Endometrial cancer, which affects the lining of the uterus, is the most common form of uterine cancer (96%), and the sixth most common cancer in females worldwide, accounting for 4.5% of all cancers in females. In 2022, there were 420,242 cases of uterine cancer and 97,704 deaths from the disease worldwide. Most women have early-stage endometrial cancer at diagnosis. Traditionally, surgical staging included removal of all lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy) in the pelvis (pelvic lymphadenectomy) with or without para-aortic areas (pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy), to determine the need for further treatment. However, rates of lymph node involvement are relatively low and may be predicted by uterine histopathology and molecular markers. Lymphadenectomy carries a significant risk of long-term morbidity from lymphoedema and previous studies comparing pelvic lymphadenectomy with no lymphadenectomy found no survival benefit. Detecting the first draining lymph node(s) from each side of the uterus, called sentinel lymph node biopsy, can replace lymphadenectomy in terms of accuracy of detecting nodes, but no studies have shown whether sentinel lymph node biopsy is beneficial to women, despite its wide use.

To evaluate the benefits and harms of lymphadenectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy for the management of endometrial cancer comparing different head-to-head comparisons in a network meta-analysis allowing ranking of treatment strategies.

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO ICTRP for studies up to 22 March 2024.

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of women with early-stage endometrial cancer, comparing combinations of no lymphadenectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. We excluded non-randomised studies and studies assessing diagnostic test accuracy of lymph node sampling.

Overall survival; progression-free survival; morbidity and mortality related to surgery; early and late adverse events, including lymphoedema and lymphocyst formation; and quality of life.

We used RoB 2 to assess risk of bias.

We conducted meta-analyses using random-effects models to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for time-to-event data and risk ratios (RR) and mean difference (MD) for other outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We used GRADE to summarise the certainty of evidence. We intended to compare treatments in a network meta-analysis.

We included five RCTs (one remains ongoing) with 2074 women. Studies were conducted in the UK, South Africa, Poland, New Zealand, Chile, Italy, Egypt and Brazil, and published between 2008 and 2023. Another 10 studies are ongoing. Three studies (1955 participants) compared no lymphadenectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy, one study (50 participants) compared no lymphadenectomy with pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy, and one study (69 participants - ongoing) compared sentinel lymph node biopsy with pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

No lymphadenectomy versus pelvic lymphadenectomy No lymphadenectomy probably results in little to no difference in overall survival (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.10; 2 studies, 1922 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and improves progression-free survival (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.96; 2 studies, 1922 participants; high-certainty evidence) compared to pelvic lymphadenectomy. No lymphadenectomy may reduce early adverse effects from direct surgical morbidity slightly (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.71; 3 studies, 1955 participants; low-certainty evidence) and probably reduces early adverse effects due to surgically related systemic morbidity (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.93; 3 studies, 1955 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No lymphadenectomy probably results in a large reduction in lymphoedema (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.26; 3 studies, 1955 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and likely reduces lymphocyst formation (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.91; 1 study, 1403 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). There were no quality of life data. Sentinel lymph node biopsy versus pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy One study shared unpublished data and the evidence is very uncertain about the effect of sentinel lymph node biopsy on overall survival, progression-free survival, early adverse events, lymphocyst formation and quality of life at 12 months. Sentinel lymph node biopsy compared with pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy probably reduces the development of lymphoedema (RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.97; 1 study, 69 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No lymphadenectomy versus pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy One study closed after the recruitment of 50 participants due to slow uptake, and we were unable to extract data for use in the meta-analysis. Because of this, we were unable to form a linked network for meta-analysis. Other comparisons Studies of other comparisons are ongoing or results are yet to be published.

Data suggest 'less is probably more' in terms of surgical staging for women with presumed endometrial cancer, as no lymphadenectomy is favoured over pelvic lymphadenectomy in terms of important outcomes, with overall moderate certainty. Preliminary results for sentinel lymph node biopsy versus pelvic/para-aortic lymphadenectomy have a similar direction of effect, but the evidence is very uncertain. Data from several studies are ongoing. However, given the weight of evidence that supports no lymphadenectomy over lymphadenectomy, our ability to make adjuvant treatment decisions based on uterine factors, and the advent of molecular profiling, it is disappointing that only one study compared no lymphadenectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy, potentially putting many women at continued risk of short- and significant long-term consequences of extensive lymphadenectomy.

This Cochrane review had no dedicated funding.

This review is based on an updated protocol including network meta-analysis methods and new RoB 2 assessment of a previously published review. Updated protocol 2023 available via https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015786.

This study aimed to explore differences in disease extent based on the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) classification and to establish personalized staging surgery strategies in patients with preoperatively presumed uterus-confined endometrial cancer.

In this retrospective, single-center study, we reviewed the medical records of patients with endometrial cancer. These patients were classified according to the ProMisE classification based on tissue samples obtained from dilation and curettage or staging surgeries, and the disease extent was analyzed based on pathologic reports.

A total of 345 patients were clinically estimated to be in stage 1/2 before staging surgery, with immunohistochemistry (IHC) results available. This cohort included 332 patients (96.2%) with clinical stage 1 and 13 patients (3.8%) with stage 2 based on the 2009 FIGO staging system. Among these, 81 patients (23.5%) were assigned to an mismatch repair deficient group (MMRd), 33 (9.6%) to an abnormal p53 group, and 123 (71.1%) to a no specific molecular profile (NSMP) group. Overall, 13 patients had nodal metastasis, with a higher rate observed in the abnormal p53 group (1.2%, 12.1%, and 2.2% for the MMRd, abnormal p53, and NSMP groups, respectively, p=0.013). One patient (0.3%) had parametrial metastasis and four (1.1%) had peritoneal metastasis.

Patients with abnormal p53 IHC results exhibited a higher likelihood of lymph node metastasis, even when initially presumed to be at an early stage. For the abnormal p53 group, proactive lymphadenectomy surgery appears beneficial for accurate staging and establishing a subsequent treatment plan.

The aim of this study was to investigate the pathologic prognostic factors such as tumor cell clusters (TCCs) in the fallopian tube lumen, myometrial invasion patterns, and positive peritoneal cytology (PPC) in women with Stage I endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EEC). From 2009 to 2020, consecutive patients with Stage I EEC who underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy were included. The primary outcome was the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate, and the clinicopathological factors affecting RFS were analyzed. A total of 765 patients were enrolled. Seventeen patients (2.2%) had TCC in the fallopian tube lumen, and 58 patients showed a microcystic elongated and fragmented pattern (7.6%). PPC was found in 19 patients (2.5%). The median follow-up period was 61.0 months (range: 2.0-149.7). The majority (88.6%) of patients had Stage IA EEC. The 5-year RFS and overall survival rates were 97.5% and 98.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis for RFS, the significant prognostic factors were lymphovascular invasion (hazard ratio = 4.604; 95% CI: 1.387-15.288; P = 0.013) and grade (grade 2; hazard ratio = 4.949; 95% CI: 1.035-23.654; P = 0.045, and grade 3; hazard ratio = 5.469; 95% CI: 1.435-20.848; P = 0.013). Other pathologic factors including TCC in the fallopian tube lumen, myometrial invasion patterns, PPC, and hormonal status had no prognostic significance. TCC in the fallopian tube lumen, myometrial invasion pattern, PPC, and estrogen and progesterone receptor positivity were not significant prognostic factors in Stage I EEC. In contrast, lymphovascular invasion and grade were significant prognostic factors.

