The giant steps in surgical downsizing toward a personalized treatment of vulvar cancer.

The present article aims to highlight the importance of changes of personalized surgical treatment for vulvar cancer. Current international literature regarding surgical treatment of vulvar cancer was evaluated. This included several studies and systematic reviews. Radical surgery approach, such as en bloc resection, was the first therapeutic option and the standard care for many years, even if burdened with a high complication rate and frequently disfiguring. Taussing and Way introduced radical vulvectomy approach with en bloc bilateral inguinal-femoral lymphadenectomy; modified radical vulvectomy was developed, with a wide radical excision of the primary tumor. The role of inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (mono or bilateral) changed in the years too, particularly with the advent of SLN biopsy as minimally invasive surgical approach for lymph node staging, in patients with unifocal cancer <4 cm, without suspicious groin nodes. More personalized and conservative surgical approach, consisting of wide local or wide radical excisions, is necessary to reduce complications as lymphedema or sexual disfunction. The optimal surgical management of vulvar cancer needs to consider dimensions, staging, depth of invasion, presence of carcinoma at the surgical margins of resection and grading, with the goal of making the treatment as individualized as possible.

Palliative electrochemotherapy in primary or recurrent vulvar cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Since vulvar cancer is such a rare disease, the international experience with electrochemotherapy has been derived from only a few centers. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcome and side effects profile with the use of electrochemotherapy in patients with primary or recurrent vulvar cancer. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from November 2017 to November 2019 in two major Italian oncologic institutes: Regina Elena Institute and Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS. Electrochemotherapy was offered in a palliative setting to patients with a primary or recurrent vulvar cancer who were not candidates for surgery or any other treatment, because of poor performance status or previous delivered treatments. All patients underwent general anesthesia. Electrical pulses were delivered using a pulse generator. Intravenous bleomycin was administered in conjunction with electrochemotherapy. Follow-up examinations were performed at 1, 3, and 6 months. Primary endpoint was to assess the response rate of electrochemotherapy as palliative treatment in patients with vulvar cancer. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were included in the study. Fourteen patients (93.3%) had a squamous cell carcinoma and one patient had vulvar carcinosarcoma. Ten patients (66.7 %) had a single lesion and 5 patients (33.3%) had multiple lesions. Median number of electrical pulses was 22 (range 3-42) and median operative time was 13 (range 7-20) min. No intra-procedure complications occurred. One patient had pneumonia during their post-operative stay. Overall response rate after 1 month was 80%. At the 3-month follow-up, 3 patients (20%) had disease progression, 3 patients (20%) had died from ongoing disease, 1 patient (6.7%) died for other reasons, whereas the other patients maintained their 1-month clinical response. A total of 8/13 patients (61.5%) were alive at 6-month follow-up, whereas 6/12 patients (50%) were alive at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Electrochemotherapy is a feasible, easy to perform, and reproducible procedure in patients with primary or recurrent vulvar cancer who are unable to undergo surgery. Survival after 1 year in this population was 50%. Electrochemotherapy may have a role in the management of vulvar cancer, especially as palliative treatment when other therapies are no longer applicable.

The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale to Evaluate the Cosmetic Outcomes of the Robotic Single-Site Hysterectomy in Endometrial Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cosmetic outcome of robotic single-site hysterectomy (RSSH) in early-stage endometrial cancer. METHODS: We prospectively collected patient demographics, operative times, complications, pathologic results, and length of stay on all patients who underwent RSSH for early-stage endometrial cancer. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used for the evaluation of the cosmetic outcome. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were included in our study from January 2012 to October 2015. The median age of patients was 63 years (range, 35-84 years), and the median body mass index was 26.5 kg/m (range, 18-39 kg/m). No laparoscopic/laparotomic conversion was registered. The median docking time, console time, and total operative time were 7 minutes (range, 4-14 minutes), 46 minutes (range, 20-100 minutes), and 90 minutes (range, 45-150 minutes), respectively. The median blood loss was 50 mL (range, 10-150 mL). Nine patients underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy, and the median number of pelvic lymph nodes was 13 (range, 10-32). The median time to discharge was 3 days (range, 2-6 days). No intraoperative complications occurred, whereas we did observe 1 early postoperative complication. The oncological outcome was directly comparable to the literature. Patients reported low pain scores and high satisfaction in terms of postoperative scarring. The POSAS scores confirmed excellent cosmetic outcome of RSSH. CONCLUSION: Robotic single-site hysterectomy provided an efficient option for gynecologic oncologic surgery. The POSAS revealed high objective and patient-evaluated outcome, and patients were highly satisfied with the overall outcome of the appearance of their scars.

