Histological assessment of endometrial polyps resected by hysteroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the clinical data and pathologic aspects of endometrial polyps (EMPs) excised completely during surgical hysteroscopy and assess the connection between premalignant and malignant EMPs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study includes 489 participants who underwent hysteroscopy due to endometrial polyps, and the clinical features and histological findings of the resected polyps analyzed. RESULTS: Participants with EMPs were divided into six groups according to histologic findings. The histologic finding of most cases was simple benign endometrial polyp [397 patients (81.2%)]. Malignant polyp was detected in 3 patients (0.6%). The histologic findings according to age, menopausal status, and menstrual bleeding patterns at the time of presentation to the outpatient clinic were compared; however, no significant difference was observed. 237 patients were observed to have menometrorrhagia, which was the most prevalent symptom reported. The distribution of polyp sizes observed at hysteroscopy according to histologic findings was compared, but no significant difference was observed. CONCLUSIONS: EMPs are often benign but can include premalignant or malignant tissue changes. Hysteroscopy is used for direct observation of the uterine cervix and resection of existing polyps, considering the increasing frequency of its use as a diagnostic and treatment tool.

Precise lymph node biopsy for endometrial cancer confined to the uterus: Analysis of 43 clinical cases.

OBJECTIVE: To explore a precise association between tumor location and lymph node (LN) biopsy algorithm in uterine confined endometrial cancer (EC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with EC treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, South Branch of Fujian Provincial Hospital were included in this observational retrospective study. Based on the procedure of treatment, patients were separated to stage I (2015.07-2019.09) and stage II (2019.09-2021.9). In each stage, patients were separated to high and low-risk group by the predicted results. Patients in the high-risk group received systematic lymphadenectomy in stage I and sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection in stage II. The efficiency of lymph node metastasis (LNM) detection rates was compared between stage I and stage II cases. Precise lymph node biopsy algorithm was also constructed based on the outcomes of stage II. RESULTS: Overall, 43 patients, 28 in stage I and 15 in stage II, were included in the study. No recurrence or death cases had been found within follow-up terms. Based on the difference in the detection efficiency of LNM (p > 0.05), there was no difference between two stages. Thus, systematic lymphadenectomy and SLN biopsy provided similar success rates. The location of tumor site was also important for deciding whether pelvic or para-aortic SLN should be sampled for LNM. CONCLUSIONS: Precise SLN biopsy for EC confined to the uterus showed comparable LNM detection rate as systematic lymphadenectomy. EC location may be used to determine whether pelvic or para-aortic SLN sampling should be conducted for treatment.

Tailoring postoperative management through sentinel lymph node biopsy in low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer - the SENTRY clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: While total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy without lymph node staging are standard for low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer, certain histopathologic factors revealed after surgery can necessitate additional interventions. Our study assessed the influence of sentinel lymph node biopsy on postoperative decision-making. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the SENTRY trial (July 2021 - February 2023), we enrolled patients with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IA-IB low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer. Laparoscopic sentinel lymph node mapping using indocyanine green was performed alongside total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Subsequent management changes based on sentinel lymph node biopsy results were evaluated. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04972682). RESULTS: Of the 100 enrolled participants, a bilateral detection rate of 91% was observed with a median detection time of 10 min (interquartile range 8-13 min). Sentinel lymph node metastases were found in 8% (N = 8) of participants. Postoperative FIGO staging increased in 15% (N = 15) and decreased in 5% (N = 5) of patients. Sentinel lymph node biopsy results altered the adjuvant treatment plan for 20% (N = 20): external beam radiotherapy was omitted in 12% (N = 12) while 6% (N = 6) had external beam radiotherapy +/- systemic chemotherapy added due to sentinel lymph node metastases. In 2% (N = 2), the external beam radiotherapy field was expanded with the paraaortic region. No intraoperative complications were reported and no 30-day major morbidity and mortality occurred. Throughout a median follow-up of 14 (95% CI 12-15 months, neither patient-reported lymphedema nor pelvic recurrence surfaced in the cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel lymph node biopsy using indocyanine green is a safe procedure and allows tailoring adjuvant therapy in presumed low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer. It assists in avoiding external beam radiotherapy overtreatment and introducing additional modalities when necessary.