Serous endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma (SEIC) is an aggressive precursor and a similar biology to uterine serous carcinoma (USC). Patients diagnosed with SEIC should undergo surgical staging that includes total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, lymph node sampling, and omentectomy. With trends in lymph node evaluation shifting towards sentinel lymph node sampling, we recommend bilateral sentinel lymph node sampling as a reasonable alternative to full pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. There is limited data to support the use of adjuvant chemotherapy, however, it is apparent that those with extrauterine disease have a higher likelihood of recurrence and decreased overall survival. Those with stage IVB SEIC have similar rates of survival to those with stage IVB USC and may be a population that could benefit from newer regimens for advanced stage endometrial cancer including immunotherapy and maintenance therapy. Unfortunately, strong data to support this will continue to be a challenge given the rare incidence of isolated SEIC without concurrent USC. The utility of adjuvant radiotherapy remains unclear and given its noninvasive nature and propensity for distant recurrence, may be of little utility. Regardless of the adjuvant therapies selected, routine surveillance like that of USC should be followed as recurrences are often noted greater than one year after initial surgery. Unlike other precursor lesions, SEIC behaves similarly to invasive carcinoma and ultimately should be treated as such for optimal disease control and outcomes.

This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of simple hysterectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy for low-risk endometrial cancer performed using the hinotori™ Surgical Robot System and the da Vinci® Xi system.

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 234 patients who underwent simple hysterectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy at Kagoshima University Hospital between January 2017 and June 2024. Amongst them, 20 patients underwent surgery using the hinotori™ Surgical Robot System and 214 using the da Vinci® Xi. Surgical factors, including operative time, cockpit/console time, blood loss and sentinel lymph node detection, were evaluated. Statistical analyses included chi-square and Wilcoxon tests, with significance set at P < 0.05.

The median operative and cockpit/console times were comparable between the two systems. However, the time from roll-in to the start of cockpit/console surgery was significantly longer for the hinotori™ Surgical Robot System than for the da Vinci® Xi (P = 0.0039). No significant differences were observed for blood loss, length of hospital stay, or complication rates. The sentinel lymph node detection rates and number of sentinel lymph nodes resected were similar between the two systems, with metastatic sentinel lymph node rates of 6% in both groups.

Simple hysterectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy performed using the hinotori™ Surgical Robot System demonstrated outcomes comparable with those using the da Vinci® Xi system, with no significant differences in key surgical factors. These results suggest that the hinotori™ Surgical Robot System is a viable alternative for minimally invasive surgery in low-risk endometrial cancer. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to validate these findings.

The peremptory need to circumvent challenges associated with poorly differentiated epithelial endometrial cancers (PDEECs), also known as Type II endometrial cancers (ECs), has prompted therapeutic interrogation of the prototypically intractable and most prevalent gynecological malignancy. PDEECs account for most endometrial cancer-related mortalities due to their aggressive nature, late-stage detection, and poor response to standard therapies. PDEECs are characterized by heterogeneous histopathological features and distinct molecular profiles, and they pose significant clinical challenges due to their propensity for rapid progression. Regardless of the complexities around PDEECs, they are still being administered inefficiently in the same manner as clinically indolent and readily curable type-I ECs. Currently, there are no targeted therapies for the treatment of PDEECs. The realization of the need for new treatment options has transformed our understanding of PDEECs by enabling more precise classification based on genomic profiling. The transition from a histopathological to a molecular classification has provided critical insights into the underlying genetic and epigenetic alterations in these malignancies. This review explores the genomic landscape of PDEECs, with a focus on identifying key molecular subtypes and associated genetic mutations that are prevalent in aggressive variants. Here, we discuss how molecular classification correlates with clinical outcomes and can refine diagnostic accuracy, predict patient prognosis, and inform therapeutic strategies. Deciphering the molecular underpinnings of PDEECs has led to advances in precision oncology and protracted therapeutic remissions for patients with these untamable malignancies.

This survey was designed to evaluate exposure to sentinel mapping for cervical and endometrial cancers in addition to the quality and availability of surgical training in sentinel procedures around the world. Furthermore, we aimed to identify obstacles in surgical training in the sentinel procedure to support the adoption of this technique in clinical practice.

A 52-item survey was developed and computed using Qualtrics XM and SurveyMonkey software. The target population were members of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology and the International Gynecological Cancer Society aged ≤40 years. The study invitation was disseminated within both organizations' database. The survey hyperlink was active between September and December 2022. Respondents using the same Internet Protocol address were excluded to avoid duplication of responses. Responses to <50% questions were excluded.

Overall, 238 respondents joined the survey, and 182 (76.5%) provided answers that met the inclusion criteria. Sentinel mapping was implemented for a longer period and used more frequently in endometrial than in cervical carcinoma; 55% of the responders were initially trained in systematic lymph node dissection, and 22% were not yet trained in any lymph node staging. The main challenges in applying sentinel procedure for early-career gynecologic oncologists were no access to hands-on training (n = 22, 12.1%) and no clinical routine in performing systematic pelvic (n = 15, 8.2%) and para-aortic (n = 35, 19.2%) lymph node dissection in case of failed mapping.

Although sentinel lymph node biopsy is integrated in cervical and endometrial cancer guidelines, a significant number of institutions do not implement this procedure in clinical routine, and 22% of early-career gynecologic oncologists are not trained in any type of surgical lymph node staging. Support for sentinel mapping in national guidelines and guided training opportunities are needed to apply this method globally.

The standard for robotic para-aortic lymphadenectomy has not been fully established. Para-aortic lymphadenectomy performed by sharing the same ports with pelvic procedures, a procedure known as dual-docking surgery, can be performed using the latest robotic system. We prospectively examined the ability of standardized dual-docking robotic surgery in endometrial cancer patients.

This study prospectively verified the feasibility and safety of dual-docking robotic surgeries performed between March 2017 and December 2021. The laterally placed ports were aligned with the umbilicus. Primary outcome was the surgical completion rate; secondary outcomes were blood loss, operative time, unexpected port placement, conversion, complications, length of hospital stay, and survival.

