Oncological outcome and long-term complications in robot-assisted radical surgery for early stage cervical cancer: an observational cohort study

Symptomatic Lymphocele After Robot-Assisted Pelvic Lymphadenectomy as Part of the Primary Surgical Treatment for Cervical and Endometrial Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is part of the primary treatment for early-stage cervical cancer and high-intermediate risk or high-risk endometrial cancer. Pelvic lymphocele is a postoperative complication of PLND, and when symptomatic, lymphoceles necessitate treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors of symptomatic lymphocele after robot-assisted laparoscopic PLND in cervical and endometrial cancer.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Single-center academic hospital.

PATIENTS

Two hundred and fifty-eight patients with cervical cancer and 129 patients with endometrial cancer.

INTERVENTIONS

Pelvic lymphadenectomy by robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The authors retrospectively included all patients with early-stage cervical cancer and high-intermediate risk or high-risk endometrial cancer who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy by robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery between 2008 and 2022. Medical records were reviewed for the occurrence of a symptomatic lymphocele. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for developing a symptomatic lymphocele. In total, 387 patients, 258 with cervical cancer and 129 with endometrial cancer, were included in the study. The overall incidence of symptomatic lymphoceles was 9.6% with a median follow-up of 47 months [interquartile range 23-61]. For the entire cohort, smoking was the only significant risk factor for symptomatic lymphoceles identified in univariate (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.19-5.11) and multivariate analysis (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.16-5.07). For cervical cancer, body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.17) and prior abdominal surgery (OR 2.75, 95% CI 1.22-6.17) were also identified as significant independent risk factors. For endometrial cancer, age was identified as a significant independent risk factor (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83-0.97).

CONCLUSION

This single-center cohort study demonstrated an incidence of almost 10% of symptomatic lymphoceles after robot-assisted laparoscopic PLND for cervical cancer and endometrial cancer, with a higher risk observed among patients who smoke at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, risk factors differ between the 2 populations, necessitating further studies to establish risk models.

Urological Complications in Radical Surgery for Cervical Cancer: A Comparative Meta-Analysis before and after LACC Trial

BACKGROUND

After the LACC trial publication in 2018, the minimally invasive approach (MIS) has severely decreased in favor of open surgery: MIS radical hysterectomy was associated with worse oncological outcomes than open surgery, but urological complications were never extensively explored in pre- versus post-LACC eras, even if they had a great impact on post-operative QoL. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare functional and organic urological complication rates before and after LACC trial.

METHODS

An independent search of the literature was conducted 4 years before and after the LACC trial and 50 studies were included.

RESULTS

The overall rate of urologic complications was higher in pre-LACC studies while no differences were found for organic urological complications. Conversely, the overall risk of dysfunctional urological complications showed a higher rate in the pre-LACC era. This is probably related to a sudden shift to open surgery, with potential lower thermal damage to the urinary tract autonomic nervous fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis showed that the incidence of urological complications in radical cervical cancer surgery was higher before the LACC trial, potentially due to the shift to open surgery. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to shed light on the connection between minimally invasive surgery and urological damage.

Use of Nomogram to Predict the Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis among Patients with Cervical Adenocarcinoma

Background

The objective of this study was to develop a nomogram that can predict lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with cervical adenocarcinoma (cervical AC).

Methods

A total of 219 patients with cervical AC who had undergone radical hysterectomy and lymphadenopathy between 2005 and 2021 were selected for this study. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the selected key clinicopathologic features and develop a nomogram and underwent internal validation to predict the probability of LNM.

Results

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI), tumor size ≥ 4 cm, and depth of cervical stromal infiltration were independent predictors of LNM in cervical AC. However, the Silva pattern was not found to be a significant predictor in the multivariate model. The Silva pattern was still included in the model based on the improved predictive performance of the model observed in the previous studies. The concordance index (C-index) of the model increased from 0.786 to 0.794 after the inclusion of the Silva pattern. The Silva pattern was found to be the strongest predictor of LNM among all the pathological factors investigated, with an OR of 4.37 in the nomogram model. The nomogram developed by incorporation of these four predictors performed well in terms of discrimination and calibration capabilities (C − index = 0.794; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.727–0.862; Brier score = 0.127). Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically effective in the prediction of LNM.

