Practice patterns and complications of hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer after the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial.

BACKGROUND: After the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial, the standard surgical approach for early-stage cervical cancer is open radical hysterectomy. Only limited data were available regarding whether the change to open abdominal hysterectomy observed after the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial led to an increase in postoperative complication rates as a consequence of the decrease in the use of the minimally invasive approach. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze whether there was a correlation between the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial and an increase in the 30-day complications associated with surgical treatment of invasive cervical cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were used to compare the results in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (January 2016 to December 2017) vs the results in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (January 2019 to December 2020). The rates of each surgical approach (open abdominal or minimally invasive) hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer during the 2 periods were assessed. Subsequently, 30-day major complication, minor complication, unplanned hospital readmission, and intra- or postoperative transfusion rates before and after the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 3024 patients undergoing either open abdominal hysterectomy or minimally invasive hysterectomy for invasive cervical cancer were included in the study. Of the patients, 1515 (50.1%) were treated in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period, and 1509 (49.9%) were treated in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period. The rate of minimally invasive approaches decreased significantly from 75.6% (1145/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 41.1% (620/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period, whereas the rate of open abdominal approach increased from 24.4% (370/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 58.9% (889/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (P<.001). The overall 30-day major complications remained stable between the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (85/1515 [5.6%]) and the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (74/1509 [4.9%]) (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-1.17). The overall 30-day minor complications were similar in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (103/1515 [6.8%]) vs the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (120/1509 [8.0%]) (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-1.55). The unplanned hospital readmission rate remained stable during the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (7.9% per 30 person-days) and during the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (6.3% per 30 person-days) (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.04)]. The intra- and postoperative transfusion rates increased significantly from 3.8% (58/1515) in the pre-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period to 6.7% (101/1509) in the post-Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer period (adjusted odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-2.53). CONCLUSION: This study observed a significant shift in the surgical approach for invasive cervical cancer after the publication of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer trial, with a reduction in the minimally invasive abdominal approach and an increase in the open abdominal approach. The change in surgical approach was not associated with an increase in the rate of 30-day major or minor complications and unplanned hospital readmission, although it was associated with an increase in the transfusion rate.

Oncological outcomes of unexpected uterine leiomyosarcoma: A single-center retrospective analysis of 5528 consecutive hysterectomies.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Uterine leiomyosarcomas (uLMS) are rare malignant tumors, often incidentally discovered, with an estimated annual incidence of five cases per one million women in the United States. This study aimed to compare the oncological outcomes of two groups of patients: those with uLMS incidentally found during surgery and those who underwent surgery due to suspected or confirmed uLMS before the procedure. The study assessed patients who had undergone hysterectomy and were diagnosed with stage I uLMS at a tertiary gynecologic oncology referral center in Italy between January 2000 and December 2019. Data on patients' baseline characteristics, surgical procedures, and oncological outcomes were collected. The patients were classified into two groups based on whether uLMS was unexpectedly discovered or suspected before the surgery. Survival rates and factors influencing recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 36 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, with 12 having preoperatively suspected or proven uLMS and 24 having incidentally discovered uLMS. No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding disease-free survival (23.7 vs. 27.3 months, log rank = 0.28), disease-specific survival (median not reached, log rank = 0.78), or sites of relapse. Notably, among patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy (compared to open surgery), a significantly higher rate of locoregional recurrence was found (78% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.04). Nevertheless, no significant differences in survival were observed based on the surgical approach. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative suspicion for uLMS did not seem to impact survival outcomes or the pattern of recurrence. Furthermore, although patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy showed a higher rate of locoregional relapse, this did not affect their overall survival.