Preoperative cancer antigen-125 levels as a predictor of recurrence in early-stage endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSION: 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.

Synchronous Well-Differentiated Papillary Mesothelioma and Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma Arising From Endometriosis.

Well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma (WDPM) is a rare mesothelial tumor of uncertain malignant potential. We present a unique case of a woman with synchronous WDPM and well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EA) arising from extraovarian endometriosis. A 56-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with a several-month history of right lower quadrant abdominal pain. She had a history of supracervical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy secondary to endometriosis. Imaging reported a mass in the right lower quadrant originating from the distal ileum. At laparotomy, the patient underwent a right colectomy with resection of the terminal ileum and excision of a solitary peritoneal nodule. Pathology was consistent with a diagnosis of well-differentiated EA (arising from extraovarian endometriosis) and WDPM. Further treatment consisted of complete surgical staging/debulking and adjuvant chemotherapy directed toward metastatic well-differentiated EA. Surgeons should be familiar with WDPM as a potential finding in women of reproductive age undergoing abdominal surgery for any indication.

Is it safe to operate selected low-risk endometrial cancer patients in secondary hospitals?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of a preoperative screening algorithm in identifying low-risk endometrial cancer (EC) patients to ensure optimal care. METHODS: A total of 277 patients with primary EC confirmed through biopsy underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with risk factors for advanced high-risk EC, such as non-endometrioid histology, high-grade differentiation status, deep myometrial invasion, or spread beyond the uterine corpus, were systematically excluded. The remaining preoperatively screened patients with stage IA low-grade endometrioid EC (EEC) (n = 93) underwent surgery in a tertiary hospital. The accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis was evaluated by comparing the findings with the postoperative histopathological results. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using 8-year follow-up data. RESULTS: Postoperative histopathological analysis revealed that all patients had grade 1-2 EEC localized to the corpus uteri. Only three patients had deep myometrial invasion (stage IB), but they remained disease-free after 6-9 years of follow-up. The median follow-up time for all patients was 8.7 years. The DFS was 7.6 years, and the OS was 8.6 years. Two patients with stage IA grade 1 EEC experienced relapse and, despite treatment, died of EC. No other EC-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The screening algorithm accurately identified low-risk EC patients without compromising survival. Therefore, the algorithm appears to be feasible for selecting patients for surgery in secondary hospitals.

A selective anatomically based lymph node sampling can replace a side specific pelvic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer with failed sentinel node mapping.

AIM: To evaluate the locations of metastatic pelvic sentinel nodes (SLN) and the proportion of SLNs outside and within defined typical anatomical positions along the upper paracervical lymphatic pathway (UPP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive women with endometrial cancer (EC) of all risk groups underwent pelvic SLN-detection using cervically injected indocyanine green (ICG). A strict anatomically based algorithm and definitions of SLNs was adhered to. The positions of ICG-defined SLNs were intraoperatively depicted on an anatomical chart. All SLNs were examined using ultrastaging and immunohistochemistry. The proximal third of the obturator fossa and the interiliac area were defined as typical positions. The parauterine lymphovascular tissue (PULT) was separately removed. The proportions of metastatic SLNs, overall and isolated, typically, and atypically positioned were analyzed per woman. RESULTS: A median of two (range 1-12) SLN metastases along the UPP including the PULT were found in 162 women. 41 of 162 women (25.3 %) had isolated metastases in the obturator fossa harboring 49.1 % of all SLN metastases. Three women (1,9 %) had isolated PULT metastases. SLN metastases outside typical positions were identified in 28/162 women (17.3 %); isolated metastases were seen in seven women (4.3 %), so 95.7 % of pelvic node positive women had at least one metastatic SLN located at a typical position. CONCLUSION: A selective removal of lymph nodes at typical proximal obturator and interiliac positions and the PULT can replace a full side specific pelvic LND when SLN mapping is unsuccessful. The obturator fossa is the predominant location for metastatic disease.