Most patients (14/15, 93%) underwent surgery using our methods without additional port placements, and one patient was converted to laparotomy. Median blood loss was 162 mL (range: 20-685 mL). Median operative time was 183 and 206 min in the upper and lower abdomen. Median number of resected para-aortic lymph nodes was 19 (range: 6-29), and pelvic lymph nodes was 28 (range: 15-42). Although there was no difficulty in moving the forceps intraoperatively, major complications including vessel injury, and pelvic abscesses were observed. The lateral ports could be placed 6-10 cm apart in patients with any range of body type.

Dual-docking surgery for endometrial cancer has the potential to be a standard procedure for robotic endometrial cancer surgery, although a greater number of cases are needed to acquire proficiency.

This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance of para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PALX) and para-aortic lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer (EC) patients at risk of post-operative recurrence.

Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) 2043 was a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in EC patients at risk for post-operative recurrence. A retrospective analysis included patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLX) alone or both PLX and PALX in JGOG2043. Data on positive lymph nodes and other clinicopathological risk factors were collected.

PLX and PALX were performed on 402 patients, while PLX alone was conducted on 250 patients. Evaluating the effect of PALX on survival was challenging through a comparison of the outcomes of the 2 cohorts since PALX was predominantly administered to higher-risk patients. Patients with 2 or more metastases in para-aortic nodes exhibited significantly poorer overall survival than those with no or 1 metastasis, respectively (p<0.001, p=0.031). Multivariate analysis revealed that 2 or more metastases in para-aortic nodes is independent risk factors for disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR]=1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.10-2.72; p=0.019) and are marginally significant for overall survival (HR=1.58; 95% CI=0.92-2.72; p=0.096) compared to no or a single metastasis.

The clinical relevance of PALX was challenging to evaluate in the JGOG2043 cohort; however, the presence of 2 or more para-aortic node metastases was identified as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in EC patients at risk of recurrence.

This study aimed to determine whether the number of resected pelvic lymph nodes (PLNs) affects the prognosis of endometrial cancer (EC) patients at post-operative risk of recurrence.

JGOG2043 was a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of three chemotherapeutic regimens as adjuvant therapy in EC patients with post-operative recurrent risk. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 250 patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy alone in JGOG2043. The number of resected and positive nodes and other clinicopathologic risk factors for survival were retrieved.

There were 83 patients in the group with less than 20 PLNs removed (group A), while 167 patients had 20 or more PLNs removed (group B). There was no significant difference in patients' backgrounds between the two groups, and the rate of lymph node metastasis was not significantly different. There was a trend toward fewer pelvic recurrences in group B compared with group A (3.5% vs. 9.6%; p=0.050). Although Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no statistically significant difference in survival rates between the two groups (5-year overall survival [OS]=90.3% vs. 84.3%; p=0.199), multivariate analysis revealed that resection of 20 or more nodes is one of the independent prognostic factors (hazard ratio=0.49; 95% confidence interval=0.24-0.99; p=0.048), as well as surgical stage, high-risk histology, and advanced age for OS.

Resection of 20 or more PLNs was associated with improved pelvic control and better survival outcomes in EC patients at risk of recurrence who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy alone and were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

In early-stage endometrial cancer (EC), the treatment of aggressive histological subtypes (endometrioid carcinoma grade 3, serous carcinoma, clear-cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, mixed carcinoma, and carcinosarcoma) is controversial. We aimed to investigate the treatment of patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IC and stage IIC EC according to the 2023 classification.

We retrospectively identified patients with FIGO 2023 stage IC, IIC-intermediate risk (IIC-I), and IIC-high risk (IIC-H) EC who underwent adjuvant therapy or observation after surgery at eight medical institutions from 2004 to 2023. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and univariate and multivariate analyses.

The PFS and OS were significantly worse in patients with FIGO 2023 stage IIC-H EC than in those with FIGO 2023 stage IIC-I EC (PFS: p = 0.008 and OS: p = 0.006). According to the FIGO 2023 stage IIC-H classification, lymphadenectomy and chemotherapy resulted in better prognoses regarding both PFS and OS (p < 0.001 for both) than other treatments. Our findings suggest that lymphadenectomy and chemotherapy effectively reduced vaginal stump and lymph node metastases in FIGO 2023 stage IIC-H EC (p < 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). Furthermore, in the multivariate analysis, not undergoing lymphadenectomy or chemotherapy were independent predictors of recurrence and poor prognoses in patients with FIGO 2023 stage IIC-H EC (p < 0.001 and p = 0.031, respectively).

Lymphadenectomy and chemotherapy resulted in better prognoses regarding both recurrence and survival in patients with FIGO 2023 stage IIC high-risk EC.

Recently, there have been an increasing number of reports on the association between inflammatory markers and the prognosis of malignant tumors. However, the current inflammatory indicators have limited accuracy. We aimed to develop a new scoring system for predicting endometrial cancer recurrence using inflammatory markers, tumor markers, and histological diagnoses.

Patients with primary, previously untreated, and suspected endometrial cancer who underwent surgery at the Nara Medical University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2020 were included and followed up until March 2024. Items were divided into positive and negative using scores based on cutoff values and placed into the new scoring system, the endometrial tumor-related (ETR) score.

We found that positive postoperative histological examination of lymph node metastasis and myometrial invasion, high levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and D-dimer in preoperative blood tests, and a large difference in preoperative and postoperative white blood cell counts were significantly associated with recurrence. The sensitivity and specificity of recurrence prediction using the ETR score were not inferior to those using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system, which is considered the best prognostic factor for survival.

The ETR score is a significant prognostic marker of recurrence in patients who have undergone staging surgery, with complete surgical tumor removal.

The primary objective of this study was to identify the risk of metastasis to lymph nodes above the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in endometrioid-type endometrial cancer (EC) and the factors that influence metastasis.

The study included patients who had been operated on for endometrioid-type EC in three gynecological oncology centers between 2007 and 2023. The supramesenteric lymph node (SM-LN) is the region between the left renal vein and the IMA, whereas the inframesenteric lymph node (IM-LN) is the region between the IMA and the aortic bifurcation, as determined by the level of the IMA.

The study sample comprised 412 patients. The median number of lymph nodes excised per patient was 58. The median count was 37 for pelvic lymph nodes, 21 for para-aortic lymph nodes, 8 for IM-LN, and 13 for SM-LN. In the univariate analysis, the factors that were found to be statistically significant in determining SM-LN metastasis included tumor size, depth of myometrial invasion, uterine serosal invasion, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), cervical invasion, peritoneal cytology, adnexal metastasis, omental metastasis, non-nodal extrauterine metastasis, pelvic lymph node metastasis, and IM-LN metastasis. In the multivariate analysis, SM-LN metastasis was independently associated with tumor size, LVSI, pelvic lymph node metastasis, and IM-LN metastasis.

