Department of Gynecology

Hiroshi Tanabe, Suguru Odajima, Shin Takenaka, Yuki Koike, Keiko Kamoshita

Practice/Research Activities

In April 2018, the East Hospital Department of Gynecologic Oncology adopted a regular system. During the last four years, the number of surgeries has increased gradually (107 in 2019, 173 in 2020, and 203 in 2021) (Table 1), and the registered number of cases for clinical trials have also increased. Effort is especially put into cytoreduction surgery for advanced ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneum cancer. By utilizing total parietal peritoneum excision, the ratio of surgeries with no macroscopic residual tumor (complete surgery) became about 90%. With that result, good prognosis can be expected, and we are preparing to start a prospective clinical trial using this surgery method in 2022. In addition to the current laparoscopic surgery for early stage endometrial cancer, robotic support surgery had been resumed by September 2021 with an increase in registered cases. In the East Hospital Lady’s Center, an outpatient clinic for “onco-fertility” aimed at all patients from the whole hospital was launched in 2020. Consultations regarding fertility preservation are mainly provided to AYA generation patients. With support from other institutions, embryo freezing is conducted before and after cancer treatment. In addition, risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) has become covered by insurance. Our institution is one of very few places in the Tokatsu Area that can conduct the operation, and the number of surgeries is increasing.

Table 1.

Clinical trials

JGOG3020:

A randomized clinical trial with multiple international institutions (in Japan, Korea, and China) with Tanabe as the principal investigator, “Randomized Phase III Trial of the need for adjuvant chemotherapy in stage I epithelial ovarian cancer after comprehensive staging surgery,” reached 260 cases, which is almost the goal of 300 cases.

Research activities

We presented an English research paper in “Gynecol Oncol Rep” regarding parietal peritoneal excision as a cytoreduction surgery for advanced ovarian cancer, in preparation for a Phase II Trial that will start in 2022.

Education

In 2021, the department accepted 1 resident doctor and became a provider of education to become a gynecologic medical specialist.

Future prospects

Together with increasing the number of surgeries, we would like to increase the number of gynecologic staff from 2 (in 2021) to 3 to 4, and contribute to many clinical trials in a systematic manner. In addition, we would like to accept an increasing number of resident doctors, to develop further as an education department.

Author

Hiroshi Tanabe

List of papers published

Journal

1. Yokosu K, Tanabe H, Nomura S, Ozone H, Saito M, Takano H, Okamoto A. Total parietal peritonectomy in primary debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. Gynecologic oncology reports, 37:100805, 2021