Near-infrared Fluorescence-guided Sentinel Node Mapping of the Ovary With Indocyanine Green in a Minimally Invasive Setting: A Feasible Study.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping has increased its feasibility in both early-stage cervical and endometrial cancer. There are few SLN studies regarding the ovary because of the risk of tumor dissemination and perhaps because the ovary represents an inconvenient site for injection. In this preliminary study, we have shown the feasibility of SLN mapping of the ovary with indocyanine green during laparoscopic retroperitoneal aortic surgical staging. The 10 women who were included in this study underwent aortic with pelvic laparoscopic staging, which included SLN biopsy, extrafascial total hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in case of an ovarian tumor. The fluorescent dye was injected on the dorsal and ventral side of the proper ovarian ligament and the suspensory ligament, close to the ovary and just underneath the peritoneum. In all cases except 1, SLNs were detected soon after the injection in the aortic compartment and in 3 cases also in the common iliac region. Only 1 intraoperative complication occurred: a superficial lesion of the vena cava that was recovered with a laparoscopic suture. Laparoscopic ovarian SLN mapping performed by means of an injection of indocyanine green fluorescent tracer in the ovarian ligaments seems feasible and promising. Further investigation are encouraged and necessary to evaluate the possible applications of this new technique for staging patients with early-stage ovarian cancer.

Surgical and Oncological Outcome of Robotic Surgery Compared With Laparoscopic and Abdominal Surgery in the Management of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim is to evaluate the surgical and oncological outcome of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) plus pelvic lymphadenectomy in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). The secondary aim is to compare the surgical and oncological results of RRH after NACT with a historical cohort of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical hysterectomy or abdominal radical hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphadenectomy for LACC after NACT. METHODS: We enrolled a total of 41 patients in this study with LACC undergoing RRH, who achieved a clinical partial or complete response to NACT. The surgical and oncological outcomes of 2 historical groups were compared: the laparoscopic group (41 patients) with the laparotomic group (43 patients). RESULTS: The median estimated blood loss, operative time, and length of hospital stay were statistically significant and in favor of the robotic group. No conversion to laparotomy in the robotic group was necessary. There were no significant differences between the 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates in the minimally invasive groups; nevertheless, the robotic group showed the same recurrence rate of laparoscopic in a short-interval follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The robotic approach could be considered a feasible and safe alternative to other surgical options. Multicenter randomized clinical trials with longer follow-ups are necessary to evaluate the overall oncologic outcomes of this procedure.

Robotic Hysterectomy in Severely Obese Patients With Endometrial Cancer: A Multicenter Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical and oncologic outcomes of robotic hysterectomy with or without or less pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy in severely obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 40 kg/m(2)) with endometrial cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between August 2010 and November 2014, patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer and BMI ≥40 kg/m(2) were deemed eligible for the study and underwent RH with or without pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy. RESULTS: Seventy patients were divided into 3 groups according to their BMI: group A, BMI between 40 and 45 kg/m(2) (50 patients); group B, BMI between 45 and 50 kg/m(2) (10 patients); and group C, BMI above 50 kg/m(2) (10 patients). No significant statistical differences were found between the 3 groups in terms of operation time, blood loss, hospital stay, and oncologic results. Pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed in 42%, 30%, and 20% of patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively. An intraoperative complication occurred in 1 patient in group A, early postoperative complications in 4 patients in group A and in 1 patient in group C, and a late postoperative complication occurred in 1 patient in group A. No conversions to laparotomy were necessary; however, 3 patients underwent conversions to laparoscopy in group A and 1 patient in both groups B and C. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that robotic surgery in severely obese patients with endometrial cancer is safe and feasible. Moreover, it seems that an increase in BMI does not change the surgical and oncologic outcomes. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.