In conclusion, in cases of intermediate-high risk EC, it is important to know that the disease spreads to SM-LN in 7.3% of patients. The efficacy of postoperative adjuvant treatment may be inadequate due to a lack of information regarding the SM-LN region.

Objectives. The aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in comparison to routine pelvic lymphadenectomy for lymph node assessment in patients with high-risk endometrial cancer (EC). Methods. A decision-analytic model was developed to compare SLN mapping with pelvic lymphadenectomy for guiding adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk endometrioid and non-endometrioid EC, focusing on costs and health outcomes. The input data were obtained from systematic literature searches and expert consensus. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was utilized as the measure of effectiveness. The model was constructed from a healthcare perspective, and the impact of uncertainty was evaluated through sensitivity analyses. Results. The base case analysis indicated that sentinel lymph node mapping is the dominant strategy for lymph node assessment in patients with high-risk endometrial cancer, as it was found to be both more effective and less costly than lymphadenectomy. The improved outcomes and reduced costs associated with SLN mapping primarily result from a decrease in the side effects related to lymph node assessment. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the outcome of the model was robust to variations in input values. Conclusion. SLN mapping is the most cost-effective strategy to determine the need for adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk endometrioid and non-endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Upper para-aortic lymph node dissection (PALND) is one of the most challenging gynecologic robotic procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the oncologic and operative outcomes of robotic staging surgery, including upper PALND, using low pelvic port placement (LP3) in 22 patients with high-risk endometrial cancer. High-risk was defined as patients who showed deep myometrial invasion with grade III, cervical involvement, or high-risk histology. The mean patient age and body mass index were 58 years and 24 kg/m2. The mean operative time was 263 min. The mean number of total LNs and upper PALNs obtained was 31 and 10. Two patients received lymphangiography to reduce the amount of drained lymphatic fluid after surgery. The recurrence rate was 13.6% (3/22). There were two LN recurrences and one at the peritoneum in the intra-abdominal cavity. Robotic staging surgery using LP3 was feasible for performing PALND as well as procedures in the pelvic cavity simultaneously. It provides important techniques for performing optimal surgical procedures when surgeons decide to perform comprehensive PALND in instances of isolated recurrence or unexpected LN enlargement as well as high-risk endometrial cancer. Consequently, surgeons can achieve surgical consistency and reproducibility for PALND, leading to improved operative and survival outcomes in high-risk endometrial cancer.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is important for accurate staging and prognosis of prostate and/or bladder cancer. Several guidelines recommend extended PLND for patients with these cancers. However, the therapeutic benefits of extended PLND are unclear. One major reason is that the extent of PLND is not clearly defined. Thus, the working group for standardization of robot-assisted PLND, including nine experienced urologists for PLND in Japan, was launched in January 2023 by the Japanese Society of Endourology and Robotics. This study summarized the discussions to define the individual extent of PLND in urological surgery in a consensus meeting among these experienced urologists. The consensus meeting determined the extent of PLND based on arteries (veins) and anatomical membrane structures rather than a vague concept or approach toward PLND. This concept is expected to allow surgeons to implement the same extent of PLND. Finally, after a total of 10 online web conferences were held, we determined the extent of PLND for the obturator lymph node (LN) area, the internal iliac LN area, the external and common iliac LN area, and the presacral LN area according to the above rules. The extent of PLND suggested here currently does not have a clear therapeutic rationale. Therefore, the extent of our proposed PLND is by no means mandatory. We hope our definition of the extent of PLND will be supported by further evidence of therapeutic benefits for urologic cancers.

To investigate whether performing a lymph node dissection during hysterectomy improves overall survival in patients with clinical stage III endometrial cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The National Cancer Database was queried to identify all patients with clinical stage III endometrial cancer who had undergone pre-operative chemotherapy as first course of treatment followed by hysterectomy with or without lymph node dissection between the years 2004 and 2020. Univariable and multivariable models were performed to investigate prognostic factors on overall survival.

This study analyzed 2882 patients with clinical stage III endometrial cancer who received upfront chemotherapy. Among those who underwent lymph node dissection, 38% had positive lymph nodes. Factors found to be independently associated with improved survival included lymph node dissection (p<0.001), adjuvant radiation (p<0.001), histology (p<0.001), tumor grade (p<0.001), pathologic node status (p<0.001), age (p<0.001), type of insurance (p=0.027), and race (p<0.001). Patients who underwent lymph node dissection at time of hysterectomy had a significantly better overall survival (107 vs 85 months; p<0.001). Multivariate and propensity score analyses robustly demonstrated that lymph node dissection significantly improved overall survival (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.84, p<0.001), even among patients with pathologically negative lymph nodes.

Our study suggests that performing lymph node dissection at the time of hysterectomy is associated with improved overall survival in all patients with stage III endometrial cancer who receive upfront chemotherapy, regardless of age, race, insurance status, histologic subtype, tumor grade, pathologic node status, adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy. Notably, patients with high-risk disease may particularly benefit from this approach.

This study aims to explore the incidence of different metastatic patterns in paraaortic lymph nodes and their corresponding survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer, as well as to identify the associated risk factors of such metastasis.

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and Clinical Trials.gov were searched from inception to February 10, 2024.The analysis was conducted using R version 4.2.3.

A total of 47 studies involving 33,425 endometrial cancer patients were analyzed. Meta-analysis results revealed that the rate of isolated paraaortic lymph node metastasis, where pelvic lymph nodes were negative but paraaortic lymph nodes were positive (PLN-PAN+), was found to be 2.58% (95% CI 0.0195-0.0329). The rates for PLN+PAN- and PLN+PAN+ were notably higher at 8.54% (95% CI 0.0642-0.1092) and 8.37% (95% CI 0.0613-0.1090), respectively. For clinical stage I EC, the occurrence rate was 5.92% for PLN+PAN- (95% CI 0.0258-0.1032), 1.00% for PLN-PAN+ (95% CI 0.0081-0.0120), and 2.99% for PLN+PAN+ (95% CI 0.0188-0.0431). The survival outcomes indicate a decreasing trend from the PLN-PAN+ and PLN+PAN- groups to the PLN+PAN+ group. Additionally, the survival outcomes of patients with isolated paraaortic lymph node metastasis appear to be comparable to, or not inferior to, those of the PLN+PAN- group. The analysis indicated that pelvic lymph node metastasis (OR 16.72, 95% CI 10.03-27.86), myometrial invasion ≥50% (OR 5.18, 95% CI 3.09-8.69), lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) (OR 3.46, 95% CI 2.49-4.81), cervical invasion (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.09-7.66), and non-endometrioid cancer (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.17-4.86) were risk factors for paraaortic lymph node metastasis.