Conclusion

In this study, a nomogram was developed based on the pathologic features, which helped to screen individuals with a higher risk of occult LNM. As a result, this tool may be specifically useful in the management of individuals with cervical AC and help gynecologists to guide clinical individualized treatment plan.

The Effects of Hysterectomy on Urinary and Sexual Functions of Women with Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

 This systematic review aims at describing the prevalence of urinary and sexual symptoms among women who underwent a hysterectomy for cervical cancer.

METHODS

 A systematic search in six electronic databases was performed, in September 2019, by two researchers. The text search was limited to the investigation of prevalence or occurrence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and sexual dysfunctions in women who underwent a hysterectomy for cervical cancer. For search strategies, specific combinations of terms were used.

RESULTS

 A total of 8 studies, published between 2010 and 2018, were included in the sample. The average age of the participants ranged from 40 to 56 years, and the dysfunctions predominantly investigated in the articles were urinary symptoms (n = 8). The rates of urinary incontinence due to radical abdominal hysterectomy ranged from 7 to 31%. The same dysfunction related to laparoscopic radical hysterectomy varied from 25 to 35% and to laparoscopic nerve sparing radical hysterectomy varied from 25 to 47%. Nocturia ranged from 13%, before treatment, to 30%, after radical hysterectomy. The prevalence rates of dyspareunia related to laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and laparoscopic nerve sparing radical hysterectomy ranged from 5 to 16% and 7 to 19% respectively. The difficulty in having orgasm was related to laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (10 to 14%) and laparoscopic nerve sparing radical hysterectomy (9 to 19%).

CONCLUSION

 Urinary and sexual dysfunctions after radical hysterectomy to treat cervical cancer are frequent events. The main reported disorders were urinary incontinence and dyspareunia.

Predictive value of hemoglobin, platelets, and D-dimer for the survival of patients with stage IA1 to IIA2 cervical cancer: a retrospective study

Objective

Coagulation indexes may be useful survival biomarkers for cervical cancer. This study evaluated the ability of hemoglobin, red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, and D-dimer levels to predict post-hysterectomy survival outcomes in patients with stage IA1 to IIA2 cervical cancer.

Methods

In this retrospective study, coagulation-related indexes were compared between the anemia and non-anemia groups. Independent variables were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazards model. Survival was assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test. Mortality predictions were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

Among this study’s 1088 enrolled patients, 152 had anemia. The 10-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates were 90.8% and 86.5%, respectively. Hemoglobin, RBC, and the rate of abnormal platelet counts were significantly lower in the anemia group. Abnormal preoperative D-dimer was an independent factor for recurrence-free survival. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that D-dimer had area under the curve of 0.734 (cut-off value: 0.685, sensitivity: 85.7%, and specificity: 64.0%). Hemoglobin and platelets had areas under the curves of 0.487 and 0.462, respectively.

Conclusion

Preoperative D-dimer was the most effective prognostic predictor for patients with cervical cancer. The prognosis of patients with cervical cancer was poorer if their D-dimer levels were >0.685 mg/L.

The Surgeon's Proficiency Affected Survival Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Retrospective Study of 851 Patients

Purpose

To compare the clinical outcomes of patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent minimally invasive surgery (MIS) by surgeons in different phases and evaluate whether the proficiency of surgeons affects the survival outcomes.

Materials and Methods

A total of 851 patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy between January 2008 and June 2018 (every year from January to June) at a tertiary hospital were retrospectively analyzed. We categorized patients into four phases according to their sequence (phase one, 1-10 cases; phase two: 11-20 cases; phase three: 21-30 cases; phase four: > 30 cases). Demographics and clinical and pathological data were collected and analyzed.

