from the patients' medical records. Comparability was assessed by reviewing the adherence to international standards regarding coding. Validity was evaluated by the agreement between re-abstracted data and original data in the SQRGC. Correlations were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa coefficient.ResultsFor cervical cancer, the completeness was 99% and the timeliness was 87.1% within 12 months. The corresponding figures for vulvar cancer were 100% and 87.9%, respectively. Adherence to international coding standards was satisfactory. The median degree of agreement between re-abstracted data and data in the SQRGC was 90.8% (range 73.2%-100%) for cervical cancer, and 85.4% (range 59.6%-98.2%) for vulvar cancer.ConclusionsThe data on cervical and vulvar cancer in the SQRGC are of adequate quality and may well be used for research and clinical purposes.

Objectives: To determine whether intrathecal morphine (ITM) analgesia in abdominal surgery for presumed gynecological malignancy was associated with better self-reported sleep quality postoperatively compared with epidural analgesia (EDA), and to evaluate risk factors for bad sleep quality. Methods: A secondary analysis of a randomized open controlled trial, comparing ITM and EDA as postoperative analgesia in 80 women undergoing laparotomy under general anaesthesia in an enhanced recovery after surgery framework. A total of 38 women allocated to ITM and 39 to EDA completed the study. The Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire assessed symptoms and sleep quality during the first postoperative week. Multiple logistic regression models evaluated risk factors. The results are presented as adjusted odds ratios with 95% CIs. Results: The sleep quality night-by-night did not differ significantly between the women who had ITM or EDA. Risk factors for bad sleep quality for night 1 were age (0.91; 0.84–0.99), operation time (1.02; 1.00–1.03), and opioid consumption (0.96; 0.91–0.99). For night 2, regular use of hypnotics preoperatively (15.81; 1.52–164.27) and opioid consumption (1.07; 1.00–1.14) were independent risk factors for bad sleep. After the second night, no risk factors were disclosed. Conclusions: ITM and EDA did not appear to affect the sleep quality postoperatively differently in women undergoing laparotomy for presumed gynecological malignancy. Risk factors for self-reported bad sleep quality varied during the first 3 days after surgery. Younger age, longer operation time, and preoperative use of hypnotics were associated with bad sleep quality, whereas the effect of opioid consumption on sleep quality varied depending on the time since surgery. These findings merit further studies. © 2023 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada

Background: Tinzaparin, a low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH), has shown anti-neoplastic properties in animal models and in in vitro studies of human cancer cell lines. The reduction of CA-125 levels during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) co-varies with the prognosis; the larger the decrease in CA-125, the better the prognosis.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the potential anti-neoplastic effects of tinzaparin by investigating changes in serum CA-125 levels in advanced EOC patients who receive NACT.

Material and methods: This is an open randomized multicenter pilot trial. Forty patients with EOC selected to receive NACT will be randomized 1:1 to receive daily addition of tinzaparin or no tinzaparin. The processing and treatment of the patients will otherwise follow the recommendations in the Swedish National Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer. Before every cycle of chemotherapy, preoperatively, and 3 weeks after the last cycle of chemotherapy, a panel of biomarkers, including CA-125, will be measured.

Patients: Inclusion criteria are women aged 18 years or older, World Health Organization performance status 0–1, histologically confirmed high-grade serous, endometrioid or clear cell EOC, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages III-IV. In addition, a CA-125 level of ≥ 250 kIE/L at diagnosis. Exclusion criteria are contraindications to LMWH, ongoing or recent treatment with unfractionated heparin, LMWH, warfarin or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants.

Interpretation: This study will make an important contribution to the knowledge of the anti-neoplastic effects of tinzaparin in EOC patients and may thus guide the planning of a future study on the impact of tinzaparin on survival in EOC. 

