Original Article
Minimally Invasive Approach in Type II Endometrial Cancer: Is It Wise and Safe?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2016.12.022Get rights and content

Abstract

Study Objective

To compare perioperative and survival outcomes in patients with type II endometrial cancer surgically staged by a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approach and those surgically staged by laparotomy.

Design

Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting

Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, University of Insubria, Varese and “Regina Elena” National Cancer Institute of Rome.

Patients

A total of 283 patients with type II endometrial cancer in clinical International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I-II and pathological stage III with apparent early-stage disease detected on preoperative instrumental examination.

Interventions

Baseline features and perioperative data were evaluated in 142 patients who underwent hysterectomy via open surgery (laparotomy [LPT] group) and 141 patients who did so via a minimally invasive approach (MIS group).

Measurements and Main Results

The 2 groups were comparable in terms of baseline features and perioperative data except for operative time, which was longer in the LPT group (p < .001) and hospital stay, which was shorter in the MIS group. There were no between-group differences in pathological features, except for myometrial invasion and the rate of positive pelvic lymph nodes. Therefore, we obtained a higher number of early stages in the MIS group (p < .001). In the overall population, significant differences were observed in the recurrence rate, number, and site of relapses, with a higher recurrence rate and number in the LPT group (p < .001). Progression-free and overall survival were not significantly different in the 2 groups.

Conclusion

Women with type II endometrial cancer submitted to MIS for hysterectomy experienced fewer complications and similar survival outcomes compared with those who underwent open surgery. When managed by an expert surgeon, a high-risk histological subtype should not be considered a contraindication for MIS. Further prospectively randomized studies are needed to definitively evaluate the safety and feasibility of MIS in early-stage type II endometrial cancer.

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

This retrospective multicenter analysis was carried out between May 2000 and June 2015 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Insubria, Varese; and the Department of Experimental Clinical Oncology, Gynecologic Oncology Unit, “Regina Elena” National Cancer Institute of Rome. Inclusion criteria were the presence of histologically confirmed type II

Results

Demographic data and baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of median patient age, BMI, or previous abdominal surgery. Conversely, statistically significant differences were seen in terms of histology. In particular, we found 49 (34.5%) USCs in the LPT group vs 77 (54.6%) in the MIS group (p < .001), and 62 (43.6%) mixed carcinomas in the LPT group vs 33 (23.4%) in the MIS group (p < .001). No significant

Discussion

As mentioned earlier, previous randomized studies have focused primarily on low-risk patients, specifically those with endometrioid histotype cancers [16]. The present study is the widest retrospective analysis focused on type II endometrial cancer reported to date. In this large series, women submitted to MIS experienced fewer perioperative complications than those who underwent LPT, with similar patterns of recurrence and survival outcomes. The 2 groups also showed no significant differences

Conclusion

In this study, the women with type II endometrial cancers who were staged by MIS experienced fewer complications and similar survival outcomes compared those staged by open surgery. When MIS is managed by expert surgeons, high-risk histological subtype should not be considered a contraindication for MIS in patients with apparent early-stage disease. Further well-designed and prospectively randomized studies are needed to definitively evaluate the surgical safety and feasibility of MIS in

References (24)

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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