Isolated paraaortic lymph node metastasis, though relatively rare, can still occur even in clinical stage I endometrial cancer. The survival outcomes of patients with isolated paraaortic lymph node metastasis appear to be comparable to, or not inferior to, those of the PLN+PAN- group. Even in patients with negative pelvic lymph nodes, careful consideration should be given to the possibility of paraaortic lymph node metastasis, especially in those with high-risk factors.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024503959.

According to epidemiological studies, endometrial carcinoma is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies of the female reproductive system, with an increasing incidence. Currently, the risk stratification of this neoplasm takes into account the stage, degree of tumor differentiation, histological type and depth of myometrial invasion. Since the publication of the last International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for endometrial cancer in 2009, numerous reports have appeared on the molecular characteristics of different types of endometrial carcinoma. Taking this into account, the FIGO Committee determined in 2023 that changes and updates to the staging system are justified to reflect new information about this tumor. Due to the high prevalence of the disease and mortality from endometrial cancer, an in-depth study of the molecular genetic characteristics of tumor cells is relevant; the results of such studies can be used to improve the efficiency of diagnosis, assess the risk of metastasis and prognosis of the disease. Lymph node assessment is crucial for the choice of treatment strategy for endometrial cancer, since metastatic lymph node involvement is one of the main factors affecting prognosis. At the same time, the criteria for the appropriateness of lymphadenectomy in low-differentiated malignant tumors are not clearly defined. Various molecular methods have been proposed to assess the status of lymph nodes; candidate genes are being studied as potential diagnostic biomarkers, as well as microRNA. The aim of the study was to analyze the literature data on numerous studies of molecular risk factors for progression in endometrioid carcinoma, as well as to preserve the most important marker changes in relation to the prognostic development of this disease.

A literature review was conducted using data from the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Wiley Cochrane Library for the period from 2018 to 2023 using the specific keywords.

The current scientific genetic studies on metastasis and prognostic factors in uterine cancer were analyzed, and a systematization of the reviewed data from the modern literature was done.

To select the most effective treatment - intraoperative, adjuvant or combination therapy, minimize postoperative risks of lymphadenectomy and clearly predict the results - further study of the molecular genetic features of endometrial cancer is necessary.

Observational and cohort studies using large databases have made important contributions to gynecologic oncology. Knowledge of the advantages and potential limitations of commonly used databases benefits both readers and reviewers. In this review, researchers familiar with National Cancer Database (NCDB), Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER), SEER-Medicare, MarketScan, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), and Premier, describe each database, its included data, access, management, storage, highlights, and limitations. A better understanding of these commonly used datasets can help readers, reviewers, and researchers to more effectively interpret and apply study results, evaluate new research studies, and develop compelling and practice-changing research.

Isolated positive para-aortic lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer is an uncommon event, ranging from 1% to 3%.

Our aim was to evaluate the impact of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping on the risk of isolated positive para-aortic lymph node metastasis.

We retrospectively evaluated a series of 426 patients who underwent SLN mapping with at least one SLN detected from January 2013 to December 2021 (SLN group) compared with a historical series of 209 cases who underwent a systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy between June 2007 and April 2015 (LND group). Isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis recurrences were included in the SLN group analysis.

In the SLN group, 168 cases (39.4%) had backup systematic lymphadenectomy, and 56 (13.1%) had positive lymph nodes compared with 34 (16.3%) in LND group (p=0.18). The SLN group had higher rates of minimally invasive surgeries (p<0.001) and presence of lymphovascular space invasion (p<0.001). Moreover, SLN group had fewer other uterine risk factors, such as high-grade tumors (p<0.001), and deep myometrial invasion (p<0.001). We found that SLN mapped outside the pelvis at pre-sacral, common iliac areas, and para-aortic regions in 2.8% (n=12), 11.5% (n=49), and 1.6% (n=7) of cases, respectively. Overall, 52 (12.2%) patients had positive SLNs, and 3 (5.7%) positive SLNs were found outside the pelvis-one in the pre-sacral region, one in the common iliac area, and one in the para-aortic region. An isolated para-aortic lymph node was found in only 2 (0.5%) cases in the SLN group compared with 7 (3.3%) cases in the LND group (p=0.004).

SLN protocol accurately predicts lymph node status and may decrease the risk of failed identification of isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis compared with systematic lymphadenectomy.

Females with low-risk endometrial cancer typically have low lymph node metastasis risk and promising prognosis without lymphadenectomy. However, the impact of grade 3 endometrial cancer on nodal involvement, recurrence, and prognosis within this specific subgroup remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the prognosis, patterns of metastasis, and recurrence in a subgroup of females with grade 3 early-stage low-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer.

We identified patients from the endometrial cancer cohorts of seven institutional hospitals. The study included patients who underwent hysterectomy between January 2013 and December 2021 with preoperative endometrioid histological type, less than half myometrial invasion, no tumor spread outside the corpus on imaging, normal CA-125 level, and histological grade 3. The clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of the patients were collected. Recurrence-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test.

Overall, 36 patients were included in this analysis. Of the 33 patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, 1 (1/33, 3.0 %) had lymph node metastasis and 27 (75.0 %) received adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 58 months, three females (8 %) had recurrence and all cases involved lymph nodes. The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 88.7 %. No significant difference was observed in the recurrence-free survival between females who did and did not undergo lymphadenectomy (p = 0.554).

Females diagnosed with low-risk grade 3 endometrial cancer typically have favorable prognosis. However, lymph node metastasis and recurrence risks still exist, with all recorded instances of recurrence involving lymph nodes.

to investigate the incidence of non-mapped isolated metastatic pelvic lymph nodes at pre-defined anatomical positions.

Between June 2019 and January 2024, women with uterine-confined endometrial cancer (EC) deemed suitable for robotic surgery and the detection of pelvic sentinel nodes (SLNs) were included. An anatomically based, published algorithm utilizing indocyanine green (ICG) as a tracer was adhered to. In women where no ICG mapping occurred in either the proximal obturator and/or the interiliac positions, defined as "typical positions", those nodes were removed and designated as "SLN anatomy". Ultrastaging and immunohistochemistry were applied to all SLNs. The proportion of isolated metastatic "SLN anatomy" was evaluated.

A non-mapping of either the obturator or interiliac area occurred in 180 of the 620 women (29%). In total, 114 women (18.4%) were node-positive and five of these women (4.3%) had isolated metastases in an "SLN anatomy", suggesting a similar lower sensitivity of the ICG-only algorithm.

In an optimized SLN algorithm for endometrial cancer, to avoid undetected nodal metastases in 4.3% of node-positive women, if mapping fails in either the proximal obturator or interiliac area, nodes should be removed from those defined anatomic positions, despite mapping at other positions.

To assess the role of histopathological and molecular features in predicting the risk of nodal metastases in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer patients undergoing sentinel node mapping.

This is a prospective trial. Consecutive patients with apparent early-stage endometrial cancer, undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and sentinel node mapping, were enrolled. Histological and molecular features were used to predict the node positivity.