vNOTES surgical staging for endometrial carcinoma in overweight patients: a case series.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to show the feasibility and surgical outcome of vNOTES retroperitoneal dissection and isolation of sentinel lymph nodes in overweight and obese patients with endometrial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four patients had undergone pelvic lymphadenectomy with a sentinel lymph node. Three patients were overweight, and one was obese with a BMI of 34.6 kg/m2. By using NMR mode sentinel lymph node was visualized, excised and marked separately for pathohistological analysis from the rest of the visualized lymph nodes that were then consecutively excised. RESULTS: The mean number of overall excised lymph nodes was 12.5, and the mean number on the right side was 5.75 and 6.25 on the left side. There were no metastases verified in the pathohistological evaluation. CONCLUSION: vNOTES retroperitoneal isolation of sentinel lymph nodes is good alternative and has its benefits, especially in overweight and obese patients with satisfying low intra- and postoperative complications.

Characteristics of patients with late recurrence endometrial cancer.

AIM: We planned this study to assess endometrial cancer (EC) patients who had late metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study constituted a review of the records of patients who were diagnosed with EC and underwent hysterectomy at the Gynecologic Oncology Clinic between 1996 and 2018. Relapses occurring after the first three years following primary treatment of EC are considered late recurrences. Post-relapse survival (PRS) refers to the time to the last follow-up or the patient's death after relapse. RESULTS: Late metastases were identified in 42 patients, 20 (47.6%) of whom had locoregional recurrence and 22 of whom (52.4%) had extrapelvic recurrence. Median disease-free survival (DFS) times were 61 (range: 43-78) and 65 (range: 48-81) months for the groups with locoregional and extrapelvic recurrences, respectively (P = 0.462). The 5-year PRS rate for the patients was 61.1%, with 63.8% having locoregional and 59.4% having extrapelvic late metastasis (P = 0.969). CONCLUSION: Among the patients with late metastases, those with endometrioid type EC were found to have a better prognosis. It has been shown that locoregional or extrapelvic organ recurrence does not significantly affect survival in patients with late relapse. Although our results are not statistically significant for cases of locoregional late metastases, surgical resection increases survival rates.

Endometrial stromal tumors: A clinico-histomorphological spectrum of endometrial stromal tumors with review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial stromal tumors (ESTs) are rare subset of mesenchymal uterine neoplasms. There are heterogeneous morphological, immunohistochemical, and genetic features. Approximately 50% of ESTs occur in perimenopausal women. In 2020, WHO sub-categorized ESTs into four groups: endometrial stromal nodule (ESN), low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS), and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (UUS). OBJECTIVE: To review the morphological spectrum of endometrial stromal tumors. METHOD: This retrospective study reviewed the histomorphological features of 15 endometrial stromal tumors with respect to atypia, necrosis, mitosis, collagen bands, whorling around vessels, myometrial invasion, and inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemistry markers (CD10, SMA, and ER) along with special stains (Masson's trichrome, toluidine blue) were also studied. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 32 to 60 years. Three patients were postmenopausal. The most common presenting symptom was vaginal bleeding. Five patients were operated with a clinical diagnosis of uterine fibroid. One patient presented with prolapse with no other complaint. All the 15 patients had total abdominal hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy. One case showed necrosis, eight cases showed collagen bands, all the 15 cases showed whorling around vessels, one case showed vascular emboli, and seven cases showed inflammatory cells. In low-grade cases, one case showed focal atypia and one case showed focal coagulative necrosis indicating infarction. Thirteen cases were LGESS, and one case of ESN and HGESS. All cases were positive for ER and CD10. CONCLUSION: Endometrial stromal tumors demonstrate extensive permeation of the myometrium as irregular islands with frequent vascular invasion, whorling around vessels, collagen bands, and inflammatory cells. All these features should be observed thoroughly on microscopy by pathologists to clearly differentiate the low-grade and high-grade endometrial stromal tumors, and to understand the overlapping gray areas morphologically as it affects the prognosis of the patient.