Single-access laparoscopic approach in the surgical treatment of endometrial cancer: A single-institution experience and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the surgical and oncological outcome for the management of endometrial cancer (EC) by laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent a LESS for EC. All the patients were treated by the same surgical team between July 2009 and June 2013 at the Gynaecologic Oncologic Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. RESULTS: A total of 50 women were included, with a median age of 45 years (range, 39-84 years) and a median body mass index (BMI) of 21.8 kg/m2 (range, 19-48 kg/m2). Median operative time was 100 min (range, 50-240 min), median blood loss was 90 mL (range, 10-300 mL) and median hospital stay was 3 days (range, 2-9 days). The median number of pelvic lymph nodes retrieved was 14 (range, 5-20). No intraoperative complications occurred, but there were 4 postoperative complications. Two patients required a laparoscopic conversion. The median follow-up was 36 months (range, 16-62 months) and no recurrence occurred. CONCLUSION: Our report showed that the LESS approach in the treatment of early EC can be a safe and reliable technique in terms of surgical and oncological outcomes.

Laparoscopic Debulking Surgery in the Management of Advanced Ovarian Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and morbidity of total laparoscopic debulking surgery in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS/MATERIALS: We performed a retrospective review of laparoscopic approach in patients with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer (International Federation of GynaecologyObstetrics stages IIIC-IV) who received 3 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, from January 2010 to December 2014, at the Gynaecologic Oncologic Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were included. The median age was 50 years (range, 26-73 years), median body mass index was 24.5 kg/m (range, 19-39 kg/m). All patients had good clinical response to 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All women underwent a complete debulking surgery with no residual disease. The median operating time was 152 minutes (range, 70-335 minutes), the median blood loss was 70 mL (range, 50-200 mL). The median number of removed pelvic lymph nodes was 15 (range, 13-25). There was 1 (3.3%) intraoperative complication and 2 (6.6%) postoperative short-term complications. The median length of hospital stay was 4 days (range, 3-13 days). The median follow-up was 15 months (range, 2-54 months). Twenty-six patients are free from recurrence at the time of this report. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cytoreduction in patients with advanced ovarian cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, when performed by skilled surgeons, seems feasible and may decrease the impact of aggressive surgery on high-morbidity patients, such as on women after chemotherapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by robotic radical hysterectomy in locally advanced cervical cancer: a multi-institution study.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive surgery has been performed in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) without adverse effect in patient's overall prognosis and survival. The aim of this report is to evaluate the feasibility and morbidity of total robotic radical hysterectomy (TRRH) with pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with LACC after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS: From February 2008 to April 2013 a retrospective data collection of women undergoing TRRH for cervical cancer stage FIGO IB2 to IIB, after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, was conducted at "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute of Rome and European Institute of Oncology of Milan. All patients deemed operable underwent TRRH with pelvic lymphadenectomy within 4 weeks from the last chemotherapy cycle. RESULTS: Median operative time was 225 min (range, 105-387 min). The median blood loss was 150 mL (range, 30-700 mL). The median number of removed pelvic lymph nodes was 23 (range, 8-69). Sixteen patients had an optimal response (12 PCR, 4 pPR1) to chemotherapy, 33 patients had a pPR2 and 11 patient showed stable disease. Adjuvant therapy was administrated in 36 patients (60%). We experienced one intra-operative complication and 19 post-operative complications, but no conversions to laparotomy were necessary to manage these complications. Six patients received a blood transfusion. At the time of this report, with a median follow-up of 28.9 months, 50 patients (83%) are free from recurrence. CONCLUSION: This experience demonstrates the feasibility of TRRH pelvic lymphadenectomy after NACT in LACC with good accuracy and safety.

Use of SAND balloon catheter for laparoscopic management of extremely large ovarian cysts.

