RESUMEN
Our objectives were to determine the most significant prognostic factors affecting node metastasis in endometrial cancer and to devise and validate a scoring system for endometrial cancer. The study design consisted of retrospective chart review (operative record and histopathology report) of all endometrial cancer patients who underwent total hysterectomy/radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingooophorectomy, bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection and peritoneal fluid cytology from September 21, 1989 to February 19, 1999. The analysis included 262 women, 21.4% of whom had pelvic lymph node metastasis.The mean ages for those with metastasis and without metastasis were similar positive lymph node (LN) =53.18 years old; negative LN=51.89 years old; range: positive LN=31-84 years old, negative LN=23-76 years old. Most patients were of low gravidity, with mean=G3, median=G4, mode = GO. The most significant factors affecting pelvic lymph node metastasis were peritoneal fluid cytology, myometrial invasion, cervix involvement and histologic grade as determined by logistic regression and Odds ratio. A prognostic scoring system was devised. All subjects were scored according to a proposed scoring system to determine the latter's clinical utility. A cut-off score of 5 was shown to be significant for pelvic lymph node metastasis. The proposed scoring system may be used to determine the likelihood of pelvic lymph node metastasis for patients who did not have lymphadenectomy and may have an important role in determining the need for adjuvant treatment.