Laparoscopic treatment of early-stage endometrial cancer: benefits of sentinel lymph node mapping and impact on lower extremity lymphedema.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the lymphatic-specific morbidity (specifically, lower extremity lymphedema) associated with laparoscopic management of early-stage endometrial cancer using the sentinel lymph node (SLN) algorithm by type of actual nodal assessment. METHODS: An ambispective study was conducted on consecutive patients surgically treated for apparent early-stage endometrial cancer who underwent laparoscopic staging according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network SLN algorithm at a single institution from January 2020 to August 2023. Data on patient characteristics, surgical details, and post-operative complications were collected. Lymphedema screening was performed using a validated questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 239 patients were analyzed, with a questionnaire response rate of 85.4%. The study population was grouped based on actual surgical staging: hysterectomy+SLN (54.8%), hysterectomy+systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (27.2%), and hysterectomy only (18%). The prevalence of lymphedema was significantly lower in the hysterectomy+SLN group compared with the hysterectomy+systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy group (21.4% vs 44.6%, p=0.003). Multivariable analysis showed a threefold increase in the risk of lymphedema for the hysterectomy+systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy group compared with the hysterectomy+SLN group: OR 3.11 (95% CI 1.47 to 6.58). No significant associations were found between lymphedema and other patient or tumor characteristics. CONCLUSION: In the setting of a laparoscopic approach for early-stage endometrial cancer surgery, SLN mapping is associated with a significant reduction in lymphatic complications compared with a systematic lymph node dissection. Our findings provide additional evidence endorsing the adoption of SLN mapping during minimally invasive surgery for endometrial cancer. This technique ensures comparable diagnostic accuracy and also minimizes complications.

Measuring the impact of specific surgical complications after ovarian cancer cytoreductive surgery on short-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to measure the impact of specific peri-operative complications after primary cytoreductive surgery on relevant patient outcomes and use of resources. METHODS: A cohort of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery at two institutions (2006-2016) were studied. Specific known complications ('exposures') within 30 days of surgery were evaluated to determine the impact on outcomes. Exposures included bowel leak, superficial surgical site infection, deep surgical site infection, venous thromboembolic event, and cardiac event. Outcomes were prolonged lengths of stay, readmission or non-home discharge, reoperation, organ failure, delay to adjuvant chemotherapy, and 90-day mortality. Population attributable risk (PAR) was used to estimate the proportion of adverse outcomes that could be prevented by elimination of a causal exposure and considers both the strength of the association and the prevalence of the complication; adjusted PARs (aPAR) were calculated using adjusted relative risks (aRR) adjusted for stage (IIIC vs IV) and American Society of Anesthesiology score (<3 vs ≥3). RESULTS: A cohort of 892 patients was included. Each of the evaluated exposures had an impact on readmission/non-home discharge (aPAR range 5.3 to 13.5). A venous thromboembolic event was significantly associated with 90-day mortality (aRR=2.9 (95% CI 1.3 to 6.7); aPAR=8.6 (95% CI -1.8 to 19.1)) and organ failure (aRR=4.7 (95% CI 2.3 to 9.5); aPAR=13.9 (95% CI 2.8 to 25.1)). Similarly, a cardiac event was most strongly associated with organ failure and was very impactful (aPAR=19.0 (95% CI 6.8 to 31.1)).Bowel leak was a major contributor to poor outcome, including reoperation (aPAR=45.5 (95% CI 34.3 to 56.6)), organ failure (aPAR=13.6 (95% CI 2.6 to 24.6)), readmission/non-home discharge (aPAR=5.3 (95% CI 1.6 to 9.0)), delay to adjuvant chemotherapy (aPAR=5.9 (95% CI 2.3 to 9.4)), and prolonged lengths of stay (aPAR=13.0 (95% CI 9.1 to 16.9)). CONCLUSION: Going beyond reporting complications using common scales to measure their genuine impact provides important information for providers, patients, and payers. We report that less frequent exposures, including a venous thromboembolic event, cardiac events, and bowel leaks, have a high impact on patients and use of resources.

Para-aortic lymph node recurrence in surgically treated early-stage cervical cancer without para-aortic lymph node surgical staging.

