Meta-analysis of laparoscopy sentinel lymph node mapping in endometrial cancer

vNOTES retroperitoneal sentinel lymph node dissection for endometrial cancer staging: First multicenter, prospective case series

INTRODUCTION

The current standard treatment for endometrial cancer is a laparoscopic hysterectomy with adnexectomies and bilateral sentinel node resection. A retroperitoneal vNOTES sentinel node resection has several theoretical potential advantages. These include being less invasive, leaving no visible scars, operating without Trendelenburg, and therefore offering the anesthetic advantage of easier ventilation in obese patients and following the natural lymph node trajectory from caudally to cranially and therefore a lower risk of missing the sentinel node. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of a retroperitoneal vNOTES approach to sentinel lymph node dissection for staging of endometrial cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective multicenter case series was performed in four hospitals. A total of 64 women with early-stage endometrial carcinoma suitable for surgical staging with sentinel lymph node removal were operated via a transvaginal retroperitoneal vNOTES approach. The paravesical space was entered through a vaginal incision after injecting the cervix with indocyanine green. A vNOTES port was placed into this space and insufflation of the retroperitoneum was performed. Sentinel lymph nodes were identified bilaterally using near-infrared light followed by endoscopic removal of these nodes.

RESULTS

A total of 64 women with early-stage endometrial cancer underwent sentinel lymph node removal by retroperitoneal vNOTES technique. All patients also underwent subsequent vNOTES hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The median age was 69.5 years, median total operative time was 126 min and the median estimated blood loss was 80 mL. In 97% of the cases bilateral sentinel nodes could be identified. A total of 60 patients had negative sentinel nodes, three had isolated tumor cells and one had macroscopically positive sentinel nodes. No complications with sequel occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective multicenter case series demonstrates the feasibility of the vNOTES approach for identifying and removing sentinel lymph nodes in women with endometrial carcinoma successfully and safely. vNOTES allows sole transvaginal access with exposure of the entire retroperitoneal space, following the natural lymph trajectory caudally to cranially, and without the need for a Trendelenburg position.

Characteristics of systematic lymph node dissection and influencing factors of sentinel lymph node biopsy using carbon nanoparticles in endometrial carcinoma: a single-center study

BACKGROUND

Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) are a new tracer for lymph node mapping, which can quickly reach and develop lymph nodes through a lymphatic network. This research investigated the characteristics of systematic lymph node dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy mapped with CNPs in endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS

We first applied CNPs to systematic lymph node dissection in 18 endometrial carcinoma patients as the study group and another 18 endometrial carcinoma patients who were not injected with anything served as the control group. Then, we applied CNPs to sentinel lymph nodes biopsy in 54 endometrial carcinoma patients. All 54 patients received systematic lymph node dissection after sentinel lymph node biopsy. The detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of systematic lymph node dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy by CNPs were respectively analyzed. A nomogram model for predicting the success of sentinel lymph node mapping was established.

RESULTS

The average number of lymph nodes removed in the CNP-labeled study group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). CNPs improved the number of lymph nodes with a diameter ≤ 0.5cm. The detection rate, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of sentinel lymph nodes biopsy by CNPs for endometrial carcinoma were 70.4%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The nomogram model included factors of long menopause time, cervical cyst, and hard cervical texture, and the area of ROC curve was 0.816.

CONCLUSIONS

CNPs improve the detection rate of small lymph nodes. CNPs can trace sentinel lymph nodes in evaluating lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma.

Applications and Safety of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer

Lymph node status is important in predicting the prognosis and guiding adjuvant treatment in endometrial cancer. However, previous studies showed that systematic lymphadenectomy conferred no therapeutic values in clinically early-stage endometrial cancer but might lead to substantial morbidity and impact on the quality of life of the patients. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node that tumor cells drain to, and sentinel lymph node biopsy has emerged as an acceptable alternative to full lymphadenectomy in both low-risk and high-risk endometrial cancer. Evidence has demonstrated a high detection rate, sensitivity and negative predictive value of sentinel lymph node biopsy. It can also reduce surgical morbidity and improve the detection of lymph node metastases compared with systematic lymphadenectomy. This review summarizes the current techniques of sentinel lymph node mapping, the applications and oncological outcomes of sentinel lymph node biopsy in low-risk and high-risk endometrial cancer, and the management of isolated tumor cells in sentinel lymph nodes. We also illustrate a revised sentinel lymph node biopsy algorithm and advocate to repeat the tracer injection and explore the presacral and paraaortic areas if sentinel lymph nodes are not found in the hemipelvis.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer - A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment of Meta-Analyses

