In The Know-July 2025

July 2025
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The July 2025 issue of "Ed’s List: In The Know" reviews key recent literature in gynecologic oncology, highlighting advances in diagnosis, treatment, and cancer biology of gynecologic cancers.<br /><br />Significant findings include:<br /><br />1. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy without systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy is shown safe and effective for early-stage cervical cancer (SENTIX trial), reducing surgical morbidity without increasing recurrence risk.<br /><br />2. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA can be detected on red blood cells in cervical cancer patients, suggesting a novel minimally invasive blood-based screening method.<br /><br />3. A retrospective study in recurrent adult-type granulosa cell tumors found no survival advantage for open versus minimally invasive cytoreductive surgery, supporting the use of minimally invasive approaches in selected patients.<br /><br />4. Studies on ovarian cancer reveal immune landscape changes in recurrent tumors, highlighting BRCA status–dependent immune regulation and suggesting novel immunotherapy targets.<br /><br />5. PARP inhibitors, while effective against ovarian cancer, also cause DNA damage in T cells, reducing efficacy; engineering T cells to tolerate PARP inhibitors improves combined immunotherapy outcomes.<br /><br />6. In advanced ovarian cancer, high use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in high-volume centers correlates with lower surgical mortality and improved long-term survival.<br /><br />7. Machine learning applied to ultrasound images improves endometrial cancer detection in postmenopausal women, outperforming traditional methods.<br /><br />8. Research on RAD51C variants clarifies functional defects relevant to homologous recombination and replication, aiding pathogenicity classification and treatment decisions.<br /><br />9. Whole-genome doubling is an ongoing mutational process in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, promoting tumor evolution and immune evasion.<br /><br />10. Rising cervical cancer incidence among Canadian women aged 35-54 highlights a prevention gap, prompting calls for targeted interventions.<br /><br />11. G-quadruplex DNA structures regulate transcriptional reprogramming in drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells, representing a promising therapeutic target.<br /><br />12. Loss of SMARCA4 in small cell carcinoma of the ovary leads to intron retention generating tumor-associated antigens that may activate T cells, opening novel immunotherapy avenues.<br /><br />13. Methods to reliably estimate genetic ancestry from tumor-derived RNA sequencing data facilitate research when germline samples are unavailable.<br /><br />14. Rigosertib, a RAS mimetic, combined with PI3K/mTOR inhibition, shows efficacy against ovarian cancer in preclinical models.<br /><br />15. A systematic study in sub-Saharan Africa found 14-24% of sampled anticancer drugs failed quality assays, underscoring the need for improved regulation.<br /><br />16. HPV infection patterns in women aged ≥65 in China differ from younger women, supporting the need for continued cervical cancer screening beyond age 65.<br /><br />17. Mutations in PPP2R1A correlate with improved survival after immune checkpoint blockade therapy, suggesting a novel biomarker and therapeutic target.<br /><br />Collectively, these studies highlight advances in surgical techniques, molecular diagnostics, immunotherapy strategies, and cancer biology, advancing care and personalized treatment in gynecologic oncology.
Keywords
gynecologic oncology
sentinel lymph node biopsy
cervical cancer
human papillomavirus
minimally invasive surgery
ovarian cancer
immunotherapy
PARP inhibitors
machine learning in cancer detection
genetic ancestry estimation