Low risk endometrial cancer: a study of pelvic lymph node metastasis

Ultrasound Measurement of Tumor-Free Distance from the Serosal Surface as the Alternative to Measuring the Depth of Myometrial Invasion in Predicting Lymph Node Metastases in Endometrial Cancer

Background: Ultrasonography’s usefulness in endometrial cancer (EC) diagnosis consists in its roles in staging and prediction of metastasis. Ultrasound-measured tumor-free distance from the tumor to the uterine serosa (uTFD) is a promising marker for these diagnostic and prognostic variables. The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of this biomarker in locoregional staging, and thus in the prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Methods: We conducted a single-institutional, prospective study on 116 consecutive patients with EC who underwent 2D transvaginal ultrasound examination. The uTFD marker was compared with the depth of ultrasound-measured myometrial invasion (uMI). Univariable and multivariable logit models were evaluated to assess the predictive power of the uTFD and uMI in regard to LNM. The reference standard was a final histopathology result. Survival was assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: LNM was found in 17% of the patients (20/116). In the univariable analysis, uMI and uTFD were significant predictors of LNM. The accuracy was 70.7%, and the NPV was 92.68% (OR 4.746, 95% CI 1.710–13.174) for uMI (p = 0.002), and they were 63.8% and 89.02% (OR 0.842, 95% CI 0.736–0.963), respectively, for uTFD (p = 0.01). The cutoff value for uTFD in the prediction of LNM was 5.2 mm. The association between absence of LNM and biomarker values of uMI < 1/2 and uTFD ≥ 5.2 mm was greater than that between the presence of metastases and uMI > 1/2 and uTFD values <5.2 mm. In the multivariable analysis, the accuracy of the uMI–uTFD model was 74%, and its NPV was 90.24% (p = non-significant). Neither uMI nor uTFD were surrogates for overall and recurrence-free survivals in endometrial cancer. Conclusions: Both uMI and uTFD, either alone or in combination, were valuable tools for gaining additional preoperative information on expected lymph node status. Negative lymph nodes status was better described by ultrasound biomarkers than a positive status. It was easier to use the uTFD rather than the uMI measurement as a biomarker of EC invasion, and the former still maintained a similar predictive value for lymph node metastases to the latter at diagnosis.

Factors predicting nodal metastasis in endometrial cancer

PURPOSE

Evaluation of lymph node (LN) metastases in endometrial carcinoma (EC) is an important prognostic factor and a required element of cancer staging. The purpose of this study is to analyze what factors might predict the likelihood of nodal involvement in EC.

METHODS

A retrospective search of our institutional database for hysterectomies with associated LN dissection in women with EC revealed 207 cases between 2005 and 2012. Cases with primary EC, irrespective of histologic subtype, including carcinosarcomas were included in the study, but pure sarcomas were excluded. We evaluated various factors including tumor size (TS; ≤2.0 cm and >2.0 cm), depth of myometrial invasion (DMI; absent, ≤50 %, >50 %), positive pelvic cytology (PPC), cervical stromal invasion (CSI), and lymph-vascular invasion (LVI), to determine which factors correlated with the presence of LN metastasis.

RESULTS

Of the 207 (age = 62.29 ± 10.9, mean ± SD) cases of EC with LN dissection in our study group, 34 (16.42 %) had positive LNs. On univariate analysis, we found that TS (p = 0.04), tumor grade (Grade I and II versus grade III, p < 0.0001), DMI (p < 0.0001), CSI (p < 0.0001), LVI (p < 0.0001), and PPC (p = 0.001) showed statistically significant correlation with LN metastasis. However, on multivariate analysis, only DMI (p = 0.002) and LVI (p = 0.004) independently showed statistically significant correlation with LN metastasis. In addition, 18 (8.7 %) grade I and II (well/moderately differentiated) tumors with TS ≤2.0 cm and <50 % DMI showed no LN metastasis, LVI, CSI, or PPC.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that DMI and LVI were independent factors predictive of LN metastasis.

