Obesity in Patients with Endometrial Cancer: May It Affect the Surgical Outcomes of Laparoscopic Approach?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of obesity on surgical outcomes for women with endometrial cancer (EC) managed by laparoscopic surgery. Minimal invasive surgery has been incorporated in the surgical management of EC, improving perioperative outcomes. However, this approach may become more challenging in case of obesity. So it is important to accurately evaluate and establish the most appropriate surgical approach for these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2008 through April 2016, we conducted a prospective observational study, including all consecutive patients with a histological diagnosis of EC undergoing surgical staging by laparoscopy at our institution. Patients were classified in two groups (obese vs non-obese) according to their body mass index. Information about short- and long-term outcomes were recorded and analyzed during an outpatient follow-up. RESULTS: Between January 2008 and April 2016, 83 women underwent laparoscopic surgery for EC at our institution. Forty-six (56.6%) of them were classified as obese. Surgical outcomes were similar in both groups. No significant difference was reported in surgical time, number of lymph nodes removed, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and incidence of intra- or postoperative complications. Also, long-term outcomes did not show any statistical significant difference: recurrence rate was 6.4% (3/47) among obese patients and 13.9% (5/36) among non-obese (p = 0.251). No difference was reported even in time to recurrence (log-rank p = 0.280) and in survival time (log-tank p = 0.132) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that obesity did not impair the outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for EC. This surgical approach may be offered to obese patients with the same level of safety, radicality, and efficiency as for the normal-weight population.

Study of the sentinel node in endometrial cancer at early stages: preliminary results.

AIM: To investigate the applicability of the sentinel lymph node biopsy technique in early stages of endometrial cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study that included consecutive patients with a histological diagnosis of clinical state I endometrial carcinoma was performed. Two doses of 2 mCi (74 MBq) of (99m)Tc-albumin nanocolloid were injected in the uterine cervix, and planar and SPECT-CT images were obtained at one hour, and at 24 hours if no migration of the tracer was observed. Methylene blue dye was also injected into the cervix immediately prior to the surgery. A gamma probe was used during the surgical procedure for sentinel lymph node identification. In all cases, a hysterectomy, double adnexectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy were performed, carrying out a histological analysis (hematoxylin-eosin) of the sentinel lymph nodes and the lymphadenectomy specimen. RESULTS: We included 19 patients, with a final diagnoses of endometrioid carcinoma (18 cases) and endometrial stromal sarcoma (1 case). At least one sentinel lymph node was identified in 17 of them (89.5% detection rate). Twenty-nine sentinel lymph nodes were identified during surgery, all of them negative for neoplastic infiltration. No metastatic invasion was found in the pelvic lymphadenectomy specimens as well. CONCLUSIONS: The sentinel lymph node biopsy technique seems to be a reliable tool in nodal staging of endometrial cancer at early stages, with an acceptable detection rate and high histological correlation. The low prevalence of lymphatic spread in this group of patients and the encouraging results obtained could make the sentinel lymph node an alternative to routine complete lymphadenectomy.

Miomectomía histeroscópica. Valoración del tratamiento previo con agonistas LH-RH / Hysteroscopic myomectomy. Evaluation of prior treatment with LH-RH agonists

Objetivo: Estudio prospectivo de 61 miomectomías histeroscópicas para valorar la utilidad del tratamiento previo con agonistas de la hormona liberadora de hormona luteinizante (LHRH).Material y métodos: Se realizaron 61 miomectomías en 50 pacientes entre enero de 1995 y diciembre de 1998. Se seleccionaron 2 grupos homogéneos según recibieran o no tratamiento previo con análogos, repartiendo la administración de la medicación en años alternos. Se desarrolló un protocolo de seguimiento en la consulta de ginecología.Resultados: El número medio ñ desviaciones estándar de miomas encontrados fue de 1,12 ñ 0,07, con un tamaño medio de 26,16 ñ 14,9 mm y en su mayor número 27 (54 por ciento) tipo I (Wamsteker).En 46 pacientes (92 por ciento) el tratamiento fue exitoso, en cuatro (8 por ciento) fracasó, en tres de los cuales realmente existió una mala indicación de la técnica (útero polimiomatoso). No hubo complicaciones intraoperatorias. Hubo una complicación postoperatoria (infección urinaria). Días de ingreso postoperatorio: 1.En el estudio comparativo no existieron diferencias significativas tanto en los datos técnicos como en la mejoría de la sintomatología clínica entre el grupo de pacientes tratados y el de no tratados con agonistas LHRH.Conclusión: La miomectomía por histeroscopia quirúrgica es un buen método de tratamiento con una alta tasa de curación y una escasa morbilidad.El uso del tratamiento previo y rutinario con análogos LHRH en esta cirugía, en nuestra casuística no aportó beneficios significativos ni mejoría en los resultados clínicos obtenidos y, por contra, incrementó el coste por proceso, aunque esto no llegaría a excluir su uso selectivo e individualizado en ciertos casos. (AU)