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e15562 Background: CC is the leading cause of cancer death among women in developing countries. ERCC1 protein participates in DNA repair through the nucleotide excision repair pathway, involved in resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy. Its value as a predictive marker of tumor response to treatment, progression or death is still unknown. We evaluated ERCC1 protein expression and clinical variables as a predictive marker of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) with CC submitted to CR. Methods: Retrospective data analysis of pts with histological diagnosis of CC, treated with CR between 2004-2009. Platinum-based chemotherapy was administered weekly (x6) concurrent to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to the pelvis (39.6 – 45.0 Gy), parametrial boost (14.0 – 20.0 Gy) when indicated and high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) (28.0 – 30.0 Gy). ERCC1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: We analyzed 75 pts, median age was 55 years (range 24-76), the performance status (PS) was 0 or 1 at baseline in 50 pts (66%) and 63 had squamous histology (84%). Thirty-two were stage IIB (43%) and 19 were IIIB (25%). Sixty-five patients received cisplatin 40mg/m2/w (87%) and 9, carboplatin AUC2/w (12%), median of 6 cycles (range 2-9). Median RT and HDR doses were 59.4 Gy (range 40.4 to 60.3) and 28.0 Gy (range 14.0 – 37.5), respectively. Thirty-two pts were available by ERCC1 IHC and all expressed the marker. Median PFS and OS were 35.5 (95% CI – 13.8 - 57.6) and 81 (95% CI- 21.2 - 140.8) months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, receiving < 6 chemotherapy cycles and baseline Hb <10.0 were correlated with disease progression and death, HR 0.302; p 0.011 (95% CI- 0.012-0.762) and HR 0.6; p 0.00 (95% CI- 0.474 – 0.760), respectively. PS at baseline did not correlate with PFS or OS, HR 0.985; p 0.614 (95% CI 0.930 – 1.044). Conclusions: In this population, since all pts expressed the protein, ERCC1 expression couldn't discriminate patients who most benefit from CR. Interestingly, a minimum of 6 chemotherapy cycles and a baseline Hb ≥ 10.0 seem to have a prognostic value.

A study of Chlamydia trachomatis was conducted in 5270 subjects seen at clinics of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at La Sapienza University in Rome, the S. Anna Hospital in Turin, and the Provincial Maternity Hospital Institute in Milan. In these areas, C. trachomatis was present in 5.8% of the cases examined; in addition it was present with statistically significant frequencies in cases of salpingitis (49.1) and epididymitis (21.7). It may also be found in cases of extrauterine pregnancy, sterility and abortion. Those most affected were women who had begun their sexual activity at an early age, were under 25, had several sexual partners and who used the coil and/or spermicides. A routine check for C. trachomatis should be considered for those women with those risk factors.

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