Relationship between minimally invasive hysterectomy, pelvic cytology, and lymph vascular space invasion: a single institution study of 458 patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to determine whether a minimally invasive approach to hysterectomy is associated with an increased rate of lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI) and/or malignant pelvic peritoneal cytology in endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We performed a single institution analysis of 458 women with endometrial cancer who underwent either total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) or minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) with use of a disposable uterine manipulator. All patients had endometrial cancer diagnosed by endometrial biopsy at a single academic institution between 2002 and 2012. Exclusion criteria were pre-operative D&C and/or hysteroscopy, uterine perforation or morcellation, and conversion to laparotomy. Multivariate logistic regression models to determine if type of hysterectomy predicts either LVSI or presence of abnormal cytology were controlled for grade, stage, depth of invasion, tumor size, cervical and adnexal involvement.

RESULTS

LVSI was identified in 39/214 (18%) MIH and 44/242 (18%) TAH (p=0.99). Pelvic washings were malignant in 14/203 (7%) MIH and 16/241 (7%) TAH (p=1.0). Washings were atypical or inconclusive in 16/203 (8%) MIH and 6/241 (2.5%) TAH (p=0.014). In multivariate analyses, type of hysterectomy was not a significant predictor of either LVSI (p=0.29) or presence of malignant washings (p=0.66), but was a predictor of atypical or inconclusive washings (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

Minimally invasive hysterectomy with use of a uterine manipulator for endometrial cancer is not associated with LVSI or malignant cytology. Algorithms that better determine the etiology and implications of inconclusive or atypical pelvic cytology are needed to inform the possible additional risk associated with a minimally invasive approach to endometrial cancer.

The impact of lymph vascular space invasion on recurrence and survival in patients with early stage endometrial cancer

The aim of this study was to determine impact of lymph vascular space involvement (LVSI) on recurrence and survival in early stage of endometrial cancer. From 1991 through 2010, all endometrial cancer patients at University Hospital of Bari, Italy were identified. The Log-rank test and Kaplan-Meyer methods were used for time-to-event analysis to evaluate the effects of on lymph vascular space involvement recurrence rate and survival time. Of the 560 endometrial cancer patients, 525 underwent primary surgery. Of those, 399 had early stage disease. Three hundred and forty women were not found to have LVSI, whereas 59 were found to have lymph vascular space involvement. Forty-nine (12%) patients developed a recurrence and 20 of them showed lymph vascular space involvement. The statistical analysis demonstrated that LVSI was strongly associated with a poor survival (P < 0.0001). Lymph vascular space involvement is associated with a high risk of recurrence and poor overall survival in early stage of endometrial cancer; therefore, the clinical decision to decide whether or not a patient with early stage endometrial cancer should receive adjuvant therapy should be included the evaluation of lymph vascular space involvement.

Clinicopathological Risk Factors for Pelvic Lymph Node Metastasis in Clinical Early-Stage Endometrioid Endometrial Adenocarcinoma

Objective

To identify the clinicopathological risk factors for pelvic lymph node (PLN) metastasis and to evaluate the predictive significance of these factors for lymphadenectomy in clinical early-stage endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA).

Methods

Six hundred and twenty-one patients with clinical early-stage EEA (tumor confined to uterus, diagnosed preoperatively or intraoperatively) who underwent hysterectomy plus bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy plus pelvic and/or para-aortic lymphadenectomy between 1989 and 2006 in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University were retrieved. The predictive value of the risk factors for PLN metastasis was analyzed.

Results

The positive PLN metastasis rate was 3.9%. The 5-year disease-related mortality rate in the positive PLN metastasis group was 25%, whereas the rate in the negative group was 0.8%. The positive PLN metastasis rates were higher in patients with higher-grade tumors, deep myometrial invasion, cervical stromal involvement, and lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI). The sensitivity and specificity of old age (≥60 years), grade 3, cancer deep myometrial invasion, cervical stromal involvement, and LVSI in predicting the PLN metastasis were 25.0%, 41.7%, 70.8%, 20.8%, and 41.7%; and 79.1%, 88.4%, 85.6%, 95.6%, and 94.5%, respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed that the deep myometrial invasion and LVSI were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis. Combined with these 2 factors as the diagnostic criteria, the negative predictive value and specificity were 97.3% and 89.1%, respectively.

Conclusion

The patients with clinical early-stage EEA with PLN metastasis showed worse prognoses, although the metastasis rate was low. The deep myometrial invasion and LVSI combination were superior predictive criteria for the PLN metastasis. An accurate evaluation of these factors, both preoperatively or intraoperatively, will be beneficial to predict PLN metastasis and guide the operation.

Prognostic significance of lymphovascular space invasion and nodal involvement in intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer patients treated with curative intent using surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess whether lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) and nodal status provide adequate prognostic information in comparison with the entire set of traditional prognostic factors in intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer patients treated and staged with primary surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy.