Results

There were no statistical differences between the open surgery and MIS groups regarding three- and five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The OS and DFS of patients in the MIS group in phase one were significantly lower than those in later phases and those in the open surgery group after adjustment (OS, P = 0.009; HR, 2.896; 95%CI, 1.303-6.435; DFS, P = 0.009; HR, 2.712; 95%CI, 1.289-5.706). Survival outcomes were not statistically significant when comparing different surgeons.

Conclusion

The phase one cases of MIS had lower OS and DFS than those in later phases and those in the open surgery group. Thus, we suggest that the proficiency of surgeons is associated with survival outcomes of MIS. Favorable outcomes can be obtained after a certain number of MIS cases.

Challenges in lower limb lymphoedema assessment based on limb volume change: Lessons learnt from the SENTIX prospective multicentre study

BACKGROUND

Lower limb lymphoedema (LLL) is the most disabling adverse effect of surgical staging of pelvic lymph nodes. However, the lack of standardisation of volumetric LLL assessment hinders direct comparison between the studies and makes LLL reporting unreliable. The aim of our study is to report outcomes from a prospective trial that have implications for LLL assessment standardisation.

METHODS

In the prospective international multicentre trial SENTIX, a group of 150 patients with stage IA1-IB2 cervical cancer treated by uterine surgery with bilateral sentinel lymph node biopsy was prospectively evaluated by objective LLL assessment, based on limb volume change (LVC) using circumferrential limb measurements and subjective patient-reported swelling. The assessments were conducted in six-month periods over 24 months post-surgery.

RESULTS

Patient LVC substantially fluctuated in both positive and negative directions, which were comparable in frequency up to ±14% change. Thirty-eight patients experienced persistent LVC increase >10% classified as LLL, with nine months median time to onset. Some 34.2% of cases experienced onset later than one year after the surgery. Thirty-three patients (22%) experienced transient oedema characterised as LVC >10%, which resolved without intervention between two consequent follow-up visits. No significant correlation between LVC >10% and a patient-reported swelling was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Given that we observed comparable fluctuations of the the lower-limb volumes after surgical treatment of cervical cancer in both positive and negative direction up to ±14%, the diagnostic threshold for LLL diagnosis based on LVC should be increased to >15% LVC. The distinction of transient oedema from persistent LLL requires repeated measurements. Also, as one-third of LLL cases are diagnosed >1-year post-surgery, a sufficient follow-up duration needs to be ensured. Patient-reported swelling correlated poorly with LVC and should only be used as an adjunct to objective LLL assessment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02494063.

Lower-Limb Lymphedema after Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Cervical Cancer Patients

Simple Summary

Lower-limb lymphedema (LLL) is a well-recognized adverse outcome of the surgical management of cervical cancer. Recently, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has emerged as an alternative procedure to systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) aiming to decrease the risk of complications, especially LLL development. Our study represents the first prospective analysis of LLL incidence in cervical cancer patients after a uterine procedure with SLN biopsy, without systematic PLND. In an international multicenter trial SENTIX, the group of 150 patients was prospectively evaluated using both objective and subjective LLL assessments in 6 months intervals for 2 years. Contrary to the expectations, our results showed that SLN biopsy does not eliminate the risk of LLL development which occurred in a mild or moderate stage in about 26% of patients with a median interval to the onset of 9 months.