Charts of 223 apparent early-stage endometrial cancer patients were included in this study. Four (1.8%) patients were excluded from this study due to the lack of data about molecular features. Additionally, nine (4%) patients did not meet the inclusion criteria (due to the presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis or bulky nodes (the presence of p53 abnormality correlated with the presence of advanced stage disease (p<0.001)). The study population included 178 (84.8%) and 32 (15.2%) patients with endometrioid and non-endometrioid endometrial cancer, respectively. According to pathological uterine risk factors, 93 (44.3%), 45 (21.4%), 40 (19.1%), and 32 (15.2%) were classified as low, intermediate, intermediate-high, and high-risk, respectively. Using the surrogate molecular classification, 10 (4.8%), 42 (20%), 57 (27.1%), and 101 (48.1%) were included in the POLE mutated, p53 abnormal, MMRd/MSI-H, and NSMP, respectively. Overall, 41 (19.5%) patients were detected with positive nodes. Molecular features were not associated with the risk of having nodal metastases (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.21 to 5.05, p=0.969 for POLE mutated; OR 0.788, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.98, p=0.602 for p53 abnormal; OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.53 to 2.42, p=0.733 for MMRd/MSI-H). At multivariable analysis, only deep myometrial invasion (OR 3.318, 95% CI 1.357 to 8.150, p=0.009) and lymphovascular space invasion (OR 6.584, 95% CI 2.663 to 16.279, p<0.001) correlated with the increased risk of positive nodes.

Our data suggest that molecular classification does not seem useful to tailor the need of nodal dissection in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer. p53 abnormality predicts the risk of having advanced disease at presentation. Further external validation is needed.

NCT05793333.

Hospital treatment volume affects survival in patients with endometrial cancer; notably, initial treatment at high-volume centers improves survival outcomes. Our study assessed the effect of hospital treatment volume on cost-effectiveness and survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer in Japan.

A decision-analytic model was evaluated using the following variables and their impact on cost-effectiveness: 1) hospital treatment volume (low-, intermediate-, and high-volume centers) and 2) postoperative recurrent risk factors based on pathological findings (high- and intermediate-risk or low-risk). Data were obtained from the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology database, systematic literature searches, and the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) was used as a measure of effectiveness. The model was built from a public healthcare perspective and the impact of uncertainty was assessed using sensitivity analyses.

A base-case analysis showed that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio at high-volume centers was below a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of ¥5,000,000 with a maximum of ¥3,777,830/4.28 QALY for the high- and intermediate-risk group, and ¥2,316,695/4.57 QALY for the low-risk group. Treatment at the high-volume centers showed better efficiency and cost-effectiveness in both strategies compared to intermediate- or low-volume centers. Sensitivity analyses showed that the model outcome was robust to changes in input values. With the WTP threshold, treatment at high-volume centers remained cost-effective in at least 73.6% and 78.2% of iterations for high- and intermediate-risk, and low-risk groups, respectively.

Treatment at high-volume centers is the most cost-effective strategy for guiding treatment centralization in patients with endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy and sentinel lymphnode biopsy is accepted as a valid alternative to lymphadenectomy for staging purposes. Recently, sentinel node biopsy has been also extended to high-risk disease where risk of nodal involvement is higher.

Our review focuses on the definition of high-risk disease and how there are different concepts of high-risk in the scientific community. While the sensitivity of sentinel node biopsy has been established and accepted in lower risk endometrial cancers, only in recent years retrospective and prospective evidence has been published. Ultrastaging allows to identify more nodal disease that would normally be overlooked by traditional staging, allowing proper adjuvant therapy to be administered. The longstanding question of whether lymphadenectomy in high-risk settings is a therapeutic or a staging procedure remains open. Retrospective data, however, show that oncologic outcomes are not compromised by sentinel node biopsy.

Sentinel node biopsy is a valid alternative to traditional, more extensive nodal staging: with the addition of ultrastaging, it has more sensitivity than lymphadenectomy with less surgical morbidity. Ongoing trials will definitively establish if oncological outcomes are affected by sentinel node biopsy, but retrospective data are encouraging.

Nodal staging contributes to risk group definition and the indication to adjuvant treatment in endometrial cancer (EC) patients. However, the role of nodal assessment evolved and requires redefinition. Primary outcome of the study was to assess the impact of surgical nodal staging in defining high-risk (HR) EC. Secondary outcome was to evaluate the contribution of nodal assessment to the decision for adjuvant treatment in both high-risk and high-intermediate risk (HIR) patients submitted to surgery.

Clinical stage I-II EC patients with postoperative diagnosis of HR and HIR disease were included. The contribution of nodal staging in prognostic groups allocation was assessed by reviewing HR patients to identify those without any other feature of such class (non-endometrioid histology, p53abn immunohistochemistry, post-operative T3-T4 disease) and HIR cases to assess how nodal staging affected adjuvant treatment indication. Descriptive statistics were conducted to describe the two populations.

Fifty-seven patients were included, 46 with HR and 11 with HIR disease. Chemotherapy and external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) were proposed in 40 HR patients. Considering histology, immunohistochemical profile and FIGO stage, high risk classification was exclusively relied on nodal involvement in 2/46 cases (4.3 %). Omitting retroperitoneal staging, one of them would have been classified in the intermediate risk group and the other as HIR: without nodal staging, chemotherapy and EBRT would have been omitted in 1/40 (2.5 %) case. Among HIR patients, chemotherapy was proposed in 7/11 cases and EBRT in all cases. Adjuvant chemotherapy was indicated in 5/6 (83.3 %) and omitted in 1/6 (16.7 %) pN0 patient (stage Ib G2, substantial LVSI). In HIRpN0 patients, omitting nodal staging could have changed adjuvant treatment indication in 1/6 (16.7 %) case. In HIRpNx patients, adjuvant chemotherapy was omitted in one patient (stage II, grade 2 and LVSI negative): nodal staging unavailability might have changed indication to chemotherapy in 1/5 (20 %) case, without changing indication to EBRT. Unavailable nodal staging could globally be related to omission of chemotherapy in 2/57 (3.5 %) patients and of EBRT in 1/57 (1.8 %) patient.

In this series, nodal staging had limited impact on definition of HR class and on the choice of adjuvant treatment in HR and HIR EC patients.