METHODS

Three hundred twenty-four previously untreated high-intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer patients with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage I to IIIC; endometrioid, serous, or clear cell histology; diagnosed between November 1995 and December 2006; who presented to Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for adjuvant radiotherapy were included in these analyses. All traditionally recognized prognostic factors and newly created 4 pairs of combination of LVSI and nodal status were studied with respect to survival and patterns of failure.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 4.8 years. Five-year failure-free survival for all patients according to FIGO stage I, II, and III were 87.4%, 89.0%, and 62.4 %, respectively. In multivariable analysis for relapse, positive LVSI had a hazard ratio of 4.9 (P = 0.000), which increased to 8.8 (P = 0.004) in the presence of positive nodes. For overall survival, only LVSI was significant, with a hazard ratio of 3.02 (P = 0.003). In particular, in the presence of LVSI and nodes, histological type, grade, and myometrial invasion were not significant prognosticators for relapse or overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This model enables the separation of good prognosis patients even among poorly differentiated endometrioid, serous, and clear cell carcinoma patients and can be used in simplifying the staging of endometrial cancer and for selecting patients for high-risk endometrial cancer studies.

Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium

BACKGROUND

The purpose is to determine the rate of lymph node metastases in women with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (EAE) undergoing systematic lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

Patients (349) underwent a complete pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy from caudal to the median circumflex to the level of the renal vessels.

RESULTS

Grade 1 tumors accounted for 32.7% of the tumors and 31.0% of the positive nodes, grade 2 accounted for 47.3% of the tumors (37.9% of positive nodes), and grade 3 accounted for 20.1% of the tumors and 31.0% of the positive nodes (P>0.05). Positive nodes were found in 15.8% of grade 1 tumors, 13.3% of grade 2 tumors and 25.7% of grade 3 tumors (P>0.05). Isolated para-aortic involvement without pelvic nodal involvement occurred in 29% of patients with positive nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

When complete lymphadenectomies are performed in EAE, positive lymph nodes (including isolated para-aortic lymph nodes) are common in all grades.

Role of lymphadenectomy and pelvic radiotherapy in patients with clinical FIGO stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma: an analysis of 208 patients

Two hundred and eight patients with a clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma were studied (164 fulfilled the inclusion criteria). High risk was defined as nonendometrioid, or endometrioid tumors grade 3 (G3), or G2 with any or G1 with deep (>1/2) myometrial infiltration. The low-risk group consisted of the remaining patients. Surgical staging in the high-risk group included pelvic lymphadenectomy with para-aortic lymphadenectomy in selected cases. Twelve percent of the high-risk patients had nodal metastasis. Patients with low-risk (group A, n = 85) and high-risk disease confined to the uterus (group B, n = 57) did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy. Patients with nodal metastases (group C, n = 10) received postoperative irradiation. The total recurrence rate of the entire population was 12.5%, and the actuarial overall survival, disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival were 90%, 94%, and 88%, respectively. All patients with only vaginal relapse (n = 9) were cured locally with salvage radiotherapy until the date of analysis. The pelvic relapse rate was low as only one patient of group B recurred in the pelvis. In conclusion, lymphadenectomy remains indicated to better select patients at high risk of pelvic recurrence that may benefit from postoperative radiotherapy.

Cancer of the endometrium: current aspects of diagnostics and treatment

Background

Endometrial cancer represents a tumor entity with a great variation in its incidence throughout the world (range 1 to 25). This suggests enormous possibilities of cancer prevention due to the fact that the incidence is very much endocrine-related, chiefly with obesity, and thus most frequent in the developed world. As far as treatment is concerned, it is generally accepted that surgery represents the first choice of treatment. However, several recommendations seem reasonable especially with lymphadenectomy, even though they are not based on evidence. All high-risk cases are generally recommended for radiotherapy.

Methods

A literature search of the Medline was carried out for all articles on endometrial carcinoma related to diagnosis and treatment. The articles were systematically reviewed and were categorized into incidence, etiology, precancerosis, early diagnosis, classification, staging, prevention, and treatment. The article is organized into several similar subheadings.

