2023
Investigating the Relationship between the Dose to the Recto-Vaginal Reference Point and Vaginal Stenosis among Cervical Cancer Patients Treated at a North American Academic Institution
Adefres B, Wallington D, Tien C, Damast S. Investigating the Relationship between the Dose to the Recto-Vaginal Reference Point and Vaginal Stenosis among Cervical Cancer Patients Treated at a North American Academic Institution. International Journal Of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics 2023, 117: e501. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.1746.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVaginal stenosisDose constraintsMedian doseMultivariable Cox proportional hazards regressionCox proportional hazards regressionCohort median ageAdvanced cervical cancerInterstitial needlesKaplan-Meier methodCervical cancer patientsProportional hazards regressionLog-rank testHR-CTV D90MATERIAL/METHODSImage-guided brachytherapyNorth American academic institutionsLACC patientsPrimary endpointCumulative incidenceOnly patientsPatient demographicsMedian ageCervical cancerCancer patientsSingle institution
2022
An evaluation of prognostic factors, oncologic outcomes, and management for primary and recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva
Li JY, Arkfeld CK, Tymon-Rosario J, Webster E, Schwartz P, Damast S, Menderes G. An evaluation of prognostic factors, oncologic outcomes, and management for primary and recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. Journal Of Gynecologic Oncology 2022, 33: 0. PMID: 34910394, PMCID: PMC8899873, DOI: 10.3802/jgo.2022.33.e13.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDisease-specific survivalSquamous cell carcinomaOverall survivalPositive marginsCell carcinomaNodal involvementPrognostic factorsStage IFive-year disease-specific survivalPrimary squamous cell carcinomaRecurrent squamous cell carcinomaFive-year RFSNode-positive patientsVulvar cancer patientsEscalation of treatmentConservative surgical approachKaplan-Meier estimatesLog-rank testCox proportional hazardsLocal RFSOverall RFSAdjuvant radiotherapyDistant recurrenceFree survivalMedian survival
2021
Declining Use of Inguinofemoral Lymphadenectomy in the Treatment of Clinically Negative, Pathologic Node Positive Vulvar Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis
Mokhtech M, Gao S, Kassick M, Menderes G, Damast S. Declining Use of Inguinofemoral Lymphadenectomy in the Treatment of Clinically Negative, Pathologic Node Positive Vulvar Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis. International Journal Of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics 2021, 111: e636-e637. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.07.1687.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSentinel lymph node biopsyNational Cancer DatabaseNode-positive vulvar cancerInguinofemoral lymphadenectomyVulvar cancerOverall survivalGroin diseaseUse of SLNBNational Cancer Database AnalysisProportional hazards regression modelingVulvar cancer patientsKaplan-Meier methodLymph node biopsyRate of patientsManagement of patientsLog-rank testInitial staging procedureLymph node dataSignificant differencesWilcoxon rank sum testMATERIAL/METHODSWarrants further studyRank sum testAdjuvant chemoradiationAdjuvant radiationPrognostic impact of mismatch repair deficiency in high- and low-intermediate-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer following vaginal brachytherapy
Li JY, Park HS, Huang GS, Young MR, Ratner E, Santin A, Damast S. Prognostic impact of mismatch repair deficiency in high- and low-intermediate-risk, early-stage endometrial cancer following vaginal brachytherapy. Gynecologic Oncology 2021, 163: 557-562. PMID: 34602287, DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.09.018.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRecurrence-free survivalEndometrioid endometrial cancerVaginal brachytherapyPMMR patientsOverall survivalEEC patientsEndometrial cancerExact testThree-year recurrence-free survivalEarly-stage endometrial cancerCox proportional hazards regressionPoor recurrence-free survivalAdjuvant vaginal brachytherapyThree-year OSMultivariable Cox regressionLympho-vascular invasionSignificant prognostic variablesProportional hazards regressionLog-rank testKaplan-Meier estimatesDeficient mismatch repairMismatch repair statusFisher's exact testMismatch repair deficiencyDMMR status
2020
Stage III uterine serous carcinoma: modern trends in multimodality treatment
Li JY, Young MR, Huang G, Litkouhi B, Santin A, Schwartz PE, Damast S. Stage III uterine serous carcinoma: modern trends in multimodality treatment. Journal Of Gynecologic Oncology 2020, 31: e53. PMID: 32266802, PMCID: PMC7286763, DOI: 10.3802/jgo.2020.31.e53.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUterine serous carcinomaExternal beam RTVaginal brachytherapyOverall survivalHuman epidermal growth factor receptorModern treatment eraSentinel node samplingRegional nodal recurrenceKaplan-Meier estimatesLog-rank testCox proportional hazardsExternal beam radiotherapyEpidermal growth factor receptorERA treatmentGrowth factor receptorUSC patientsFree survivalNodal recurrenceTreatment eraMultimodality treatmentPatient characteristicsPerioperative periodRegional nodalSerous carcinomaNode sampling