OBJECTIVE: The standard treatment for early-stage cervical cancer includes radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node staging ± bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Para-aortic lymphadenectomy may be considered; however, its role remains controversial. The objective of this study was to assess the para-aortic lymph node recurrence rate in patients undergoing surgery for apparent early-stage cervical cancer without para-aortic lymph node surgical staging. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients with presumed early-stage (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 IA1-IB2, IIA1) cervical cancer who underwent radical surgery at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. Pelvic lymph node assessment included sentinel lymph node biopsy and/or systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy. Patients who underwent para-aortic lymphadenectomy or had an indication to receive adjuvant para-aortic radiotherapy were excluded. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate 5-year recurrence-free survival. RESULTS: Overall, 432 patients were included. The median age was 43.7 years (IQR 38.1-51.6). Sixteen (3.7%) patients were staged IA1 at diagnosis, 24 (5.6%) IA2, 208 (48.1%) IB1, 177 (41%) IB2, and 7 (1.6%) IIA1. At final pathology, the stage distribution was as follows: 36 (8.3%) stage IA1-IA2, 323 (74.8%) stage IB1-IB3, 17 (3.9%) stage II, and 56 (13%) stage IIIC1. Eighty-two patients (19%) underwent concurrent pelvic chemoradiotherapy, 20 (4.6%) radiotherapy alone, and 3 (0.7%) chemotherapy alone. Thirty-eight (8.8%) patients experienced a recurrence with a median time of 18 months (IQR 12-29). The median follow-up time for the remaining 394 (91.2%) patients was 70 months (IQR 36-98). Two patients (0.5%) had a recurrence in the para-aortic lymph nodes. The 5-year recurrence-free survival in the overall cohort was 90% (95% CI 87.4% to 93.3%). CONCLUSION: Given the low rate of para-aortic lymph node recurrence in surgically treated early-stage cervical cancer and the well-established peri-operative complications associated with para-aortic lymphadenectomy, our study aligns with recent evidence supporting the omission of this procedure in such patients.

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.

Clinicopathological characteristics of multiple-classifier endometrial cancers: a cohort study and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancers with more than one molecular feature-POLE mutations (POLEmut), mismatch repair protein deficiency (MMRd), p53 abnormality (p53abn)-are called 'multiple classifiers'. OBJECTIVE: To describe our cohort of multiple classifiers and to report the results of a review on their incidence and the techniques used to identify them. METHODS: Multiple classifiers identified at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, between April 2019 and Decmber 2022, were included. Clinicopathological, molecular characteristics, and oncologic outcomes were summarized and compared between single and multiple classifiers sharing common features. Studies on molecular classification of endometrial cancer were searched in the PubMed Database to collect data on the incidence of multiple classifiers and the techniques used for classification. RESULTS: Among 422 patients, 48 (11.4%) were multiple classifiers: 15 (3.6%) POLEmut-p53abn, 2 (0.5%) POLEmut-MMRd, 28 (6.6%) MMRd-p53abn, and 3 (0.7%) POLEmut-MMRd-p53abn. MMRd-p53abn and MMRd differed in histotype (non-endometrioid: 14.8% vs 2.0%, p=0.006), grade (high-grade: 55.6% vs 22.2%, p=0.001), and MMR proteins expression, whereas they differed from p53abn in histotype (non-endometrioid: 14.8% vs 50.0%, p=0.006). POLEmut-p53abn and POLEmut differed only in grade (high-grade: 66.7% vs 22.7%, p=0.008), while they differed from p53abn in age (56.1 vs 66.7 years, p=0.003), stage (advanced: 6.7% vs 53.4%, p=0.001), and histotype (non-endometrioid: 6.7% vs 50.0%, p=0.002). Two (7.1%) patients with MMRd-p53abn, 4 (4.0%) with MMRd, and 25 (34.3%) with p53abn had a recurrence. No recurrences were observed in POLEmut-p53abn and POLEmut. TP53 sequencing allowed the detection of additional 7 (18.9%) multiple classifiers with normal p53 immunostaining. The incidence of multiple classifiers ranged from 1.8% to 9.8% in 10 published studies including >100 patients. When only p53 immunohistochemistry was performed, the highest incidence was 3.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of POLEmut-p53abn resembled those of POLEmut, whereas MMRd-p53abn appeared to be intermediate between MMRd and p53abn. The high proportion of multiple classifiers may be related to the methods used for molecular classification, which included both p53 immunohistochemistry and TP53 sequencing.