Conclusions

In spite of the overall good prognosis during the early stages of the disease, the survival is poor in advanced stages or recurrences. Diagnostic measures are very well able to detect asymptomatic recurrences. These only seem justified if patients' chances are likely to improve, otherwise such measures increases costs as well as decrease the patients' quality of life. To date neither current nor improved concepts of endocrine treatment or chemotherapy have been able to substantially increase patients' chances of survival. Therefore, newer concepts into the use of antibodies e.g. trastuzumab in HER2-overexpressing tumors and the newer endocrine compounds will need to be investigated. Furthermore, it would seem highly desirable if future studies were to identify valid criteria for an individualized management, thereby maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks.

Clinical value of immunohistochemically detected lymphovascular invasion in endometrioid endometrial cancer

INTRODUCTION

Lymphovascular Invasion (LVSI) of tumour cells is marked as an important step in the process of tumour metastases and is an important prognostic factor in Endometrial Cancer (EC). Currently, the standard method for assessing LVSI is light microscopic examination of H&E stained sections. Tumour cells within lymphovascular spaces can evade detection on H&E staining if they are present in very small numbers or surrounded by a greater number of circulating cells. Dual immunostaining for epithelial and endothelial cell markers cell markers has been shown to increase detection rate of LVSI significantly.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinical significance of LVSI as detected by H&E (LVSI-H&E) and immunohistochemically (LVSI-IHC) in clinically stage I endometrioid EC patients. Methods. Single representative section of 90 patients with stage I endometriod EC were immunostained in accordance with established streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method using a mouse monoclonal pancytokeratin (PCK), clone AE1/AE3 and CD31 endothelial cell marker. The H&E sections and their corresponding immunostained sections were re-examined to identify LVSI. Clinical records were available on 72 patients. The following data were collected: age, race, parity, presentation, associated medical disorders (obesity, diabetes and hypertension), use of Tamoxifen or HRT, menopausal state, recurrence and survival.

RESULTS

Overall, LVSI was present in 45 (50%) cases and absent in 45 (50%) cases on IHC, as compared with 17 (19%) and 73 (81%) cases, respectively, on H&E. Statistical analysis revealed significant association between LVSI-H&E and depth of myometrial invasion (P < 0.0001). The median follow-up period was 161 months (range 5-207 months). During the follow-up period, six of 14 cases with evidence of LVSI-H&E presented with recurrence as opposed to six of 58 patients with no evidence (OR = 6.26, 95%: CI = 1.3-30.6). There was a significant association between tumour recurrence rate and LVSI-H&E (P = 0.01). The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 54% for the group with H&E evidence of LVSI (95%: CI = 44-64%) compared with 89% for the group without (95%: CI = 82-97%). There was a significant difference in the recurrence-free survival between the two groups (Chi-square = 6.96, P = 0.008). In contrast, LVSI-IHC was found to be significantly associated only with high-grade tumours (P = 0.01) and survival analysis revealed no statistically significant association with recurrence or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

LVSI-H&E in stage I EC remains an important predictive factor of recurrent disease and reduced disease-free interval. Immunohistochemically detected LVSI is a common event, associated with tumour grade and appears to be of no statistically significant clinical value.

The value of pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer to avoid unnecessary radiotherapy

The case histories of 95 patients with endometrial carcinoma treated between July 1998 and December 2002 were reviewed. These patients were staged according to FIGO classification and included peritoneal cytology, total abdominal hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAHBSO), and pelvic with or without para-aortic lymphadenectomy. The FIGO surgical stages were as follow: IA, 9 (9.5%); IB, 35 (36.8%); IC, 16 (16.8%); IIB, 10 (10.5%); IIIA, 5 (5.3%); IIIB, 1 (1.1%); IIIC, 19 (20.0%). In addition to TAHBSO, 47 (49.5%) patients had pelvic lymphadenectomy whereas 48 (50.5%) had both pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Nineteen (20.0%) of 95 patients had nodal metastases. Positive pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes were found in 15 (15.8%) of 95 and 12 (25.0%) of 48 patients, respectively. According to the result of the lymphadenectomy, 19 (20.0%) patients had their surgical stage upgraded to stage IIIC and 61 (64.2%) patients had a change in their management plan. Twelve (12.6%) patients required extended field irradiation due to para-aortic nodal metastases and 49 (51.6%) patients with negative nodes avoided postoperative external radiotherapy. By defining the lymphatic spread via surgical staging, postoperative radiotherapy can be recommended to patients with nodal metastases, while it can be withheld from those patients with negative nodes, irrespective of the presence of risk factors.