2018
Extended duration of dilator use beyond 1 year may reduce vaginal stenosis after intravaginal high-dose-rate brachytherapy
Stahl JM, Qian JM, Tien CJ, Carlson DJ, Chen Z, Ratner ES, Park HS, Damast S. Extended duration of dilator use beyond 1 year may reduce vaginal stenosis after intravaginal high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Supportive Care In Cancer 2018, 27: 1425-1433. PMID: 30187220, DOI: 10.1007/s00520-018-4441-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVaginal stenosisEndometrial carcinomaMultivariable Cox proportional hazardsMultivariable Cox regression analysisVD useAcademic tertiary referral centerTertiary referral centerCox regression analysisLog-rank testCox proportional hazardsDevelopment of gradeDilator usePelvic radiotherapyReferral centerNoncompliant patientsPrimary outcomeAdjuvant brachytherapyEC patientsConclusionsThe riskRate brachytherapyProportional hazardsOptimal durationPatientsBrachytherapyStudy period
2017
Adjuvant Therapy Use and Survival in Stage II Endometrial Cancer
Lester-Coll NH, Young MR, Park HS, Ratner ES, Litkouhi B, Damast S. Adjuvant Therapy Use and Survival in Stage II Endometrial Cancer. International Journal Of Gynecological Cancer 2017, 27: 1904-1911. PMID: 28763364, DOI: 10.1097/igc.0000000000001095.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsReceipt of chemotherapyEndometrioid endometrial carcinomaNational Cancer Data BaseImproved overall survivalRole of chemotherapyOverall survivalAdjuvant chemotherapyAdjuvant treatmentStage II endometrial cancerCox proportional hazards regressionPropensity scoreAdjuvant therapy useGrade 3 diseaseStage II patientsProportional hazards regressionWorse overall survivalMultivariable logistic regressionKaplan-Meier estimatesLog-rank testAdjuvant radiotherapyExcellent prognosisLymphovascular invasionObservational cohortEEC patientsEndometrial cancer
2016
Who benefits from chemoradiation in stage III–IVA endometrial cancer? An analysis of the National Cancer Data Base
Lester-Coll NH, Park HS, Rutter CE, Corso CD, Young MR, Ratner ES, Litkouhi B, Decker RH, Yu JB, Damast S. Who benefits from chemoradiation in stage III–IVA endometrial cancer? An analysis of the National Cancer Data Base. Gynecologic Oncology 2016, 142: 54-61. PMID: 27151429, DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.04.544.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdvanced endometrial cancerImproved overall survivalNational Cancer Data BaseOverall survivalHistologic gradeEndometrial cancerCox proportional hazards regressionPropensity scoreMultivariable subgroup analysisSignificant OS benefitGrade 1 patientsProportional hazards regressionKaplan-Meier estimatesLog-rank testLack of benefitOS benefitAdjuvant therapyStage IIIAStage IVAFIGO stageAdjuvant CRTHazards regressionTumor sizeRegional radiotherapySubgroup analysis
2012
Five-year outcomes of adjuvant carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy and intravaginal radiation for stage I–II papillary serous endometrial cancer
Kiess AP, Damast S, Makker V, Kollmeier MA, Gardner GJ, Aghajanian C, Abu-Rustum NR, Barakat RR, Alektiar KM. Five-year outcomes of adjuvant carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy and intravaginal radiation for stage I–II papillary serous endometrial cancer. Gynecologic Oncology 2012, 127: 321-325. PMID: 22850412, DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2012.07.112.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAgedAged, 80 and overAntineoplastic AgentsAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsBrachytherapyCarboplatinChemoradiotherapy, AdjuvantCystadenocarcinoma, PapillaryCystadenocarcinoma, SerousDrug Administration ScheduleEndometrial NeoplasmsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansHysterectomyMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingOvariectomyPaclitaxelRetrospective StudiesSalpingectomySurvival AnalysisTreatment OutcomeConceptsCarboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapyUterine papillary serous carcinomaPaclitaxel chemotherapyStage IEarly-stage uterine papillary serous carcinomaPapillary serous endometrial cancerParaaortic lymph node samplingDistant recurrence ratesMedian patient ageStage II diseaseFive-year outcomesLymph node samplingKaplan-Meier methodOverall survival ratePapillary serous carcinomaSingle institution experienceLog-rank testSerous endometrial cancerConcurrent carboplatinMedian followPelvic radiationOmental biopsyPara-aorticPelvic recurrenceUnderwent surgery