Outcome of robot-assisted surgery for stage IA endometrial cancer compared to open and laparoscopic surgeries: a retrospective study at a single institution.

Few studies have compared the efficacy of robot-assisted, laparoscopic, and open surgeries for endometrial cancer. When considering the position of robotic surgery in Japan, it was necessary to determine whether it was effective or not. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of these three types of surgeries for early-stage endometrial cancer. In total, 175 patients with endometrial cancer of preoperative stage IA, who had undergone laparotomic (n = 80), laparoscopic (n = 40), or robot-assisted (n = 55) modified radical hysterectomy at our hospital from 2010 to 2022, were included; surgical outcomes, perioperative complications, and prognoses were compared. Total operative and console times for robot-assisted surgery between patients who did or did not undergo pelvic lymphadenectomy were assessed. The robot-assisted group had the shortest total operative time. The estimated blood loss was lower in the laparoscopic and robot-assisted groups than in the laparotomy group. In advanced postoperative stage IA cases, there were no differences in progression-free and overall survival among the three groups. In the robot-assisted group, the operative time decreased as the number of operations increased; the learning curve was reached after 10 cases each of patients with and without pelvic lymphadenectomy. The frequency of perioperative complications of Clavien-Dindo classification Grade 1 or higher was the lowest in the robot-assisted group (p = 0.02). There were no complications of Clavien-Dindo classification Grade 2 or higher in the robot-assisted group. Robot-assisted surgery for stage IA endometrial cancer, a minimally invasive procedure, has fewer operative times and complications than those of laparoscopic and open surgeries in a single institution in Japan.

Mismatch repair status and surgical approach in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that mismatch repair (MMR) status (as an accurate surrogate marker for microsatellite stability) modifies the effect of surgical approach on oncological outcome for apparent early-stage endometrial cancer. METHODS: Observational data from a large prospective population study on endometrial cancer were analyzed using target trial methodology and doubly robust methods, including propensity score matching and adjusted regression analyses. Laparoscopy was compared with laparotomy, stratified by MMR status on outcomes of recurrence and site, and recurrence-free, overall, and disease-specific survival. RESULTS: After matching, there were 400 patients for analysis, with 200 in each treatment group. The mean age was 62 years and mean body mass index was 32 kg/m2. Most patients had early-stage disease (stage I n=362 (90%)) and endometrioid histology (n=363 (91%)). Adjuvant pelvic radiation was administered to 11%, adjuvant vaginal brachytherapy to 13% and adjuvant chemotherapy to 5% of patients. Five-year recurrence-free survival did not differ significantly between modes of surgery across the cohort (p=0.7) or within MMR strata (MMR-proficient p=0.9, MMR-deficient p=0.6). Similarly, there was no significant difference in overall or disease-specific survival by mode of surgery across the cohort or within MMR strata. There was no significant difference in the HR for recurrence for those treated with laparoscopy stratified by MMR status (MMR-proficient HR=0.99 (95% CI 0.28 to 3.58); MMR-deficient HR=0.83 (95% CI 0.24 to 2.87)), even when restricted to endometrioid subtype. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was no evidence of a difference in survival outcomes according to mode of surgery and MMR status.