Abstract

Background: To prospectively assess LLL incidence among cervical cancer patients treated by uterine surgery complemented by SLN biopsy, without PLND. Methods: A prospective study in 150 patients with stage IA1–IB2 cervical cancer treated by uterine surgery with bilateral SLN biopsy. Objective LLL assessments, based on limb volume increase (LVI) between pre- and postoperative measurements, and subjective patient-perceived swelling were conducted in six-month periods over 24-months post-surgery. Results: The cumulative incidence of LLL at 24 months was 17.3% for mild LLL (LVI 10–19%), 9.2% for moderate LLL (LVI 20–39%), while only one patient (0.7%) developed severe LLL (LVI > 40%). The median interval to LLL onset was nine months. Transient edema resolving without intervention within six months was reported in an additional 22% of patients. Subjective LLL was reported by 10.7% of patients, though only a weak and partial correlation between subjective-report and objective-LVI was found. No risk factor directly related to LLL development was identified. Conclusions: The replacement of standard PLND by bilateral SLN biopsy in the surgical treatment of cervical cancer does not eliminate the risk of mild to moderate LLL, which develops irrespective of the number of SLN removed.

The influence of learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopy on oncological outcomes in early-stage cervical cancer: an observational cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopy in early-stage cervical cancer and quantify impact on oncological outcomes.

DESIGN

Observational cohort study.

SETTING

Tertiary referral centre with one surgical team.

POPULATION

All women with early-stage cervical cancer treated consecutively with robot-assisted laparoscopy between 2007 and 2017.

METHODS

With multivariate risk-adjusted cumulative sum analysis (RA-CUSUM), we assessed the learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopy of a single surgical team based on cervical cancer recurrence. Subsequently, a survival analysis was conducted comparing oncological outcomes of women treated during different phases of the learning curve.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Surgical proficiency based on recurrence, survival rates in the different learning phases.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-five women with cervical cancer underwent robot-assisted laparoscopy, with a median follow up of 57 months (range 3-132 months). The RA-CUSUM analysis demonstrated two phases of the learning curve: a learning phase of 61 procedures (group 1) and an experienced phase representing the 104 procedures thereafter (group 2). The 5-year disease-free survival was 80.2% in group 1 and 91.1% in group 2 (P = 0.040). Both the 5-year disease-specific survival and overall survival significantly increased after the learning phase.

CONCLUSION

The learning phase of robot-assisted laparoscopy in early-stage cervical cancer in this institutional cohort is at least 61 procedures, with higher survival rates in the women treated thereafter. The learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopy affects oncological outcomes and warrants more attention in the design of future studies.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

The learning curve of robot-assisted laparoscopy in early-stage cervical cancer affects oncological outcomes and warrants more attention.

Risk Factors for Recurrence after Robot-Assisted Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Simple Summary

In 239 women with early-stage cervical cancer (≤IB1 or IIA1, FIGO 2009) undergoing robot-assisted radical hysterectomy in Spanish and Portuguese centers between 2009 and 2018, the overall survival rate was 94.1% after a median follow-up of 51 months. Recurrence was diagnosed in 26 patients. In the multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for recurrence were tumor size > 20 mm, adenocarcinoma as histological type, presence of positive pelvic lymph nodes, tumor grades 2 and 3, and not performing sentinel lymph node biopsy. The present oncological and surgical results surpassed the target of quality indicators in cervical cancer proposed by the European Society of Gynecology Oncology. When selecting a robot-assisted surgical approach to perform radical hysterectomy in the surgical treatment of primary early-stage cervical cancer, it is recommended to take into account the tumor grade and histological type, results of the sentinel lymph node biopsy, and the size of the tumor.

Abstract

This retrospective analysis aimed to assess the risk factors for recurrence in patients diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer (≤IB1 or IIA1, FIGO 2009) undergoing robot-assisted radical hysterectomy in Spain and Portugal between 2009 and 2018. A second primary objective was to audit the oncological outcomes according to quality indicators (QI) proposed by the European Society of Gynecology Oncology (ESGO). The study population included 239 women. After a median follow-up of 51 months, recurrence occurred in 26 patients (10.9%). Independent factors for recurrence were clinical tumor size > 20 mm (hazard ratio (HR) 2.37), adenocarcinoma as histological type (HR 2.51), positive pelvic lymph nodes (HR 4.83), tumor grade 2 (HR 4.99), tumor grade 3 (HR 8.06), and having not performed sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) (HR 4.08). All 5 QI selected were surpassed by our results. In patients with early-stage cervical cancer undergoing robotic radical hysterectomy, clinicians should be aware that tumor grade 2 and 3, tumor size > 20 mm, adenocarcinoma, positive pelvic nodes, and lack of performance of SLNB are risk factors for recurrence. Fulfillment of QI targets of the ESGO might be considered as an objective oncological outcome indicator supporting the minimally invasive approach for early-stage cervical cancer treatment.