The objective of the study was to assess the feasibility and outcome of laparoscopic surgery for management of extremely large ovarian cysts using the SAND balloon catheter. From January 2006 to December 2009, 25 patients with large cystic adnexal tumors underwent laparoscopic-assisted surgery using the SAND balloon catheter. Median (range) patient age was 43 (20-68) years, body mass index was 25 (19-32), mass size was 26 cm (15-60 cm), duration of the surgical procedure was 60 (30-300) minutes), and blood loss was 30 (10-100) mL. There were no major surgical complications. Intra-abdominal leakage of cyst fluid was observed in only 1 case (4%). With proper patient selection, the SAND balloon catheter can be extremely useful in laparoscopic removal of very large adnexal masses, without intraperitoneal spillage.

Prognostic Role of the Removed Vaginal Cuff and Its Correlation with L1CAM in Low-Risk Endometrial Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the role of the excised vaginal cuff length as a prognostic factor in terms of DFS and recurrence rate/site, in low-risk endometrial cancer (EC) patients. Moreover, we correlated the recurrence with the expression of L1CAM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From March 2001 to November 2016, a retrospective data collection was conducted of women undergoing surgical treatment for low-risk EC according to ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO consensus guidelines. Patients were divided into three groups according to their vaginal cuff length: V0 without vaginal cuff, V1 with a vaginal cuff shorter than 1.5 cm and V2 with a vaginal cuff longer than or equal to 1.5 cm. RESULTS: 344 patients were included in the study: 100 in the V0 group, 179 in the V1 group and 65 in the V2 group. The total recurrence rate was 6.1%: the number of patients with recurrence was 8 (8%), 10 (5.6%) and 3 (4.6%), in the V0, V1 and V2 group, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in the recurrence rate among the three groups. Although the DFS was higher in the V2 group, the result was not significant. L1CAM was positive in 71.4% of recurrences and in 82% of the distant recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of recurrence in patients with EC at low risk of recurrence does not decrease as the length of the vaginal cuff removed increases. Furthermore, the size of the removed vaginal cuff does not affect either the site of recurrence or the likelihood of survival.

Development of new medical treatment for epithelial ovarian cancer recurrence.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the scariest gynaecological cancer. Many advances have been done with evolving knowledge, leading to the introduction of new drugs, most in maintenance setting. The antiangiogenic Bevacizumab and the three approved PARP-inhibitors-olaparib, niraparib and rucaparib-are gradually improving PFS of patients with EOC, with initial effects on OS too. But recurrence is still a heavy sentence and lethality continues to be high. Ovarian cancer is a complex disease, with different clinical presentation, histological aspect, and molecular expression, leading to disappointing results, when using a single drug. Implementation of biobanking and analysis of patients' tumour samples, before starting a treatment, could be a promising way to better understand molecular aspects of this disease, to identify markers predictive of response and to allow a better use of experimental drugs, as immunomodulators, targeted therapies, and combinations of these, to fight tumour growth and clinical progression. We reviewed the literature on the updated treatments for recurrent ovarian cancer, summarizing all the available drugs and combinations to treat patients with this diagnosis, and focusing the attention on the new approved molecules and the contemporary Clinical Trials, investigating new target therapies and new associations.

Practical recommendations for gynecologic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surgery in suspected/confirmed COVID-19 patients is a high-risk venture. In infected patients, COVID-19 is present in the body cavity. During surgery it could be nebulized in the spray generated by surgical instruments and could theoretically infect members of the surgical team. Nevertheless, some surgical gynecologic pathologies cannot be postponed. We present a list of the most frequent gynecologic diseases and recommendations on their surgical management during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on expert opinion, current available information, and international scientific society recommendations to support the work of gynecologists worldwide. In brief, any kind of surgical treatment should be scrutinized and postponed if possible. Nonoperative conservative treatment including pharmacological therapies for hormone-sensitive pathologies should be implemented. Health risk assessment by patient history and COVID-19 test before elective surgery are pivotal to protect both patients and healthcare providers. In confirmed COVID-19 patients or highly suspected cases, elective surgery should be postponed until full recovery.

