Can the Modified Frailty Index (mFI) Predict Intraoperative and Postoperative Complications in Older Women with Endometrial Cancer Undergoing Laparoscopic or Robotic Surgery? A Multicenter Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the strength of the association between frailty and intraoperative/postoperative complications in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for endometrial cancer. METHODS: In this retrospective observational multicenter cohort study, frailty was defined beforehand by a modified frailty index (mFI) score of ≥3. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to investigate possible preoperative predictors-including frailty, age, and body mass index-of intraoperative and early (within 30 days from surgery) or delayed (beyond 30 days from surgery) postoperative complications. RESULTS: The study involved 577 women, of whom 6.9% (n = 40) were frail with an mFI ≥ 3, while 93.1% (n = 537) were non-frail with an mFI of 0-2. Frail women had a significantly higher rate of intraoperative complications (7.5% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.01), with odds 4.54 times greater (95% CI: 1.18-17.60, p = 0.028). There were no differences in the rate of early postoperative complications (15% vs. 6.9%, p = 0.06) and delayed postoperative complications (2.5% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.65) for frail versus non-frail patients. The odds of early postoperative complications increased by 0.7% (95% CI: 1.00-1.15) for every one-unit increase in age (p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was associated with a significantly higher risk of intraoperative complications in older women undergoing MIS for endometrial cancer. Likewise, increasing age was an independent predictor of early postoperative complications. Our findings support the practice of assessing frailty before surgery to optimize perioperative management in this patient population.

Comparison Between Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery in Elderly Patients With Endometrial Cancer: A Retrospective Multicentric Study.

INTRODUCTION: Elderly endometrial cancer (EEC) patients represent a challenging clinical situation because of the increasing number of clinical morbidities. In this setting of patients, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been shown to improve surgical and clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the peri-operative and oncological outcomes of EEC patients who had undergone laparoscopic (LS) or robotic surgery (RS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study in which endometrial cancer patients of 70 years or older who had undergone MIS for EC from April 2002 to October 2018 were considered. Owing to the non-randomized nature of the study design and the possible allocation biases arising from the retrospective comparison between LS and RS groups, we also performed a propensity score-matched analysis (PSMA). RESULTS: A total of 537 patients with EC were included in the study: 346 who underwent LS and 191 who underwent RS. No significant statistical differences were found between the two groups in terms of surgical and survival outcomes. 188 were analyzed after PSMA (94 patients in the LS group were matched with 94 patients in the RS group). The median estimated blood loss was higher in the LS group (p=0.001) and the median operative time was higher in the RS group (p=0.0003). No differences emerged between LS and RS in terms of disease free survival (DFS) (p=0.890) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.683). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that when compared LS and RS, RS showed lower blood losses and higher operative times. However, none of the two approaches demonstrated to be superior in terms of survival outcomes. For this reason, each patient should be evaluated individually to determine the best surgical approach.

Morcellating uterine mesenchymal tumors: The pathologist's view.

AIM: The study was conducted to delineate the histological problems in diagnosing uterine mesenchymal tumors in morcellated material. METHODS: All cases of morcellated uteri performed between 2008 and 2014 were reviewed. The incidence of unexpected malignancy, defined as any neoplasm with a clear-cut diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) or endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), was noted. Cases with absolute discrepancy between the diagnosis of the morcellated tumor and the subsequent diagnosis were also included in the study. RESULTS: Out of 631 cases, a final diagnosis of LMS or ESS was made regarding three and five tumors, respectively. Patient age ranged from 25 to 48 years. Two further cases initially diagnosed as ESS proved to be endometrial stromal nodules with smooth muscle differentiation. Two cases were diagnosed as smooth muscle tumors with uncertain malignant potential and the patients remain free of disease. One tumor was diagnosed as an endometrial stromal neoplasm and proved to be benign and finally a leiomyoma variant presented with presumed peritoneal disease. CONCLUSION: Both endometrial stromal and smooth muscle tumors with malignant behavior can be encountered at a young age. Because of the limitations in histological evaluation, morcellated tumors may be overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed by pathologists.

Feasibility, safety, and cost outcomes of laparoscopic management of early endometrial and cervical malignancy.

BACKGROUND: The role of laparoscopy in the management of early stage endometrial and cervical cancer is continuously validated by many reports throughout the world. Interestingly, such data are still unavailable in many European countries, as it is in Greece. In this prospective study, we report on initial feasibility, safety, and cost outcomes of laparoscopic management of early stage endometrial and cervical cancer, recently introduced in our country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective pilot study comprising a case series. Patients referred to a tertiary referral medical center with a recent diagnosis of endometrial or cervical cancer were evaluated, and those meeting inclusion criteria were offered laparoscopic surgical staging. RESULTS: Out of 64 patients evaluated, 17 with early clinical stage endometrial cancer and 8 with early clinical stage cervical cancer underwent successful laparoscopic staging. Mean patient age was 61.6 and 39.2 years, mean BMI was 32.3 and 24.1kg/m(2), mean operative time was 243 and 284 minutes, mean estimated blood loss was 190mL and 270mL, mean lymph node count was 27.2 and 29.1, and mean hospital stay was 2 and 3 days for endometrial and cervical cancer cases, respectively. The overall costs for the procedures performed were not greater than their laparotomy counterpart. One intraoperative complication was managed laparoscopically, and 2 cases occurred of postoperative lymphocyst formation. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study of laparoscopic management of early endometrial and cervical cancer in Greece. Our preliminary data support the feasibility, safety, and cost effectiveness of laparoscopic management of early endometrial and cervical cancer in our country and are in accordance with series reported in the international literature.

Synchronous rectovaginal, urinary bladder, and pulmonary endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Extragenital endometriosis is an uncommon condition that can affect almost any organ system and tissue in the human body. Disease involving multiple distant sites is extremely uncommon. METHODS: We report a rare case of synchronous rectovaginal, urinary bladder, and pulmonary endometriosis. We performed a Medline literature search using keywords "endom etriosis," "recto vaginal," "pulmonary," "bladder," "ureteral," "bowel," "extrapelvic," and "extragenital" and were unable to find any prior case reports of such findings. A 31-year-old female presented with catamenial dysuria of 1-year duration, pleurisy associated with spontaneous pneumothoraces of 7 months' duration and a long-standing history of pelvic pain. A multispecialty team with experience in endoscopic techniques was assembled, consisting of a thoracic, a urologic, and a gynecologic surgeon. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with fulguration of all visible pleural endometriosis and pleurodesis was performed, followed by laparoscopic segmental bladder wall endometrioma excision and resection of rectovaginal endometriosis. Twelve months after surgery and without additional hormonal treatment, the patient is symptom free. CONCLUSION: Extragenital endometriosis may coexist in multiple sites. A high index of suspicion aids in the diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach in a tertiary center, followed by appropriate surgical eradication of visible disease, can successfully treat endometriosis even in such extreme cases.