Comparison of long-term survival of total abdominal radical hysterectomy and laparoscopy-assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy in patients with early cervical cancer: Korean multicenter, retrospective analysis

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare survival outcomes of total abdominal radical hysterectomy (TARH) versus laparoscopy-assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy (LARVH) in stage IA2-IB2 cervical cancer.

METHODS

812 patients who underwent RH between 2008 and 2017 were evaluated in 3 institutions. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. The clinical noninferiority of the LARVH to TARH was assessed with a margin of -7.2%. Noninferiority was demonstrated if the low limit of 95% confidence interval (CI) exceeded its predefined margin.

RESULTS

258 patients were treated with TARH and 252 patients with LARVH. TARH and LARVH group had similar 5-year PFS (84.4% vs 86.6%, p = 0.467) and OS rates (85.8% vs 88.0%, p = 0.919). Noninferiority of LARVH to TARH were confirmed with 5-year PFS and OS difference rates of 2.2% (95% CI -2.9-7.3, p = 0.001) and 2.2% (95% CI -2.7-7.1, p = 0.001), respectively. In subgroup of patients with tumors size >2 cm, 5-year PFS (77.6% vs 79.0%, p = 0.682) and OS rates (79.2% vs 81.5%, p = 0.784) did not differ statistically between the two groups. Noninferiority of LARVH to TARH were also confirmed with 5-year PFS and OS difference rates of 1.4% (95% CI -7.0-9.8, p = 0.046) and 2.3% (95% CI -5.8-10.4, p = 0.027), respectively.

CONCLUSION

LARVH showed significant noninferiority for PFS and OS versus TARH in early cervical cancer, suggesting the potential oncologic safety of LARVH.

Incidence, prevalence, and factors associated with lymphedema after treatment for cervical cancer: a systematic review

Background

Lower limb lymphedema is a frequent and debilitating complication after cervical cancer treatment.

Objective

To evaluate the incidence and prevalence of lymphedema after treatment for cervical cancer and evaluate the factors associated with this outcome.

Methods

The study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Eligible studies were identified through the databases Medline (via PubMed), LILACS, Scopus, and Web of Science. For the search, descriptors, keywords, and synonyms were used for cervical cancer, lymphedema, and outcomes of interest (incidence, prevalence, frequency, occurrence, morbidity, risk factors, and prognosis). Observational studies were included that were published in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2019, with frequency data and associated factors for lymphedema after cervical cancer treatment. Studies that evaluated the presence of lymphedema less than 6 months after surgery or radiotherapy and those in which frequency data were not stratified by tumor topography, were excluded.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included. The incidence of lymphedema varied between 0% and 69%. Different designs and methods were employed for lymphedema assessment. The main factors associated with lymphedema included extension of lymphadenectomy, number of lymph nodes removed, removal of circumflex iliac lymph nodes, and adjuvant radiotherapy. Other factors associated with lymphedema included cellulitis, lymphocyst formation, increased age, invasive lymph node staging, higher body mass index, and insufficient physical activity.

Conclusions

The frequency of lymphedema after treatment for cervical cancer is variable. The different designs and methodology to measure this complication make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about its prevalence. The method used for lymphedema assessment is not standardized.

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.