The prognostic significance of positive peritoneal cytology in endometrial cancer and its correlations with L1-CAM biomarker.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of positive peritoneal cytology (PPC) in a cohort of patients with endometrial cancer (EC). The secondary objective was to correlate the PPC and the expression of L1CAM in a group of patients with recurrence endometrial disease. METHODS: All women diagnosed with EC and who performed a peritoneal cytology at "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute of Rome from 2001 to 2013 were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to positivity at peritoneal cytology. Moreover, patients with a recurrence disease and whose a tissue microarray (TMA) tumor sample was available underwent a L1CAM analysis. RESULTS: Seven hundred sixty six patients underwent to EC staging in our Institute: 696 (90.8%) with negative and 70 (9.2%) with positive cytology. Five-year recurrence rate was higher in women with PPC (46.9% vs 18.4%, p = 0 < 0.0001) and, in particular, distant recurrence (86.7% vs 53.4%, p = 0.03). Moreover, we found an interesting pattern of recurrence disease in the group of early stage of EC with NPC and positive L1CAM. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the data that PPC may be a potential prognostic factor in early EC, due to its significant association with other risk factors and its significant influence on survival. Our findings confirm the need for large studies that point out the role of PPC and new prognostic factors, including biomarkers as L1CAM.

Robotic single site radical hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphadenectomy in gynecological cancers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and the safety of robotic single-site radical hysterectomy (RSSRH) plus pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL) in endometrial or cervical cancer. METHODS: Patients with endometrial cancer (EC) International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II, early cervical cancer (ECC) FIGO stage IB1 or locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) FIGO stage IB2-IIB with clinical response ≥50% after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) were enrolled in a prospective cohort trial. All cases were performed using the da Vinci Si Surgical Single Site System®. RESULTS: Between April 2014 and November 2016, twenty patients were included in our pilot study. Three and 17 patients underwent type B1 or C1 RSSRH plus PL, respectively. The median age of patients was 46 years (range, 36-68 years) and the median body mass index was 23.5 kg/m² (range, 19.1-36.3 kg/m²). The median total operative time was 190 minutes (range, 90-310 minutes). The median blood loss was 75 mL (range, 20-700 mL) and the median number of pelvic lymph nodes removed was 16 (range, 5-27). No laparoscopic/laparotomic conversions were reported and the median time to discharge was 6 days (range, 4-16 days). No intra-operative complications occurred while 4 (20%) post-operative complications were reported: one pelvic abscess, one lymphorrea, one bowel perforation, and one vaginal dehiscence. CONCLUSION: RSSRH plus PL is technically feasible in patients affected by gynecological cancer.

Endometrial cancer prognosis correlates with the expression of L1CAM and miR34a biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Patients with endometrial cancer (EC) and presumably with good prognosis may develop a recurrence indicating that the classification of this tumor is still not definitive and that new markers are needed to identify a subgroup at risk of relapse. The cell adhesion molecule L1CAM is highly expressed in several human carcinomas and has recently been described as a new marker for endometrial and ovarian carcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine the relevance of L1CAM in recurrent EC. METHODS: In this work we have analyzed, by immunohistochemical and RT-qPCR analysis, the expression of L1CAM in a cohort of 113 endometrial cancers at different stages, which 50% have relapsed. As a predictor of good outcome, the tumors were also analyzed for the expression of miR-34a, a post-transcriptional regulator of L1CAM. RESULTS: Among metastatic EC, the highest levels (60%) and the median level (24%) of L1CAM in tumors correlate with the progression, suggesting that the expression of this molecule is linked to the tumor component most involved in metastatic processes. We also found an inverse correlation between miR-34a and L1CAM protein expression, suggesting that miR-34a is a positive prognostic marker of EC. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the expression of L1CAM and miR-34a in EC as prognostic factors that identify subgroup of patients at high risk of recurrence suggesting for them more aggressive schedules of treatment.

Preoperative work-up for definition of lymph node risk involvement in early stage endometrial cancer: 5-year follow-up.

This prospective cohort study aimed to analyze the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and hysteroscopic excisional biopsy (HEB) for predicting the low- and high-risk patients with endometrial carcinoma for nodal involvement at preoperative evaluation. From January 2005 to December 2006, all patients with a diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma were prospectively included in the study and underwent pelvic MRI and HEB. The pelvic MRI (without contrast) was aimed to evaluate the extent of myometrial invasion (MI < 50%, MI ≥ 50%), the possible involvement of cervical stroma, the ovarian, and lymph nodes status. HEB was performed under general anesthesia, retrieving multiple biopsies through a 5-mm, monopolar, loop electrode. According to our data analysis, the integration of MRI and HEB showed an elevated accuracy and high rates of sensitivity (85.0%), specificity (88.5%), negative predictive value (91.9%) and positive predictive value (79.0%) in identifying low-risk patients who do not need comprehensive surgical staging.