The extraperitoneal laparoscopic approach (ELPAN) for para-aortic lymphadenectomy provides excellent visibility of the left side of the aorta, thus facilitating surgery in the retroperitoneal space. This technique is highly complex compared with the transperitoneal approach. In particular, advanced techniques are required to develop an appropriate surgical field in the narrow retroperitoneal space; therefore, surgeons need to undergo a significant amount of training to become competent. A variety of tools are available for surgical training but are limited by their ability to reproduce complex anatomy. Thus, cadavers may represent the most suitable tool for learning this unique technique. The present study describes a surgical training protocol for the ELPAN technique using a Thiel-embalmed human cadaver and provides a step-by-step description of the ELPAN technique performed at Okayama University (Okayama, Japan). A 72-year-old Thiel-embalmed female cadaver was used to develop a protocol for surgical training in the ELPAN technique that effectively reproduced the methodology required in clinical practice. A training method for ELPAN surgery was developed and successfully completed using the Thiel-embalmed cadaver that secured the surgical field in the retroperitoneal space and permitted resection of the lymph nodes. The Thiel-embalmed cadaver tissue possessed excellent properties for surgical training, including color tone, flexibility, and the membrane structure of connective and fat tissues. In addition, this method of fixation preserved stiffness and elasticity of the peritoneum, although large vessels were slightly fragile and poorly extensible. Surgical training using a Thiel-embalmed human cadaver represents a valuable option for learning the ELPAN surgical technique. However, this technique may be unsuitable for training in perivenous manipulation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the use of Thiel-embalmed cadavers as a tool for surgeons to undergo training in the ELPAN technique.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in developed countries, with a majority of cases being low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer. Identifying risk factors for disease recurrence and poor prognosis is critical. This study aimed to assess the correlation between preoperative cancer antigen-125 levels and disease recurrence in early-stage endometrioid endometrial cancer patients.

The study was a retrospective analysis of 217 patients diagnosed with endometrioid endometrial cancer who underwent surgical treatment at a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between 2016 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on their preoperative cancer antigen-125 levels and compared with clinicopathological findings and disease recurrence. Disease-free survival rates were calculated, and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent factors affecting disease-free survival.

The mean age of patients was 61.59±0.75 years, and the mean follow-up time was 36.95±1.18 months. The mean cancer antigen-125 level was 27.80±37.81 IU/mL. The recurrence rate was significantly higher in the group with elevated cancer antigen-125 levels (p=0.025). Disease-free survival was lower in patients with elevated cancer antigen-125 compared with those with normal levels (p=0.005). Logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated cancer antigen-125 levels were associated with disease recurrence (OR: 3.43, 95%CI 1.13-10.37, p=0.029).

The findings of this study suggest that preoperative cancer antigen-125 levels can be used as a predictor of disease recurrence in early-stage endometrioid endometrial cancer patients. cancer antigen-125 levels may be a useful tool for risk stratification and patient management in endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) poses a significant health issue among women, and its incidence has been rising for a couple of decades. Surgery remains its principal treatment method and may have a curative, staging, or palliative aim. The type and extent of surgery depends on many factors, and the risks and benefits should be carefully weighed. While simple hysterectomy might be sufficient in early stage EC, modified-radical hysterectomy is sometimes indicated. In advanced disease, the evidence suggests that, similarly to ovarian cancer, optimal cytoreduction improves survival rate. The role of lymphadenectomy in EC patients has long been a controversial issue. The rationale for systematic lymphadenectomy and the procedure of the sentinel lymph node biopsy are thoroughly discussed. Finally, the impact of the molecular classification and new International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system on EC treatment is outlined. Due to the increasing knowledge on the pathology and molecular features of EC, as well as the new advances in the adjuvant therapies, the surgical management of EC has become more complex. In the modern approach, it is essential to adjust the extent of the surgery to a specific patient, ensuring an optimal, made-to-measure personalized surgery. This narrative review focuses on the intricacies of surgical management of EC and aims at summarizing the available literature on the subject, providing an up-to-date clinical guide.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of neo-mannosyl human serum albumin-indocyanine green (MSA-ICG) for detecting metastatic lymph node (LN) and mapping sentinel lymph node (SLN) using mouse footpad uterine tumor models. Additionally, the authors assessed the feasibility of MSA-ICG in SLN mapping in rabbit uterine cancer models.

The authors compared the LN targeting ability of MSA-ICG with ICG. Six mouse footpad tumor models and two normal mice were each assigned to MSA-ICG and ICG, respectively. After the assigned tracers were injected, fluorescence images were taken, and the authors compared the signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of the tracers. A SLN biopsy was performed to confirm LN metastasis status and CD206 expression level. Finally, an intraoperative SLN biopsy was performed in rabbit uterine cancer models using MSA-ICG.

The authors detected 14 groin LNs out of 16 in the MSA-ICG and ICG groups. The SBR of the MSA-ICG group was significantly higher than that of the ICG group. The metastatic LN subgroup of MSA-ICG showed a significantly higher SBR than that of ICG. CD206 was expressed at a high level in metastatic LN, and the signal intensity difference increased as the CD206 expression level increased. SLN mapping was successfully performed in two of the three rabbit uterine cancer models.

MSA-ICG was able to distinguish metastatic LN for an extended period due to its specific tumor-associated macrophage-targeting property. Therefore, it may be a more distinguishable tracer for identifying metastatic LNs and SLNs during uterine cancer surgery. Further research is needed to confirm these results.

(1) The surgical method of choice for the treatment of endometrial cancer is minimally invasive surgery. In cases of high-risk endometrial cancer, completed paraaortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy are indicated. The aim of this study was to analyze the types of docking during robotic surgery assisted with the da Vinci X system while performing paraaortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy. (2) Methods: A total of 25 patients with high-risk endometrial cancer, with a mean age of 60.07 ± 10.67 (range 34.69-83.23) years, and with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 28.4 ± 5.62 (range 18-41.5) kg/m2, were included in this study. The analyzed population was divided into groups that underwent single or dual docking during surgery. (3) Results: No statistical significance was observed between single and dual docking during paraaortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy and between the type of docking and the duration of the operation. However, there was a statistically significant correlation between the duration of the operation and previous surgery (p < 0.005). The number of removed lymph nodes was statistically associated with BMI (p < 0.005): 15.87 ± 6.83 and 24.5 ± 8.7 for paraaortic and pelvic lymph nodes, respectively, in cases of single docking, and 18.05 ± 7.92 and 24.88 ± 11.75 for paraaortic and pelvic lymph nodes, respectively, in cases of dual docking. (4) Conclusions: The robot-assisted approach is a good surgical method for lymphadenectomy for obese patients, and, despite the type of docking, there are no differences in the quality of surgery.

To assess 5-year oncologic outcomes of apparent early-stage high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic lymphadenectomy.

This is a multi-institutional retrospective, propensity-matched study evaluating data of high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer (according to ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines) undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (with and without para-aortic lymphadenectomy). Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard methods.

