IJGC Podcast

Mentor’s Podcast: Dennis Chi

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Dennis Chi. Dr. Chi is the incumbent of the Ronald O. Perelman Chair in Gynecologic Surgery, Deputy Chief of the Gynecology Service, and Head of Ovarian Cancer Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).  He has been a faculty member at MSKCC since graduating from fellowship there in 1997.
 
Highlights: Dr. Chi discusses the evolution of gynecologic surgery and the current state of the field, talks about finding a niche in the planning of one’s career, and outlines difficulties in planning a surgical trial along with ways to overcome them.

FIGO Endometrial Staging 2023 with Mario M. Leitao, Jr. and Andreas Obermair

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Drs. Mario Leitao and Andreas Obermair to discuss FIGO endometrial staging. Dr. Mario Leitao is currently an Attending Surgeon in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He currently serves as Program Director for the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship. Dr. Leitao is also the Director for the Minimal Access and Robotic Surgery Program in the Department of Surgery for MSKCC. Dr. Andreas Obermair is an active gynaecological oncologist in public and private practice and a Professor of Gynaecological Oncology at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He leads the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer Research to achieve less invasive and more effective treatments for gynaecological cancer.
 
Highlights:
The new FIGO (staging) system is no longer a staging system to determine the extent of endometrial cancer
Histology and other prognostic factors should not be part of a staging system
We need much more investigation and validation before we can apply a molecular classification to the care of our patients and then it should not be part of a staging system
An international staging system is likely best if kept reproducible, and if it can be applied worldwide
There is poor correlation now with this new system and the AJCC TNM system

ESGO/ESTRO Quality Indicators for Radiation Therapy for Cervical Cancer – with Cyrus Chargari and Christina Fotopoulou

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Drs. Cyrus Chargari and Christina Fotopoulou to discuss the ESGO/ESTRO quality indicators for radiation therapy for cervical cancer. Dr. Chargari is a radiation oncologist at Pitié Salpêtrière University Hospital – Sorbonne University, Paris, France. He is full professor of oncology and serves as the Secretary-General of the French Society of Radiation Oncology. He is an active member of ESTRO. Dr. Fotopoulou is the Chair of Gynaecological Cancer Surgery at the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, UK. She has served as an elected ESGO council member and Chair of the ESGO and BGCS guidelines committee.
 
Highlights:
Multidisciplinary quality indicators jointly with ESGO and ESTRO about the radiotherapeutic management of cervical cancer.
The objective was to provide practitioners and administrators with quantifiable metrics for enhancing clinical care and organizational processes, particularly considering the complexities of modern radiotherapy techniques.
The indicators were established through a combination of scientific evidence and expert consensus.
The development process involved literature review, expert meetings, validation, and external review by clinicians.
The resulting set of 19 indicators covers pre-treatment, treatment, and outcomes, and aims to standardize radiation therapy quality, with the next step being the accreditation of centers for cervical cancer management in the quality assurance process.

Reviewing the September Issue with Giuseppe Caruso and Luigi De Vitis

In this episode of the IJGC Podcast, Editorial Fellows, Giuseppe Caruso and Luigi De Vitis, discuss the contents of the September issue of IJGC.

Low Grade Ovarian Cancer: The Expert Consensus,’ with Drs. Rachel Grisham, David Gershenson, and Brian Slomovitz

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Drs. Rachel Grisham, David Gershenson, and Brian Slomovitz to discuss "Low Grade Ovarian Cancer: The Expert Consensus".  
Highlights:  
A panel of experts convened in October 2022 to discuss recent scientific and clinical progress, resulting in a consensus document that provides recommendations for diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing research to improve patient care of low-grade serous ovarian cancer. 
Alterations affecting the MAPK pathway are frequent in low-grade serous ovarian cancer and provide prognostic information. 
Recent advances in the use of targeted therapy (in particular with novel MEK inhibitor and endocrine therapy regimens) have led to unprecedented response rates in patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

IJGC EiC Summer Podcasts: RUBY Trial with Mansoor Raza Mirza

In this rebroadcasted episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Mansoor Raza Mirza to discuss the RUBY Trial. Dr. Mirza is a highly qualified medical oncologist with expertise in Medical and Radiation Oncology, holding multiple degrees and licenses in these fields. He currently serves as the Chief Oncologist at the Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, and holds the position of Medical Director of the Nordic Society of Gynaecologic Oncology-Clinical Trial Unit (NSGO-CTU). Dr. Mirza is actively involved in numerous medical societies, clinical research, and international trial collaborations, and has contributed significantly to the development of clinical protocols and guidelines for the management of various cancers.
 
