CD44 has recently been reported as a cancer stem cell marker in ovarian cancer. However, the clinicopathological and prognostic value of this marker in ovarian cancer remains controversial; Here, we aimed to investigate the correlation between CD44 expression and the clinicopathological features or survival of ovarian cancer patients. An extensive literature search in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Wanfang databases (up to June 1, 2016) was conducted to identify studies that assessed the clinical or prognostic significance of CD44 expression in ovarian cancer. A meta-analysis was then performed to clarify the association between CD44 expression and clinical outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. A total of 18 publications consisting of 2161 patients were included for this meta-analysis. Our data reveal that CD44-positive expression in ovarian cancers were significantly associated with a high TMN stage (pooled OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.26–3.53, P = 0.004) and poor 5-year overall survival (RR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.01–2.00, P = 0.05). However, CD44 expression was not associated with tumor grade, lymphatic metastasis, age of the patients, residual tumor size, response to chemotherapy, or ascites volume (P > 0.05). Detection of CD44 may be an effective tool for pathological diagnosis and prognostic prediction of ovarian cancer patients in clinical applications.

We investigated whether anogenital distance (AGD) is associated with adenomyosis, endometriosis and uterine leiomyomas (UL, also called uterine fibroids). We recruited 81 women with UL, 105 with ovarian endometrioma (OE), 116 with adenomyosis, 28 with both adenomyosis and UL, and 100 control subjects with other acquired gynecological conditions but not endometriosis, adenomyosis, UL, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Measurements from the anterior clitoral surface to the center of the anus (AGD_AC), from the tip of the clitoris to the center of the anus (AGD_ACt), and from the posterior fourchette to the center of the anus (AGD_AF) were made in all subjects. Multiple regression was performed to estimate the association between AGDs and presence of OE, adenomyosis, and UL while controlling for possible confounding factors. We found that, compared with controls, women with OE and adenomyosis, but not UL, had significantly shorter AGD_AF, but not AGD_AC. However, the amount of variance that could be explained by the disease status is rather moderate, suggesting that factors other than disease status, bodyweight and height were also responsible for AGD. Thus, prenatal exposure to reduced levels of androgen may increase the risk of developing endometriosis and adenomyosis. However, other factors may also contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

Adenomyosis frequently coexists with other gynecological diseases, but the full spectrum of comorbidities and malignant conditions in surgically treated pa

Surgery represents a primary treatment option in selected cases of bowel endometriosis (BE), particularly in patients with significant symptoms or those unresponsive to medical therapy, and effectively improves patients’ quality of life (QoL). This study compared postoperative clinical outcomes between conservative (shaving/disc excision) and radical (segmental resection) surgical approaches for bowel endometriosis, and provided supplementary real‑world evidence. This prospective cohort study enrolled patients who underwent surgery for bowel endometriosis between February 2023 and September 2023. A university-affiliated hospital. A total of 33 patients were initially recruited; 2 patients were lost to follow-up, and 31 patients were finally included for analysis. Patients underwent bowel lesion shaving, disc excision or segmental resection and anastomosis, with surgical strategies individualized according to disease conditions. Postoperative outcomes included complication rates, improvement in clinical symptoms, recovery of gastrointestinal function, and postoperative recurrence rate. Patients were followed up at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-surgery. Gastrointestinal function was evaluated using the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI). Consistent with previous evidence, both conservative and radical surgery yielded significant and comparable improvements in pelvic symptoms and QoL, with stable effects during the 2-year follow-up (all P >0.05). Low complication and recurrence rates were observed in both groups. Both surgical strategies achieve favorable clinical benefits for bowel endometriosis. No obvious intergroup superiority was confirmed, and surgical selection should be individualized based on lesion characteristics.