Overall, the charts of 242 patients with high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer were retrieved. Data on 73 (30.1%) patients undergoing hysterectomy plus sentinel node mapping were analyzed. Forty-two (57.5%) and 31 (42.5%) patients were classified in the high-intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively. Unilateral sentinel node mapping was achieved in all patients. Bilateral mapping was achieved in 67 (91.7%) patients. Three (4.1%) patients had site-specific lymphadenectomy (two pelvic areas only and one pelvic plus para-aortic area), while adjunctive nodal dissection was omitted in the hemipelvis of the other three (4.1%) patients. Sentinel nodes were detected in the para-aortic area in eight (10.9%) patients. Twenty-four (32.8%) patients were diagnosed with nodal disease. A propensity-score matching was used to compare the aforementioned group of patients undergoing sentinel node mapping with a group of patients undergoing lymphadenectomy. Seventy patient pairs were selected (70 having sentinel node mapping vs. 70 having lymphadenectomy). Patients undergoing sentinel node mapping experienced similar 5-year disease-free survival (HR: 1.233; 95%CI: 0.6217 to 2.444; p = 0.547, log-rank test) and 5-year overall survival (HR: 1.505; 95%CI: 0.6752 to 3.355; p = 0.256, log-rank test) than patients undergoing lymphadenectomy.

Sentinel node mapping does not negatively impact 5-year outcomes of high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer. Further prospective studies are warranted.

There are few reported cases of robot-assisted surgery for endometrial cancer with para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the clinical outcomes of robot-assisted surgery with PAL for endometrial cancer.

This retrospective cohort study was analyzed 13 endometrial cancer patients who underwent robotic surgery with PAL between January 2011 and October 2018 at our hospital. We examined their perioperative complications and oncological outcomes.

The median follow-up period, median overall survival, and disease-free interval were 80 months, 79 months (61-120), and 79 months (5-120), respectively. There were two (15.3%) cases of perioperative complications of Clavien-Dindo Class II or higher and three (23.0%) cases of recurrence.

Our results showed that the surgical and oncological outcomes of robot-assisted surgery for endometrial cancer with PAL were comparable with those of other developed countries.

Lymph nodal involvement is a prognostic factor in endometrial cancer. The added value of para-aortic lymphadenectomy compared with pelvic nodal evaluation alone remains a matter of debate in the management of patients with intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the prognostic value of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer.

The study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Google Scholar and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from January 2000 to April 2023. Studies on intermediate- and high-risk patients who underwent pelvic versus pelvic and para-aortic dissection were included in the analysis. The Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies (MINORS) and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool (QUADAS-2) were used for quality assessment of the selected articles.

Fourteen studies were identified, encompassing 9415 patients with a median age of 62 years (IQR 56.5-66.5). The majority had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I-II disease (76%) and endometrioid histology (89%). The 72% of patients who underwent only pelvic nodal evaluation and the 87% who underwent pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy received adjuvant treatment (p=0.44). Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy was associated with a significant improvement in 5-year overall survival (RR=0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88, p<0.01), translating to a 41% reduction in the risk of overall death. However, no significant differences were observed in the 5-year risk of recurrence (RR=1.12, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.34, p=0.15). Additionally, patients undergoing pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy experienced a 26% increased risk of post-operative complications (RR=1.26, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.53, p=0.03) and prolonged operative times (MD=56.27, 95% CI 15.94 to 96.60, p<0.01).

Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy appears to confer a prognostic benefit in patients with intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer. Robust prospective studies are needed to further validate these findings and elucidate the precise role of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in the optimal management of these patients.

Accurate preoperative molecular and histological risk stratification is essential for effective treatment planning in endometrial cancer. However, inconsistencies between pre- and postoperative tumor histology have been reported in previous studies. To address this issue and identify risk factors related to inaccurate histologic diagnosis after preoperative endometrial evaluation, we conducted this retrospective analysis.

We conducted a retrospective analysis involving 375 patients treated for primary endometrial cancer in five different gynaecological departments in Germany. Histological assessments of curettage and hysterectomy specimens were collected and evaluated.

Preoperative histologic subtype was confirmed in 89.5% of cases and preoperative tumor grading in 75.2% of cases. Higher rates of histologic subtype variations (36.84%) were observed for non-endometrioid carcinomas. Non-endometrioid (OR 4.41) histology and high-grade (OR 8.37) carcinomas were identified as predictors of diverging histologic subtypes, while intermediate (OR 5.04) and high grading (OR 3.94) predicted diverging tumor grading.

When planning therapy for endometrial cancer, the limited accuracy of endometrial sampling, especially in case of non-endometrioid histology or high tumor grading, should be carefully considered.

The purpose of our study was to differentiate uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) from endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EAC) by the multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features.

We retrospectively evaluated clinical and MRI findings in 17 patients with UCS and 34 patients with EAC proven by histologically. The following clinical and pathological features were evaluated: post- or pre-menopausal, clinical presentation, invasion depth, FIGO stage, lymphaticmetastasis. The following MRI features were evaluated: tumor dimension, cystic degeneration or necrosis, hemorrhage, signal intensity (SI) on T2-weighted images (T2WI), relative SI of lesion to myometrium on T2WI, T1WI, DWI, ADCmax, ADCmin, ADCmean (RSI-T2, RSI-T1, RSI-DWI, RSI-ADCmax, RSI-ADCmin, RSI-ADCmean), ADCmax, ADCmin, ADCmean, the maximum, minimum and mean relative enhancement (RE) of lesion to myometrium on the arterial and venous phases (REAmax, REAmin, REAmean, REVmax, REVmin, REVmean). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate prediction ability.

The mean age of UCS was higher than EAC. UCS occurred more often in the postmenopausal patients. UCS and EAC did not significantly differ in depth of myometrial invasion, FIGO stage and lymphatic metastasis. The anterior-posterior and transverse dimensions were significantly larger in UCS than EAC. Cystic degeneration or necrosis and hemorrhage were more likely occurred in UCS. The SI of tumor on T2WI was more heterogeneous in UCS. The RSI-T2, ADCmax, ADCmean, RSI-ADCmax and RSI-ADCmean of UCS were significantly higher than EAC. The REAmax, REAmin, REAmean, REVmax, REVmin and REVmean of UCS were all higher than EAC. The AUCs were 0.72, 0.71, 0.86, 0.96, 0.89, 0.84, 0.73, 0.97, 0.88, 0.94, 0.91, 0.69 and 0.80 for the anterior-posterior dimension, transverse dimension, RSI-T2, ADCmax, ADCmean, RSI-ADCmax, RSI-ADCmean, REAmax, REAmin, REAmean, REVmax, REVmin and REVmean, respectively. The AUC was 0.997 of the combined of ADCmax, REAmax and REVmax. Our study showed that ADCmax threshold value of 789.05 (10-3mm2/s) can differentiate UCS from EAC with 100% sensitivity, 76.5% specificity, and 0.76 AUC, REAmax threshold value of 0.45 can differentiate UCS from EAC with 88.2% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 0.88 AUC.

Multiparametric MRI features may be utilized as a biomarker to distinguish UCS from EAC.