OBJECTIVE

 To assess the quality of recent meta-analyses reviewing the diagnostic utility of sentinel node biopsy in endometrial cancer.

METHODS

 With the MeSH terms endometrial neoplasms and sentinel lymph node biopsy, PubMed and Embase databases were searched on October 21, 2020, and again on November 10, 2021, with meta-analysis and publication date filters set to since 2015. The articles included were classified with the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2) assessment tool.

RESULTS

 The database searches found 17, 7 of which, after the screening, were selected for full review by the author, finally extracting six meta-analyzes for quality analysis. The rating with the AMSTAR 2 assessment tool found that overall confidence in their results was critically low.

CONCLUSION

 This study found that the quality of recent meta-analyses on the utility of the staging of endometrial cancer with sentinel node biopsy, evaluated by the AMSTAR 2 assessment tool, is classified as critically low, and, therefore, these meta-analyses are not reliable in the summary of their studies.

European Society of Gynaecological Oncology quality indicators for the surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Quality of surgical care as a crucial component of a comprehensive multi-disciplinary management improves outcomes in patients with endometrial carcinoma, notably helping to avoid suboptimal surgical treatment. Quality indicators (QIs) enable healthcare professionals to measure their clinical management with regard to ideal standards of care.

OBJECTIVE

In order to complete its set of QIs for the surgical management of gynecological cancers, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) initiated the development of QIs for the surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS

QIs were based on scientific evidence and/or expert consensus. The development process included a systematic literature search for the identification of potential QIs and documentation of the scientific evidence, two consensus meetings of a group of international experts, an internal validation process, and external review by a large international panel of clinicians and patient representatives. QIs were defined using a structured format comprising metrics specifications, and targets. A scoring system was then developed to ensure applicability and feasibility of a future ESGO accreditation process based on these QIs for endometrial carcinoma surgery and support any institutional or governmental quality assurance programs.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine structural, process and outcome indicators were defined. QIs 1-5 are general indicators related to center case load, training, experience of the surgeon, structured multi-disciplinarity of the team and active participation in clinical research. QIs 6 and 7 are related to the adequate pre-operative investigations. QIs 8-22 are related to peri-operative standards of care. QI 23 is related to molecular markers for endometrial carcinoma diagnosis and as determinants for treatment decisions. QI 24 addresses the compliance of management of patients after primary surgical treatment with the standards of care. QIs 25-29 highlight the need for a systematic assessment of surgical morbidity and oncologic outcome as well as standardized and comprehensive documentation of surgical and pathological elements. Each QI was associated with a score. An assessment form including a scoring system was built as basis for ESGO accreditation of centers for endometrial cancer surgery.

Cancer of the corpus uteri: 2021 update

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in high‐ and middle‐income countries. Although the overall prognosis is relatively good, high‐grade endometrial cancers have a tendency to recur. Recurrence needs to be prevented since the prognosis for recurrent endometrial cancer is dismal. Treatment tailored to tumor biology is the optimal strategy to balance treatment efficacy against toxicity. Since The Cancer Genome Atlas defined four molecular subgroups of endometrial cancers, the molecular factors are increasingly used to define prognosis and treatment. Standard treatment consists of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy. Lymphadenectomy (and increasingly sentinel node biopsy) enables identification of lymph node‐positive patients who need adjuvant treatment, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Adjuvant therapy is used for Stage I–II patients with high‐risk factors and Stage III patients; chemotherapy is especially used in non‐endometrioid cancers and those in the copy‐number high molecular group characterized by TP53 mutation. In advanced disease, a combination of surgery to no residual disease and chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy results in the best outcome. Surgery for recurrent disease is only advocated in patients with a good performance status with a relatively long disease‐free interval.