Feasibility of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) with a new robotic system. Experience at Galaxy Care Laparoscopy Institute

The main objective of this study was to assess in a series of 30 patients, the feasibility, oncological safety and efficacy of radical hysterectomy by a new robotic system. Prospective study design. Galaxy Care Laparoscopy Institute and Multispeciality Hospital. We performed Robotic Radical Hysterectomy in patients from August 2019 through February 2020. All the surgeries were performed by a single surgeon (Puntambekar S). Since August 2019, 30 patients with early cervical cancer/endometrial cancer were selected for radical hysterectomy. All patients were in good general condition with controlled medical comorbidities. The mean operative time was 104 min, with mean total lymph node yield of 24.7. The average blood loss was 60 ml and the hospital stay was 2.1 days, and majority of the patients were catheter free by 1 week. Two patients developed uretero-vaginal fistula on the 8th day of surgery. One was managed with Double J stenting and in the other we did laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy. Our study has demonstrated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of RRH by the Versius robotic systems.

European Society of Gynaecological Oncology quality indicators for surgical treatment of cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Optimizing and ensuring the quality of surgical care is essential to improve the management and outcome of patients with cervical cancer.To develop a list of quality indicators for surgical treatment of cervical cancer that can be used to audit and improve clinical practice.

METHODS

Quality indicators were developed using a four-step evaluation process that included a systematic literature search to identify potential quality indicators, in-person meetings of an ad hoc group of international experts, an internal validation process, and external review by a large panel of European clinicians and patient representatives.

RESULTS

Fifteen structural, process, and outcome indicators were selected. Using a structured format, each quality indicator has a description specifying what the indicator is measuring. Measurability specifications are also detailed to define how the indicator will be measured in practice. Each indicator has a target which gives practitioners and health administrators a quantitative basis for improving care and organizational processes.

DISCUSSION

Implementation of institutional quality assurance programs can improve quality of care, even in high-volume centers. This set of quality indicators from the European Society of Gynaecological Cancer may be a major instrument to improve the quality of surgical treatment of cervical cancer.

Survival after a nationwide adoption of robotic minimally invasive surgery for early-stage cervical cancer - A population-based study

AIM

Lately, the safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in the treatment of cervical cancer (CC) has been questioned. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of recurrence and survival after a nationwide adoption of robotic MIS for the treatment of early-stage CC in Denmark.

METHODS

Population-based data on all Danish women with early-stage CC, who underwent radical hysterectomy January 1st 2005-June 30th 2017 were retrieved from the Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database and enriched with follow-up data on recurrence, death and cause of death. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the year of robotic MIS introduction at each cancer centre. Chi-squared or Fischer test, the Kaplan Meier method and multivariate Cox regression were used for comparison between groups.

RESULTS

One thousand one hundred twenty-five patients with CC were included; 530 underwent surgery before (group 1) and 595 underwent surgery after (group 2) the introduction of robotic MIS. The 5-year rate of recurrence was low: 8.2% and 6.3% (p = 0.55) in group 1 and 2, respectively. In adjusted analyses, this corresponded to a five-year disease-free survival, hazard ratio (HR) 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-1.93]. No difference in site of recurrence (P = 0.19) was observed. The cumulative cancer-specific survival was 94.1% and 95.9% (P = 0.10) in group 1 and 2, respectively, corresponding to a HR 0.60 [95% CI 0.32-1.11] in adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSION

In this population-based cohort study, the Danish nationwide adoption of robotic MIS for early-stage CC was not associated with increased risk of recurrence or reduction in survival outcomes.

Minimally Invasive Liver Resection for Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Inconsistent Outcomes from Matched or Weighted Cohorts

BACKGROUND

The aim of the current study was to re-evaluate the role of minimally invasive liver resection (MILR) among patients with early-stage (stage I or II) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing partial hepatectomy.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) was conducted to identify patients with early-stage HCC who underwent partial hepatectomy in the USA from 2010 to 2013. Overall survival (OS) was compared in three cohorts: crude; stabilized inverse probability of treatment propensity score weighting (IPTW); and propensity score matching (PSM).