Impact of molecular classification on recurrence risk in endometrial cancer patients with lymph node metastasis: multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution of molecular classes and their impact on the risk of recurrence in endometrial cancer patients with lymph node metastasis at the time of primary surgery. METHODS: Endometrial cancer patients with lymph node micrometastasis or macrometastasis (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 stage IIIC) after surgical staging at five referral centers worldwide from October 2013 to September 2022 who underwent molecular classification were identified. Endometrial cancers were categorized into four molecular classes: POLE mutated, mismatch repair deficient, p53 abnormal, and no specific molecular profile. Survival analyses using Kaplan-Meier and Cox models (univariate and multivariate) were conducted to evaluate the relationship between molecular class and 5-year recurrence free survival. RESULTS: 131 patients were included: 55 (42.0%) no specific molecular profile, 46 (35.1%) mismatch repair deficient, 1 (0.8%) POLE mutated, and 29 (22.1%) p53 abnormal. During a 5 year follow-up period, 50 (38.2%) patients experienced a recurrence with a median time of 1.2 years (interquartile range (IQR) 0.5-1.8). Median follow-up for the remaining 81 patients was 3.1 years (IQR 1.3-4.5). Survival analysis revealed a significant difference in recurrence-free survival between no specific molecular profile, mismatch repair deficient, and p53 abnormal classes (log rank p<0.01). In a model adjusted for type of lymph node metastasis and tumor grade, the molecular class did not retain significance (p=0.13), while in a model adjusted for type of lymph node metastasis and adjuvant therapy, the molecular class retained significance (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Among patients with stage IIIC endometrial cancer, POLE mutated tumors exhibited an extremely low prevalence, with no specific molecular profile emerging as the largest molecular subgroup. Despite the significant difference in recurrence-free survival between molecular classes, conventional histopathologic parameters retained crucial prognostic value. Our findings highlight the necessity of integrating molecular classes with pathological characteristics, rather than considering them in isolation as crucial prognostic factors in stage IIIC endometrial cancer.

Endometrial stromal tumors of the uterus: Epidemiology, pathological and biological features, treatment options and clinical outcomes.

Endometrial stromal tumors (EST) are uterine mesenchymal tumors, which histologically resemble endometrial stroma of the functioning endometrium. The majority of EST are malignant tumors classified as low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS), and undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (UUS). Overall, ESTs are rare malignancies, with an annual incidence of approximately 0.30 per 100'000 women, mainly affecting peri- or postmenopausal women. The most common genetic alteration identified in LG-ESS is the JAZF1-SUZ12 rearrangement, while t(10;17)(q23,p13) translocation and BCOR gene abnormalities characterize two major subtypes of HG-ESS. The absence of specific genetic abnormalities is the actual hallmark of UUS. Unlike HG-ESSs, LG-ESSs usually express estrogen and progesterone receptors. Total hysterectomy without morcellation and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) is the first-line treatment of early-stage LG-ESS. Ovarian preservation, fertility-sparing treatment, and adjuvant hormonal therapy ± radiotherapy may be an option in selected cases. In advanced or recurrent LG-ESS, surgical cytoreduction followed by hormonal treatment, or vice versa, are acceptable treatments. The standard treatment for apparently early-stage HG-ESS and UUS is total hysterectomy without morcellation with BSO. Ovarian preservation and adjuvant chemotherapy ± radiotherapy may be an option. In advanced or recurrent HG-ESS, surgical cytoreduction and neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy can be considered. Alternative treatments, including biological agents and immunotherapy, are under investigation. LG-ESSs are indolent tumor with a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 80-100% and present as stage I-II at diagnosis in two third of patients. HG-ESSs carry a poor prognosis, with a median OS ranging from 11 to 24 months, and 70% of patients are in stage III-IV at presentation. UUS median OS ranges from 12 to 23 months and, at diagnosis, 70% of patients are in stage III-IV. The aim of this review is to assess the clinical, pathological, and biological features and the therapeutic options for malignant ESTs.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) in ovarian cancer: lessons learned and future directions.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) represent a new standard of care in the upfront treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer to the point that the vast majority of patients now receive a PARPi, alone or in combination with the anti-angiogenic bevacizumab, as part of their first-line maintenance therapy. The clinical benefit of PARPi is well established; however, much has changed since their introduction and several relevant questions have been raised and remain unresolved in the post-PARPi era. The decision-making process regarding the most appropriate first-line maintenance therapy could be challenging in clinical practice, especially in the homologous recombination-proficient setting, and several other factors need to be considered apart from the mutational status. Concerns regarding post-PARPi progression treatment have emerged, highlighting an unmet need to define a valid algorithm strategy. PARPi may not only compromise the response to further platinum due to cross-resistance mechanisms but the impact on subsequent non-platinum chemotherapy and surgery also remains unclear. Definitive results on the role of PARPi rechallenge are awaited, especially in the case of oligoprogression managed with locoregional treatment. Moreover, the updated overall survival data from the recurrent setting warrant caution in using PARPi as single agents for unselected patients. Several PARPi combination regimens are emerging for overcoming PARPi resistance and may become our new therapeutic armamentarium. This review discusses a set of clinically relevant issues in the PARPi era and provides a glimpse of future challenges and opportunities in ovarian cancer treatment.