The latest state‐of‐the‐art treatment for endometrial cancer is described, incorporating the most recent new data that influence its clinical management.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multidisciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of endometrial carcinoma (27 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2014, identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, judgment was based on the professional experience and consensus of the development group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 191 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives. The guidelines comprehensively cover endometrial carcinoma staging, definition of prognostic risk groups integrating molecular markers, pre- and intra-operative work-up, fertility preservation, management for early, advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease and palliative treatment. Principles of radiotherapy and pathological evaluation are also defined.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP Guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multidisciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide. ESGO/ESTRO/ESP nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of endometrial carcinoma (27 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2014, identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, judgment was based on the professional experience and consensus of the development group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 191 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives. The guidelines comprehensively cover endometrial carcinoma staging, definition of prognostic risk groups integrating molecular markers, pre- and intra-operative work-up, fertility preservation, management for early, advanced, metastatic, and recurrent disease and palliative treatment. Principles of radiotherapy and pathological evaluation are also defined.

The Prognostic Value of Retroperitoneal Lymphadenectomy in Apparent Stage IA Endometrial Endometrioid Cancer

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION

Debates remain regarding the role of lymphadenectomy in patients with apparent stage IA endometrial cancer, especially subtypes with a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of staging surgeries in apparent stage IA endometrial endometrioid cancer patients in a retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

Cases from June 1, 2010 to June 1, 2017 were reviewed in patients with pathologically confirmed endometrial endometrioid carcinoma limited to <1/2 of the myometrium, without extrauterine metastasis on preoperative evaluation and during surgical inspection. Survival outcomes were compared between patients with and without lymphadenectomy and between patients with and without metastasis to lymph nodes.

RESULTS

In total, 1,312 eligible patients were included, among which 836 underwent staging surgeries and 476 underwent simple hysterectomy. Twenty-eight patients were found with metastasis to retroperitoneal lymph nodes. After a median follow-up of 57.4 months, lost to follow-up, recurrence, death, and cancer-specific death occurred in 28, 39, 24, and 16 patients, respectively. In a univariate analysis, lymphadenectomy of the pelvis with or without para-aortic lymph nodes had no significant impact on disease-free survival, overall survival or cancer-specific overall survival (p values >0.05). However, after adjusting for important baseline risk factors [menopausal status, tumor differentiation, maximum diameter and location, lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) status, and postoperative adjuvant therapy), lymphadenectomy resulted in significantly improved survival outcomes (p values <0.05). Menopause (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-16.4, p=0.015), tumor diameter larger than 2 cm (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.3-16.0, p=0.016), grade 3 tumors (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.0-8.5, p=0.042), positive LVSI (OR 8.7, 95% CI 3.7-20.4, p<0.001) and lower uterine segment involvement (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.4-7.2, p=0.007) had more extrauterine metastases.

CONCLUSION

In cases of apparent stage IA endometrioid endometrial carcinoma, staging surgeries should be considered in patients with larger, higher grade tumors, positive LVSI, or lower uterine segment involvement.

ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma

A European consensus conference on endometrial carcinoma was held in 2014 to produce multi-disciplinary evidence-based guidelines on selected questions. Given the large body of literature on the management of endometrial carcinoma published since 2014, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly decided to update these evidence-based guidelines and to cover new topics in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.

A Prospective Study of Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping for Endometrial Cancer: Is It Effective in High-Risk Subtypes?

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for high-risk endometrial cancer remains unclear. This prompted us to evaluate the sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and false-negative (FN) rate of cervical injection of indocyanine green (ICG) SLN mapping in patients with endometrial cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective interventional study was performed at a single university teaching hospital. Consecutive patients with early-stage endometrial cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgical staging were included. Cervical injection of ICG and near-infrared SLN identification and biopsy were performed for all study patients followed by systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy, whereas para-aortic lymphadenectomy was performed in all patients with high-risk histologies. SLN detection rates, sensitivity, NPV, and FN rates were calculated.