RESULTS

Among 4027 patients included in the study, only 11.7%, (n = 473) underwent MILR. In the stabilized IPTW cohort, patients who underwent MILR versus open resection were more likely to have tumors greater than 3 cm (63.9%, n = 285 vs. 51.4%, n = 228, p < 0.001) and poorly/undifferentiated tumors (21.5%, n = 96 vs. 12.9%, n = 57, p < 0.001). Within the crude cohort, a 5-year OS was superior among patients in the open surgical group (67.8%) compared with patients who underwent MILR (56.6%) (p < 0.001). After classic PSM analysis, the 5-year OS of patients undergoing MILR and open surgery were noted to be comparable (57.3% vs 63.8%, p = 0.17; HR 1.16, 95% CI 0.92-1.45). In contrast, after applying IPTW, the 5-year OS of patients who underwent MILR (55.5%) was worse compared with patients who had an open resection (67.5%) (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.15-1.84; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term outcomes of patients undergoing MILR were comparable with patients who had open surgery when assessed by standard PSM. The use of IPTW resulted in more unbalanced groups leading to residual confounding and bias.

Reconstructed uterine length is critical for the prevention of cervical stenosis following abdominal trachelectomy in cervical cancer patients

AIM

Although the procedure of abdominal trachelectomy has been remarkably improved, preventing subsequent cervical stenosis remains challenging. In this study, we analyzed the clinicopathological risk factors for cervical stenosis to explore the appropriate surgical procedures for the prevention of cervical stenosis following trachelectomy.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients who underwent abdominal extended and radical trachelectomy were assessed retrospectively (median follow-up period = 33 months). To evaluate the risk factors, the clinicopathological factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The reconstructed uterine length (UtL), that is, the length between the vaginal end of the neo-cervix and the uterine fundus, was measured by transvaginal ultrasound after surgery. The cut-off value for the UtL was assessed by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Cervical stenosis of any grade was observed in 12 patients (grade 1 = 9, grade 3b = 3). Among the various clinicopathological factors, the UtL and cervical length (CL) were significantly related to cervical stenosis following trachelectomy. The multivariate analysis revealed that the UtL, but not CL, is an independent risk factor for stenosis. The ROC curve analysis revealed that stenosis was significantly more likely to occur in patients with a UtL shorter than 53 mm (area under the ROC curve = 0.902). UtL in the patients who became pregnant was longer than that in the patients who did not. No evidence of recurrent cancer was observed during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

Our proposed method may provide a functional reconstructed uterus with preserving fertility by remaining UtL more than 53 mm.

No survival difference between robotic and open radical hysterectomy for women with early-stage cervical cancer: results from a nationwide population-based cohort study

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to compare overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) after open and robotic radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a nationwide population-based cohort study on all women with cervical cancer stage IA1-IB of squamous, adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous histological subtypes, from January 2011 to December 2017, for whom radical hysterectomy was performed. The Swedish Quality Register of Gynaecologic Cancer was used for identification. To ensure quality and conformity of data and to disclose patients not yet registered, hospital registries were reviewed and validated. Cox and propensity score regression analysis and univariable and multivariable regression analysis were performed in regard to OS and DFS.

RESULTS

There were 864 women (236 open and 628 robotic) included in the study. The 5-year OS was 92% and 94% and DFS was 84% and 88% for the open and robotic cohorts, respectively. The recurrence pattern was similar in both groups. Using propensity score analysis and matched cohorts of 232 women in each surgical group, no significant differences were seen in survival: 5-year OS of 92% in both groups (hazard ratio [HR], 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-2.01) and DFS of 85% vs 84% in the open and robotic cohort, respectively (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.66-1.78). In univariable and multivariable analysis with OS as the end-point, no significant factors were found, and in regard to DFS, tumour size (p < 0.001) and grade 3 (p = 0.02) were found as independent significant risk factors.