Systemic therapy de-escalation in advanced ovarian cancer: a new era on the horizon?

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have sculpted the current landscape of advanced ovarian cancer treatment. With the advent of targeted maintenance therapies, improved survival rates have led to a timely interest in exploring de-intensified strategies with the goal of improving quality of life without compromising oncologic outcomes. The emerging concept of systemic treatment de-escalation would represent a new frontier in personalizing therapy in ovarian cancer. PARPi are so effective that properly selected patients treated with these agents might require less chemotherapy to achieve the same oncologic outcomes. The fundamental key is to limit de-escalation to a narrow subpopulation with favorable prognostic factors, such as patients with BRCA-mutated and/or homologous recombination-deficient tumors without macroscopic residual disease after surgery or other high-risk clinical factors. Potential de-escalation strategies include shifting PARPi in the neoadjuvant setting, de-escalating adjuvant chemotherapy after primary debulking surgery, reducing PARPi maintenance therapy duration, starting PARPi directly after interval debulking surgery, omitting maintenance therapy, and continuing PARPi beyond oligoprogression (if combined with locoregional treatment). Several ongoing trials are currently investigating the feasibility and safety of de-escalating approaches in ovarian cancer and the results are eagerly awaited. This review aims to discuss the current trends, drawbacks, and future perspectives regarding systemic treatment de-escalation in advanced ovarian cancer.

Impact of comorbidities and extent of lymphadenectomy on quality of life in endometrial cancer patients treated with minimally invasive surgery in the era of sentinel lymph nodes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of quality of life (QoL) among patients who undergo surgical staging with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy or lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. METHODS: Patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery for primary endometrial cancer at the Mayo Clinic from October 2013 to June 2016 were mailed a 30-item QoL in Cancer survey (QLQ-C30) and a validated 13-item lower extremity lymphedema screening questionnaire. Patients who answered <50% of the items or had a pre-operative history of lymphedema were excluded. Multivariable linear regression models were fit to evaluate predictors of QoL using inverse-probability of treatment weighting to adjust for differences at the time of the surgery between the lymphadenectomy and SLN groups. RESULTS: The 221 patients included in the analysis were stratified into two groups: patients who underwent (1) bilateral lymphadenectomy as 'backup' after SLN mapping (lymphadenectomy group; n=101) or (2) SLN removal with or without side-specific lymphadenectomy (SLN group; n=120). On multivariable analysis, obesity, lower extremity lymphedema, and kidney disease had significant (p<0.05) and clinically meaningful negative impacts on global QoL. Declines in average adjusted global QoL scores were marked (19.7 points lower) in patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 and lower extremity lymphedema compared with non-obese patients without lower extremity lymphedema. In contrast, there was only a 2.9 point difference in the adjusted average global QoL score between the SLN and lymphadenectomy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lower extremity lymphedema coupled with obesity predicts poorer QoL in patients who undergo surgical staging for endometrial cancer. In this population, reduction of lower extremity lymphedema by performing SLN instead of lymphadenectomy and earlier targeted interventions may improve patients' QoL. Future research focusing on targeted interventions is needed.

Comparison of the Contracted Accordion, Expanded Accordion, and Clavien-Dindo complication grading scales after ovarian cancer cytoreduction.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of current complication reporting scales (Contracted Accordion Scale, Expanded Accordion Scale, Clavien-Dindo Scale) to reflect the severity of patient outcomes after cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer. METHODS: We included all patients undergoing primary debulking surgery for stage IIIC/IV ovarian cancer from 2006 to 2016 at two expert centers for ovarian cancer. Complications within 30 days of surgery were graded according to three scales. Outcomes included length of stay, mortality (90-day), and delayed initiation of chemotherapy (>42 days after surgery). Correlations were assessed using the Spearman rank correlation, and comparisons between groups were evaluated using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and the χ2 test. RESULTS: Among the 892 patients, 185 (20.7%) patients had a grade 3 or higher complication per all scales. Patients with grade 3 or higher complications (compared with those with none, grade 1 or grade 2) had longer length of stay, higher 90-day mortality, and delayed initiation of chemotherapy. The expanded scales (Expanded Accordion Scale and Clavien Dindo Scale) provided a more refined characterization of outcome compared with the Contracted Accordion Scale. However, mortality was actually found to be as high as 25.0% for grade 5 complications using the Expanded Accordion Scale. Patients with organ failure or requiring an invasive procedure had significantly worse outcomes than those without either complication, highlighting the importance of separating these events. CONCLUSIONS: All three scales demonstrated general correlation with important outcomes after ovarian cancer surgery. However, the expanded scales (Clavien Dindo Scale and Expanded Accordion Scale) used important events commonly encountered after cytoreductive surgery, provided a more refined view of the severity of complications, and should be used in reporting outcomes in ovarian cancer.

Dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical surgery in cervical cancer: a retrospective cohort study and systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy in reducing adjuvant radiotherapy in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 stage IB1-IB2/IIA1 cervical cancer with disrupted stromal ring and as an alternative to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in FIGO 2018 stages IB3/IIA2. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including patients with FIGO 2018 stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer undergoing dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy between July 2014 and December 2022. Weekly carboplatin (AUC2 or AUC2.7) plus paclitaxel (80 or 60 mg/m2, respectively) was administered for six to nine cycles. Radiological response was assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) v1.1 criteria. The optimal pathological response was defined as residual tumor ≤3 mm. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival rates. A systematic literature review on dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery for cervical cancer was also performed. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients with a median age of 42.8 years (IQR 35.3-47.9) were included: 39.7% stage IB-IB2/IIA1 and 60.3% stage IB3/IIA2. The radiological response was as follows: 81% objective response rate (17.5% complete and 63.5% partial), 17.5% stable disease, and 1.6% progressive disease. The operability rate was 92.1%. The optimal pathological response rate was 27.6%. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered in 25.8% of cases. The median follow-up for patients who underwent radical hysterectomy was 49.7 months (IQR 16.8-67.7). The 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 79% (95% CI 0.63 to 0.88) and 92% (95% CI 0.80 to 0.97), respectively. Fifteen studies including 697 patients met the eligibility criteria for the systematic review. The objective response rate, operability rate, and adjuvant radiotherapy rate across studies ranged between 52.6% and 100%, 64% and 100%, and 4% and 70.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Dose-dense neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical surgery could be a valid strategy to avoid radiotherapy in stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer, especially in young patients desiring to preserve overall quality of life. Prospective research is warranted to provide robust, high-quality evidence.

Adult ovarian granulosa cell tumors: analysis of outcomes and risk factors for recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: Adult granulosa cell tumors represent less than 5% of all ovarian malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological parameters and their impact on progression-free and overall survival. METHODS: Patients with primary adult granulosa cell tumors treated in three international referral centers between July 1999 and December 2018 were included. The following data were anonymously exported from the prospective database: age at diagnosis, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, adjuvant therapy, surgical procedures, progression-free survival, and overall survival. Descriptive statistical analysis regarding tumor and treatment characteristics was performed. Survival analyses included Kaplan-Meier functions and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: A total of 168 patients with primary adult granulosa cell tumors were included. Median age was 50 years (range 13-82). With regard to stage distribution, 54.2% (n=91) of patients were FIGO stage IA, 1.2% (n=2) were stage IB, 26.8% (n=45) were stage IC, and 17.9% (n=30) were FIGO stage II-IV. 66.7% (n=112) of patients underwent surgical restaging, of whom 17.9% (n=20) were moved to a higher stage. In addition, 36 (21.4%) patients underwent fertility-sparing surgery. After a median follow-up of 61 months (range 0-209), 10.7% of patients (n=18) had recurrent disease and 4.8% (n=8) died of disease. Five-year progression-free survival was 86.1% and estimated overall survival was 95.7%. Five-year progression-free survival was worse for patients with advanced stages (FIGO stage IA/B vs IC: HR 5.09 (95% CI 1.53 to 16.9); FIGO stage IA/B vs II-IV: HR 5.62 (95% CI 1.58 to 19.9)). Nineteen patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had lower estimated 5-year progression-free survival compared with patients not receiving chemotherapy (49.7% vs 91.1%, p<0.001; HR 9.15 (95% CI 3.62 to 23.1)). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of patients with primary adult granulosa cell tumors is mainly determined by FIGO stage. The outcome of patients with FIGO stage IC is comparable to those with advanced stages. Fertility-sparing surgery seems to be a safe procedure in stage IA. Our data do not support the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in early and advanced stages of adult granulosa cell tumors.

