Ovarian cancer (OC), the third common gynecologic malignancy, contributes to the most cancer‐caused mortality in women. However, 70% of patients with OC are diagnosed at an advanced stage, of which the 5‐year survival is less than 30%. Long noncoding RNAs (long ncRNAs or lncRNA), a type of RNA with exceeding 200 nucleotides in length but no protein‐coding capability, have been demonstrated to involve the pathogenesis of various cancers and show considerable potential in the diagnosis of OC. In this study, we found that the LINC00909 expression in tumor and serum specimens of OC patients was elevated, determined by real‐time quantitative, and droplet digital PCR. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, our results revealed that serum LINC00909 distinguished cancers from normal ovarian tissue with 87.8% of sensitivity and 69.6% of specificity (AUC, 81.2%) and distinguished serous ovarian cancer from normal ovarian tissue with 90.0% of sensitivity and 75.9% of specificity (AUC, 84.5%). Furthermore, we observed that the tumor and serum LINC00909 level was positively associated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (reflecting patients’ performance status). Also, patients with low serum LINC00909 level showed a longer overall (hazard ratio, HR = 1.874, p = 0.0004) and progression‐free (HR = 1.656, p = 0.0017) survival. Functional assays indicated that the elevation of LINC00909 expression contributes to cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capability of ovarian cancer cells. Besides, we demonstrated that LINC00909 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of MRC2 mRNA by sponging miR‐23‐3p, and thereby promotes epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, we highlight that the LINC00909/miR‐23b‐3p/MRC2 axis is implicated in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer, and serum LINC00909 may be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of OC.

Deng T, et al. J Gynecol Oncol. 2023 Apr;34:e52. https://doi.org/10.3802/jgo.2023.34.e52

Gynecological malignancies, particularly lymph node metastasis, have presented a diagnostic challenge, even with traditional imaging techniques such as CT, MRI, and PET/CT. This study was conceived to explore and, subsequently, to bridge this diagnostic gap through a more holistic and innovative approach. By developing a comprehensive framework that integrates both non-image data and detailed MRI image analyses, this study harnessed the capabilities of a multimodal federated-learning model. Employing a composite neural network within a federated-learning environment, this study adeptly merged diverse data sources to enhance prediction accuracy. This was further complemented by a sophisticated deep convolutional neural network with an enhanced U-NET architecture for meticulous MRI image processing. Traditional imaging yielded sensitivities ranging from 32.63% to 57.69%. In contrast, the federated-learning model, without incorporating image data, achieved an impressive sensitivity of approximately 0.9231, which soared to 0.9412 with the integration of MRI data. Such advancements underscore the significant potential of this approach, suggesting that federated learning, especially when combined with MRI assessment data, can revolutionize lymph-node-metastasis detection in gynecological malignancies. This paves the way for more precise patient care, potentially transforming the current diagnostic paradigm and resulting in improved patient outcomes.

Adhesion is a postoperative complication that has plagued gynecologists for many years, as 60–90% of gynecological patients develop adhesions after abdominopelvic surgeries. Abdominopelvic adhesions could lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, intestinal obstruction, and complicated reoperations. Adhesions might also increase the risk of postoperative chemoradiotherapy failure and endanger patients’ lives, especially after surgeries for gynecological malignant tumors. The aim of this consensus was to review the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of adhesions and to summarize various surgical procedures and preventive measures that can reduce the occurrence of adhesions after gynecological tumor surgeries based on a discussion among well-known domestic gynecology specialists.