RESULTS

Between July 2016 and July 2018, 131 patients were enrolled. The overall SLN detection rate was 93.1%, with a bilateral detection rate of 61.8%. Four positive SLNs were identified in four patients. Lymph node metastasis was observed in four additional patients without positive SLNs. These four patients belonged to a group of patients with a high-risk subtype. Three of the four patients had isolated para-aortic node metastases. In low-risk endometrial cancers, the sensitivity of the SLN technique to identify nodal metastatic disease was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] 31.0-100), with an NPV and FN rate of 100% (95% CI 95.1-100) and 0%, respectively. In high-risk endometrial cancers, the sensitivity, NPV, and FN rate were 20% (95% CI 1.0-70.1), 83.3% (95% CI 61.8-94.5), and 80%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Cervical injection of ICG and SLN mapping yielded a low sensitivity and a high FN rate for the identification of node metastasis in endometrial cancer with high-risk histologies.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The efficacy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for high-risk endometrial cancer remains unclear. This study enrolled 131 patients with early-stage endometrial cancer who underwent cervical injection of indocyanine green SLN mapping followed by systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. The key result was that SLN mapping yielded a low sensitivity and a high false-negative rate for the identification of node metastasis in endometrial cancer with high-risk histologies. The SLN strategy in these patients may increase the risk of missed diagnosis of isolated para-aortic node metastases and seems to be unacceptable in clinical practice.

Value of Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer Patients: A Prospective Study

The aim of this study is to define the role of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for nodal metastasis detection in Endometrial Cancer (EC) patients. From January 2014 to August 2016 patients affected by EC scheduled for surgery underwent PET/CT scan and SLN mapping with indocyanine-green. Patients with suspicious lymph nodes at FDG-PET/CT underwent selective pelvic lymphadenectomy. In case of undetectable SLN, no further lymphadenectomy was performed if PET/CT scan was negative. Basic descriptive statistics were used to describe outcomes. A total of 83 patients were enrolled in the study. PET/CT scan was suggestive of nodal involvement in 15 patients. SLN were detected bilaterally in 78% of patients. Detection rate was influenced by patients' BMI and surgical learning curve. Five patients were node-positive: all of these had hypermetabolic nodes on PET/CT scan; in one patient SLN was not detected. Ten out of 15 patients with suspicious nodes on PET/CT scan were node-negative. After a median follow up of 24 months all patients are alive. Four patients experienced recurrent disease. No nodal relapse was recorded. Lymphatic mapping with sentinel node biopsy is able to reduce morbidity associated with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Sentinel node assessment is a feasible and appealing procedure and should be performed in a specialized center. Detection rate strongly improves with learning curve, while is reduced in morbidly obese patients. PET/CT scan shows high sensitivity but moderate specificity for nodal metastasis and may help to avoid nodal dissection in patients with sentinel node mapping failure.

[Lymph node management in endometrial cancer]

In 2018, around 382,100 new cases of endometrial cancer (EC) were reported worldwide, accounting for about 4.4% of all new cases of cancer in women. In France, in 2018, the EC is the first gynecological cancer in incidence and the fourth cancer in women. The rationale for the therapeutic management of EC is based on the estimation of a theoretical risk of recurrence and lymph node metastasis using MRI and preoperative biopsy criteria. However, lymph node status remains the determining factor of adjuvant treatment. In order to reduce the morbidity of lymphadenectomy, the concept of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) has been developed. The SLN technique has evolved in recent years, thanks to the advent of robotics and the creation of fluorescence detection cameras. It has been shown that detection of SLN with Indocyanine Green (ICG) allows for more frequent bilateral migration of 88 to 100% and better detection of pelvic GS in 97% of cases with a decrease in morbidity. Recently, in view of the absence of a therapeutic role of lymph node staging, the operational risks and the delay of adjuvant treatments, in case of pelvic lymph node metastasis on definitive histological examination, the question of secondarily performing paraaortic lymphadenectomy arises. The SLN procedure, extended to all early-stage endometrial cancers, should lead to a major reduction in the use of secondary staging and better adaptation of adjuvant therapy.