Prognostic value of isolated tumor cells in sentinel lymph nodes in low risk endometrial cancer: results from an international multi-institutional study.

OBJECTIVE: The prognostic significance of isolated tumor cells (≤0.2 mm) in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) of endometrial cancer patients is still unclear. Our aim was to assess the prognostic value of isolated tumor cells in patients with low risk endometrial cancer who underwent SLN biopsy and did not receive adjuvant therapy. Outcomes were compared with node negative patients. METHODS: Patients with SLNs-isolated tumor cells between 2013 and 2019 were identified from 15 centers worldwide, while SLN negative patients were identified from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, between 2013 and 2018. Only low risk patients (stage IA, endometrioid histology, grade 1 or 2) who did not receive any adjuvant therapy were included. Primary outcomes were recurrence free, non-vaginal recurrence free, and overall survival, evaluated with Kaplan-Meier methods. RESULTS: 494 patients (42 isolated tumor cells and 452 node negative) were included. There were 21 (4.3%) recurrences (5 SLNs-isolated tumor cells, 16 node negative); recurrence was vaginal in six patients (1 isolated tumor cells, 5 node negative), and non-vaginal in 15 (4 isolated tumor cells, 11 node negative). Median follow-up among those without recurrence was 2.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.1-3.0) and 2.6 years (IQR 0.6-4.2) in the SLN-isolated tumor cell and node negative patients, respectively. The presence of SLNs-isolated tumor cells, lymphovascular space invasion, and International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) grade 2 were significant risk factors for recurrence on univariate analysis. SLN-isolated tumor cell patients had worse recurrence free survival (p<0.01) and non-vaginal recurrence free survival (p<0.01) compared with node negative patients. Similar results were observed in the subgroup of patients without lymphovascular space invasion (n=480). There was no difference in overall survival between the two cohorts in the full sample and the subset excluding patients with lymphovascular space invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SLNs-isolated tumor cells and low risk profile, without adjuvant therapy, had a significantly worse recurrence free survival compared with node negative patients with similar risk factors, after adjusting for grade and excluding patients with lymphovascular space invasion. However, the presence of SLNs-isolated tumor cells was not associated with worse overall survival.

Evaluating long-term outcomes of three approaches to retroperitoneal staging in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Sentinel lymph node mapping (SNM) has gained popularity in managing apparent early-stage endometrial cancer (EC). Here, we evaluated the long-term survival of three different approaches of nodal assessment. METHODS: This is a multi-institutional retrospective study evaluating long-term outcomes of EC patients having nodal assessment between 01/01/2006 and 12/31/2016. In order to reduce possible confounding factors, we applied a propensity-matched algorithm. RESULTS: Overall, 940 patients meeting inclusion criteria were included in the study, of which 174 (18.5%), 187 (19.9%), and 579 (61.6%) underwent SNM, SNM followed by backup lymphadenectomy (LND) and LND alone, respectively. Applying a propensity score matching algorithm (1:1:2) we selected 500 patients, including 125 SNM, 125 SNM/backup LND, and 250 LND. Baseline characteristics of the study population were similar between groups. The prevalence of nodal disease was 14%, 16%, and 12% in patients having SNM, SNM/backup LND and LND, respectively. Overall, 19 (7.6%) patients were diagnosed with low volume nodal disease. The survival analysis comparing the three techniques did not show statistical differences in terms of disease-free (p = 0.750) and overall survival (p = 0.899). Similarly, the type of nodal assessment did not impact survival outcomes after stratification based on uterine risk factors. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted that SNM provides similar long-term oncologic outcomes than LND.