Prognostic role of NF-YA splicing isoforms and Lamin A status in low grade endometrial cancer.

Although most cases of low grade (G1) endometrial cancer (EC) do not behave aggressively, in rare instances, can progress in a highly aggressive manner. In this study we analyzed formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) EC tissues to find novel clinical and biological features to help diagnosis and treatment of G1 ECs s in order to better stratify patient risk of recurrence. A retrospective cohort of FFPE specimens from patients with EC (n=87) and benign tissue specimens (NE) from patients who underwent a hysterectomy to treat other benign disease (n = 13) were collected. Total RNA and proteins were extracted and analyzed, respectively, by quantitative PCR and western blotting. NF-YAs is expressed and lamin A is down-modulated in all high grade (G2 and G3) ECs. In G1 ECs, NF-YAs expression is heterogeneous being expressed only in a subset of these tumours. Interestingly, the G1 ECs that express NF-YAs display low levels of lamin A similar to those present in G2 and G3 ECs. Of note, this pattern of NF-YAs and lamin A expression correlates with tumor aggressiveness assessed by comparative analysis with estrogen receptor (ER) status and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers thus suggesting its potential role as biomarker of tumour aggressiveness in G1 EC. In all grade ECs, lamin A is strongly downmodulated, being its expression inversely correlated with tumor aggressiveness and its loss of expression. We identified NF-YAs and lamin A expression levels as novel potential biomarkers useful to identify G1 ECs patients with risk of recurrence.

Robotic single site versus robotic multiport hysterectomy in early endometrial cancer: a case control study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare surgical outcomes and cost of robotic single-site hysterectomy (RSSH) versus robotic multiport hysterectomy (RMPH) in early stage endometrial cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control study, comparing perioperative outcomes and costs of RSSH and RMPH in early stage endometrial cancer patients. RSSH were matched 1:2 according to age, body mass index, comorbidity, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetric (FIGO) stage, type of radical surgery, histologic type, and grading. Mean hospital cost per discharge was calculated summarizing the cost of daily hospital room charges, operating room, cost of supplies and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 23 women who underwent RSSH were matched with 46 historic controls treated by RMPH in the same institute, with the same surgical team. No significant differences were found in terms of age, histologic type, stage, and grading. Operative time was similar: 102.5 minutes in RMPH and 110 in RSSH (p=0.889). Blood loss was lower in RSSH than in RMPH (respectively, 50 mL vs. 100 mL, p=0.001). Hospital stay was 3 days in RMPH and 2 days in RSSH (p=0.001). No intraoperative complications occurred in both groups. Early postoperative complications were 2.2% in RMPH and 4.3% in RSSH. Overall cost was higher in RMPH than in RSSH (respectively, $7,772.15 vs. $5,181.06). CONCLUSION: Our retrospective study suggests the safety and feasibility of RSSH for staging early endometrial cancer without major differences from the RMPH in terms of surgical outcomes, but with lower hospital costs. Certainly, further studies are eagerly warranted to confirm our findings.

Modulation of surgery in early invasive cervical cancer.

In modern oncology increasing attention is given to patient quality of life issues. Reduction of morbidity and preservation of reproductive organs are aspects of major concern for surgeons treating women affected by gynecologic tumors. To achieve these goals both improvements of surgical technique and peri-operative management, but mainly a better individualization of therapy are needed. This requires: (1) advanced knowledge of the natural history of disease, (2) accurate pathological evaluation, (3) innovative diagnostic tools. In the last decades remarkable progresses have been made in these fields making modulation of surgery a concrete option in the treatment of early invasive cervical cancer. Currently, tumor volume measurements by step serial section of cone specimen (stage IA(2) and small volume IB(1)), sentinel nodal group lymphadenectomy and sentinel node biopsy (stage IB(1)) represent the best techniques available for assessing the risk of extracervical spread of disease allowing tailoring of patient management to optimize the patients outcome and quality of life.