Research Article: Surgical approach selection and perioperative-pathological characteristics in endometrial cancer: a retrospective observational study
Abstract:
To evaluate real-world surgical selection patterns and associated perioperative, pathological, and follow-up findings in patients with endometrial cancer undergoing laparotomy, laparoscopy, or V-NOTES.
This retrospective study included 151 patients who underwent surgical treatment for endometrial cancer between 2018 and 2025 at a tertiary referral center. One hundred forty-seven patients were analyzed, including 84 who underwent laparotomy, 20 laparoscopy, and 43V-NOTES. Demographic characteristics, preoperative findings, operative outcomes, final pathology, adjuvant treatment, and follow-up data were compared. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and categorical variables using the chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors associated with adjuvant treatment requirement.
Significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed across surgical groups. Patients in the laparotomy group were older, more frequently postmenopausal, and had higher-risk disease features, including deeper myometrial invasion, higher tumor grade, and a greater proportion of high-risk histological subtypes (all p <?0.05). Operative time and estimated blood loss were significantly higher in the laparotomy group (both p <?0.001). Lymph node assessment strategies differed markedly, with systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy predominantly performed in the laparotomy group, whereas sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) was more common in minimally invasive approaches ( p <?0.001). Adverse pathological features, including lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) and advanced FIGO stage, were more frequently observed in the laparotomy group ( p =?0.002 and p ??0.010, respectively). Adjuvant treatment was administered more frequently after laparotomy ( p <?0.001). However, in multivariable analysis, surgical approach was not independently associated with adjuvant treatment requirement, whereas postoperative tumor grade (OR?=?5.78, p <?0.001) and deep or serosal myometrial invasion (OR?=?35.23, p <?0.001) remained significant predictors. Median follow-up duration among patients with available follow-up data was 12.4?months (IQR: 7.4–15.4?months).
The observed differences in perioperative, pathological, and treatment findings among surgical approaches appear to reflect underlying variations in patient and tumor characteristics rather than the intrinsic effects of the surgical techniques themselves. In routine clinical practice, minimally invasive approaches are more commonly utilized in lower-risk patients, whereas laparotomy is more frequently performed in patients with advanced or high-risk disease.
Introduction:
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries, and its incidence continues to increase worldwide, largely driven by aging populations, obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic risk factors ( 1 , 2 ). Although many patients are diagnosed at an early stage due to abnormal uterine bleeding, a substantial proportion present with high-risk pathological features such as deep myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), non-endometrioid histology, and advanced-stage…
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