Highlights:
The phase 3 RUBY trial evaluated the combination of dostarlimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, with carboplatin and paclitaxel versus placebo, carboplatin, and paclitaxel in patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
Interim analysis of the trial showed improved progression-free survival (PFS) in the population with mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer. The 2-year PFS rate in the dMMR population was 61.4%, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.28. Some patients treated with the dostarlimab combination showed no disease progression after 12 months of follow-up, suggesting potential cure.
The dostarlimab combination also demonstrated a trend toward overall survival (OS) improvement in both the dMMR and mismatch repair–proficient (pMMR) subgroups. However, the OS data are still immature, and further follow-up is needed to determine the efficacy of the treatment.
 

IJGC EiC Summer Podcasts: ESGO-ESTRO-ESP Guidelines for Cervical Cancer 2023 with David Cibula

In this rebroadcasted episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. David Cibula to discuss the 2023 ESGO-ESTRO-ESP Guidelines for Cervical Cancer. Dr. Cibula is the Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the General Faculty Hospital in Prague, Professor at the First Medical Faculty of the Charles University, Chair of the Central and Eastern European Gynaecologic Oncology Group (CEEGOG), member of the Strategic group of the ENGOT (European Network for Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups) as well as a Former ESGO president.
Highlights:
Multidisciplinary clinical practice guidelines developed jointly by ESGO/ESTRO/ESP in the field of gynaecological oncology, radiation oncology and pathology.
Guidelines cover the management of all stages of cervical cancer, including separate sections dedicated to pathology reporting and management in pregnancy.
The guidelines include recommendations, algorithms, and summaries of recent evidence published as supplements.

IJGC EiC Summer Podcasts: SHAPE Trial with Marie Plante

 In this rebroadcasted episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Marie Plante to discuss the SHAPE trial. Dr. Plante has a major interest in minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approaches in the treatment of gynecologic cancers and in fertility-preserving surgery for young women with cervical cancer. She is currently leading two important international trials the SHAPE trial and the Contessa trial. 
 
Highlights:
In low-risk cervical cancer, simple hysterectomy was not inferior to radical hysterectomy.
There was no difference in overall adverse events between simple and radical hysterectomy.
Better quality of life and sexual function was documented with simple hysterectomy compared to radical hysterectomy.

The STATICE Trial with Tadaaki Nishikawa

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez is joined by Dr. Tadaaki Nishikawa to discuss the STATICE trial. Dr. Nishikawa worked as a gynecological oncologist for half his career and is currently working as a medical oncologist at National Cancer Center Japan. He focuses on developing new agents for GY cancers.
Highlights:
Trastuzumab deruxtecan demonstrated clinical activity in previously treated patients with advanced or recurrent uterine carcinosarcoma regardless of HER2 status in the STATICE trial.
The overall response rates were 54.5% in the HER2-high (2+ or 3+) cohort and 70% in the HER2-low (1+) cohort, respectively.
Adverse events ≥ grade 3 occurred in 61% of patients and pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease of grades 1-2 and 3 occurred in 24% and 3% of patients, respectively.
We performed a co-clinical study of trastuzumab deruxtecan using patient-derived xenograft models of participants in the STATICE trial.
Tumor shrinkage after trastuzumab deruxtecan administration was observed in PDX models which included two patients enrolled in the STATICE trial.

Reviewing the August Issue with Jorge Hoegl and Guido Rey Valzacchi

In this episode of the IJGC Podcast, Editorial Fellows, Jorge Hoegl and Guido Rey Valzacchi, discuss the contents of the August issue of IJGC