Predictors of limph node metastasis in endometrial cancer.

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. The adequate surgical staging proposed by FIGO (International Federation for Gynaecology and Obstetrics) advocates lymphadenectomy; however, it does not establish the indications, the type and the extent of lymphadenectomy, thus generating multiple controversies.

METHODS

Retrospective, analytical study of patients treated surgically for endometrial adenocarcinoma in the Oncological Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă" Cluj-Napoca (IOCN) between January 2008 and December 2012 - 709 cases eligible for the study.

RESULTS

206 pelvic and/or paraaortic lymphadenectomies were performed, the average number of excised lymph nodes being 15.6. Overall in 4.4% of patients the lymph nodes were affected by metastases. The presence of each risk factor analysed was statistically significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). Age above 55 years was statistically significantly associated (p<0.05) with the presence of negative prognostic factors in the study.

CONCLUSIONS

The analysed histopathological and clinical prognostic factors were statistically significantly associated with lymphatic dissemination in endometrial cancer. We recommend treating endometrial cancer in tertiary centres by surgeons or gynaecologists-oncologists with experience in extensive peritoneal and retroperitoneal surgery.