A novel algorithm to implement the molecular classification according to the new ESGO/ESTRO/ESP 2020 guidelines for endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk class attribution with molecular classification unknown to those with molecular classification known, according to the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology/European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology/European Society of Pathology (ESGO/ESTRO/ESP) 2020 guidelines on endometrial cancer, with a focus on risk group migration. Additionally, to evaluate the capability of a novel molecular analysis algorithm to reduce the number of required tests. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including all consecutive patients with endometrial cancer undergoing surgery and comprehensive molecular analyses between April 2019 and December 2021. Molecular analyses including immunohistochemistry for p53 and mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, and DNA sequencing for POLE exonuclease domain were performed to classify tumors as POLE-mutated (POLE), MMR-deficient (MMR-d), p53 abnormal (p53abn), or non-specific molecular profile (NSMP). The two risk classifications of the ESGO/ESTRO/ESP 2020 guidelines were compared to estimate the proportion of patients in which the molecular analysis was able to change the risk class attribution. We developed a novel algorithm where the molecular analyses are reserved only for patients in whom incorporation of the molecular classification could change the risk class attribution. RESULTS: A total of 278 patients were included. Molecular analyses were successful for all cases, identifying the four subgroups: 27 (9.7%) POLE, 77 (27.7%) MMR-d, 49 (17.6%) p53abn, and 125 (45.0%) NSMP. Comparison of risk class attribution between the two classification systems demonstrated discordance in the risk class assignment in 19 (6.8%, 95% CI 4.2% to 10.5%) cases. The application of our novel algorithm would have led to a reduction in the number of POLE sequencing tests by 67% (95% CI 61% to 73%) and a decrease of p53 immunohistochemistry by 27% (95% CI 22% to 33%), as compared with the application of molecular classification to all patients. CONCLUSION: Molecular categorization of endometrial cancer allows the reallocation of a considerable proportion of patients in a different risk class. Furthermore, the application of our algorithm enables a reduction in the number of required tests without affecting the risk classification.

Oncologic Outcomes of Robotic Radical Hysterectomy (RRH) for Patients with Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: Experience at a Referral Cancer Center.

PURPOSE: To evaluate oncologic outcomes of early stage cervical cancer patients who underwent robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) in a referral center, a retrospective analysis was performed. METHODS: From January 2010 to December 2018, medical records of stage IA2-IIA1 cervical cancer patients, who underwent radical hysterectomy at our institute, were retrospectively reviewed. We focused our analysis on those who underwent RRH. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients were included in the final analysis. Median follow up was 52 months. At last follow-up, 188 (94.9%) women were disease-free, 9 (4.5%) had died, and 1 (0.5%) was alive with recurrent disease. At 4.5 years, PFS was 93.1% (SE ± 2.1) and OS was 95.1% (SE ± 1.8). Stratified by tumor size, PFS for tumor < 2 cm versus tumor ≥ 2 cm was statistically different (96.8% ± 2.3 and 87.9% ± 4.1 respectively, p = 0.01), as well as OS (100% and 89.8% ± 40 respectively, p = 0.01).Stratified by evidence of tumor at time of robotic surgery, PFS was statistically different in women with no residual tumor after conisation versus those with residual disease (100% ± 2.5 and 90.8% ± 2.8 respectively, p = 0.04). A recurrence occurred in 11 patients (5.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, we could speculate that robotic approach, along with some technical precautions to avoid spillage, might be safe as primary treatment of early-stage cervical cancer, especially for tumor < 2 cm and in case of no evidence of disease at time of radical hysterectomy after previous conisation.

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary: Epidemiology, pathological and biological features, treatment options and clinical outcomes.

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary is a rare and distinct histotype of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Women diagnosed with clear cell carcinomas are usually younger and diagnosed at earlier stages than those with the most common high-grade serous histology. Endometriosis is considered a main risk factor for the development of clear cell carcinoma of the ovary, and it can be considered a precursor of of this tumor, as it is identified in more than 50% of patients with clear cell carcinoma. Different molecular pathways and alterations heve been identified in ovarian clear cell carcinoma, including the most common mutations of AT-rich interaction domain 1A [ARID1A] and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase [PIK3] catalytic subunit alpha [PIK3CA]. The prognosis of patients at early stage is favorable, while patients with advanced or recurrent disease experience a poor oncologic outcomes. Despite a lower rate of responses due to an intrinsic chemoresistance, the treatment strategy for advanced disease resembles the treatment of high-grade serous carcinoma, which includes aggressive cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. For this reason, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage I disease undergoing complete surgical staging is still under debate. Alternative treatments, including biological agents that target different pathways constitute the most promising treatment strategies, and well-designed, collaborative international trials should be designed in order to improve the oncologic outcomes and the quality of life of patients with this aggressive disease.