Purpose The study aimed to determine if planned telephone follow-up, especially when adding structured, oriented coaching, reduces the intensity of postoperative symptoms and decreases analgesics consumption after benign hysterectomy. Methods A randomized, single-blinded, four-armed, controlled multicenter trial of 525 women scheduled for hysterectomy was conducted in 5 hospitals in the southeast health region of Sweden. The women were allocated 1:1:1:1 into four follow-up models: (A) no telephone follow-up (control group); (B) one planned, structured, telephone follow-up the day after discharge; (C) as B but with additional telephone follow-up once weekly for 6 weeks; and (D) as C but with oriented coaching telephone follow-up on all occasions. Postoperative symptoms were assessed using the Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire. Analgesic consumption was registered. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were registered during the 6 weeks of follow-up. Results In total, 487 women completed the study. Neither pain intensity, nor symptom sum score or analgesic consumption differed between the intervention groups. Altogether, 224 (46.0%) women had unplanned telephone contacts and 203 (41.7%) had unplanned visits. Independent of intervention, the women with unplanned telephone contacts had higher pain intensity and symptom sum scores, particularly if an unplanned telephone contact was followed by a visit, or an unplanned visit was preceded by an unplanned telephone contact. Conclusion Telephone follow-up did not seem to affect recovery regarding symptoms or analgesic consumption after benign hysterectomy in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) setting. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were associated with more postoperative symptoms, especially pain. Trial registration The study is registered in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01526668 retrospectively from January 27; 2012. Date of enrolment of first patient: October 11; 2011.

Introduction The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence of patient-reported pain 1 year after hysterectomy for benign gynecological conditions in relation to occurrence of preoperative pain. The secondary aim was to analyze clinical risk factors for pain 1 year after the hysterectomy in women with and without preoperatively reported pelvic/lower abdominal pain. Material and methods This was a historical cohort study using data from the Swedish National Quality Registry for Gynecological Surgery on 16 694 benign hysterectomies. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results One year after surgery, 22.4% of women with preoperative pain reported pelvic pain and 7.8% reported de novo pelvic pain. For those with preoperative pain younger age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38-2.23 and aOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34 for women aged &lt;35 and 35-44 years, respectively), not being gainfully employed (aOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.26-1.63), pelvic pain as the main symptom leading to hysterectomy (aOR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19-1.90), endometriosis (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06-1.31), and laparoscopic hysterectomy (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.58), were clinically relevant independent risk factors for pelvic/lower abdominal pain 1 year after surgery, as were postoperative complications within 8 weeks after discharge. Meanwhile, clinically relevant independent risk factors for reporting de novo pain 1 year after surgery were younger age (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.08-3.86 and aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.04-1.60 for women aged &lt;35 and 35-44 years, respectively), and postoperative complications within 8 weeks after discharge. Conclusions The incidence of pelvic pain and de novo pain 1 year after hysterectomy was relatively high. Women with and without reported preoperative pelvic/lower abdominal pain represented clinically different populations. The risk factors for pelvic pain seemed to differ in these two populations. The differences in risk factors could be taken into consideration in the preoperative counseling and in the decision-making concerning method of hysterectomy, provided that large well-designed studies confirm these risk factors.

Background: Research focusing on patients’ perceptions of the quality of gynecological cancer care is needed.

Objective: To adapt the Quality from the Patient’s Perspective instrument for use in gynecological cancer care (QPP-GynCa) and describe patients’ perceptions of their quality of care in terms of the care received and the subjective importance of the aspects of care.

Methods: A cross-sectional study 6–8 months after diagnosis was conducted, involving 1511 patients (response rate of 50.4%) included in the Swedish quality registry for gynecologic cancer.

Results: The exploratory factor analysis (n = 1431) resulted in the QPP-GynCa with a 5-factor structure and an eigenvalue of ≥1, explaining 73.1% of the total scale variance. The final 27-item version of the QPP-GynCa consisted of 18 items with 8 additional single items and 1 global single item. The Cronbach’s alpha was acceptable for most factors (>.80). Subjective importance scores were higher than corresponding quality of care scores for care received (P ≤ .01)in all dimensions, factors, and items.

Conclusions: The QPP-GynCa instrument reflects all 4 dimensions of the theoretical model of quality of care and achieved good validity as a reliable instrument in assessing the quality of gynecological cancer care.

Implication for Practice: Information related to self-care, aspects of sexuality, and reducing patient waiting times need improvement.

What Is Foundational: This study contributes to a better understanding of quality of gynecological cancer treatment and care. The validated QPP-GynCa instrument will be a platform for more research on how this group of patients experience their received care, as well as importance of each aspect of care.