Preoperative evaluation and a nomogram prediction model for pelvic lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study is to explore the preoperative risk factors of pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM) in endometrial cancer patients, and construct a nomogram prediction model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected various preoperative clinical characteristics of patients and analyzed their relationship with PLNM. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen for independent risk factors for PLNM of endometrial cancer. A nomogram prediction model was constructed, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were constructed and used to assess discrimination, calibration, and net benefit. RESULTS: Out of the 276 patients, 74 (26.81%) with postoperative pathological confirmation of PLNM. Multivariate logistic regressive analysis demonstrated that preoperative depth of myometrial invasion (DIM) ≥50% determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (p = 0.003), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) (p = 0.030), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) (p = 0.044), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (p = 0.025) could serve as independent risk factors for PLNM. A risk factors-based nomogram prediction model was constructed, which showed good discrimination (AUC = 0.841, p < 0.001) and good efficacy (C-index = 0.842) and good calibration (mean absolute error = 0.046). DCA showed that the model can provide clinical benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DIM ≥50% determined by MRI, serum CA 19-9, CA125 and PLR could be utilized to predict PLNM in endometrial cancer patients. This nomogram prediction model can provide preoperative help for evaluation and identification of patients with endometrial cancer, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical intervention.

National Survey of Current Follow-up Protocols for Patients Treated for Endometrial Cancer in the UK.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to establish a baseline of national practice for follow-up after treatment for endometrial cancer in the UK. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was developed and distributed through the Royal College of Radiologists via an email link to the audit leads of radiotherapy centres in the UK. The survey was conducted from November 2021 to 5 January 2022. The main themes assessed in the survey were the form, frequency and duration of follow-up practices. RESULTS: There were a total of 43/61 (70%) complete responses. 93% of centres had a standard follow-up protocol and 7% who did not have a follow-up protocol discharged patients after the post-operative review. Five centres (13%) used molecular profiling to inform follow-up practices. Patient-initiated follow-up was mainly used in the cohort of patients who had surgery alone with no adjuvant treatment (68%, (19/28)). In the cohort who had face-to-face follow-up, the majority had pelvic examinations as part of their review and total follow-up for five years. 93% of respondents are interested in a national follow-up protocol. CONCLUSION: Our data shows that there is national variation in practise with regard to follow-up of women treated for endometrial cancer. Many of the follow-up practises are based on conventional follow-up regimens and these may fail to address the more holistic needs of cancer survivors. Recent publication of updated guidance from the British Gynaecological Cancer Society may help standardise practise and provide a more relevant approach to follow-up for women treated for endometrial cancer.

Incidence of sentinel lymph node metastases in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer: a multicenter observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Ultrastaging is accurate in detecting nodal metastases, but increases costs and may not be necessary in certain low-risk subgroups. In this study we examined the risk of nodal involvement detected by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in a large population of apparent early-stage endometrial cancer and stratified by histopathologic characteristics. Furthermore, we aimed to identify a subgroup in which ultrastaging may be omitted. METHODS: We retrospectively included patients who underwent SLN (with bilateral mapping and no empty nodal packets on final pathology) ± systematic lymphadenectomy for apparent early-stage endometrial cancer at two referral cancer centers. Lymph node status was determined by SLN only, regardless of non-SLN findings. The incidence of macrometastasis, micrometastasis, and isolated tumor cells (ITC) was measured in the overall population and after stratification by histotype (endometrioid vs serous), myometrial invasion (none, <50%, ≥50%), and grade (G1, G2, G3). RESULTS: Bilateral SLN mapping was accomplished in 1570 patients: 1359 endometrioid and 211 non-endometrioid, of which 117 were serous. The incidence of macrometastasis, micrometastasis, and ITC was 3.8%, 3.4%, and 4.8%, respectively. In patients with endometrioid histology (n=1359) there were 2.9% macrometastases, 3.2% micrometastases, and 5.3% ITC. No macro/micrometastases and only one ITC were found in a subset of 274 patients with low-grade (G1-G2) endometrioid endometrial cancer without myometrial invasion (all <1%). The incidence of micro/macrometastasis was higher, 2.8%, in 708 patients with low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer invading <50% of the myometrium. In patients with serous histology (n=117), the incidence of macrometastases, micrometastasis, and ITC was 11.1%, 6.0%, and 1.7%, respectively. For serous carcinoma without myometrial invasion (n=36), two patients had micrometastases for an incidence of 5.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrastaging may be safely omitted in patients with low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer without myometrial invasion. No other subgroups with a risk of nodal metastasis of less than 1% have been identified.