CONCLUSION

In a complete nationwide population-based cohort, where radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer is highly centralised, neither long-term survival nor pattern of recurrence differed significantly between open and robotic surgery.

Discrepancies between clinical staging and surgicopathologic findings in early-stage cervical cancer and prognostic significance

OBJECTIVE

To investigate discrepancies between clinical staging and surgicopathologic findings in early-stage cervical cancer and explore the prognostic significance of these discrepancies.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the clinical records of individuals with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent primary radical surgery in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, between 2007 and 2013. Discrepancies in clinical staging were investigated by using surgicopathologic findings as the reference. Individuals were classified according to the type of discrepancy. Kaplan-Meier plots were generated to explore the prognostic significance of stage discrepancies.

RESULTS

Among 266 individuals included in the study, 182 (68.4%) were accurately staged, 58 (21.8%) were clinically over-staged, and 26 (9.8%) were clinically under-staged. More relapses (19.2% vs 4.9% vs 6.8%, P=0.027) and deaths (11.5% vs 2.2% vs 3.4%, P=0.048) were observed among those who were clinically under-staged than among those who were accurately or clinically over-staged. Clinical under-staging was associated with poorer disease-free survival (P=0.003) and poorer overall survival (P=0.020) over a median follow-up of 43.9 months.

CONCLUSION

Significant discrepancies were found between clinical staging and surgicopathologic findings in early-stage cervical cancer. Stage discrepancies were found to have prognostic significance, with clinical under-staging identified as a potential adverse prognostic factor.

Oncologic and Surgical Outcomes of Robotic Versus Open Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer

OBJECTIVE

In view of the recent controversy concerning the use of minimally invasive radical hysterectomy as primary treatment for early stage cervical cancer, this study compared the survival and perioperative outcomes in a cohort of patients who underwent radical hysterectomy either by laparotomy or by robotics.

METHODS

This retrospective study compared all consecutive patients with early stage cervical cancer since the beginning of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the Jewish General Hospital in 2003, who underwent robotic radical hysterectomy (n = 74) with a cohort of all consecutive patients from the immediate past who underwent open radical hysterectomy (n = 24) for early stage cervical cancer. All patients were treated at the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2).

RESULTS

The median follow-up time for the robotic group was 46 months. During that time, 7% and 17% of patients in the robotic group and the laparotomy group had disease recurrence, respectively (P = 0.12). Cox multivariate regression showed no statistically significant effect of surgical approach on overall survival (hazard ratio 1.50, P = 0.63) or on progression-free survival (hazard ratio 0.29, P = 0.07). Patients in the robotic cohort had significantly shorter median hospital stays (1 day vs. 7 days, P < 0.001), and their overall incidence of postoperative complications was lower (13% vs. 50%, P < 0.001). Median estimated blood loss for robotics was also significantly lower (82 mL vs. 528 mL, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Based on the data on a limited number of patients in a Canadian context, robotic radical hysterectomy did not lead to worse oncologic outcomes and was associated with improved short-term surgical outcomes. One might consider the evaluation of more personalized surgical decision making.

Survival after Minimally Invasive Radical Hysterectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery was adopted as an alternative to laparotomy (open surgery) for radical hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer before high-quality evidence regarding its effect on survival was available. We sought to determine the effect of minimally invasive surgery on all-cause mortality among women undergoing radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer.

METHODS

We performed a cohort study involving women who underwent radical hysterectomy for stage IA2 or IB1 cervical cancer during the 2010-2013 period at Commission on Cancer-accredited hospitals in the United States. The study used inverse probability of treatment propensity-score weighting. We also conducted an interrupted time-series analysis involving women who underwent radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer during the 2000-2010 period, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database.

RESULTS

In the primary analysis, 1225 of 2461 women (49.8%) underwent minimally invasive surgery. Women treated with minimally invasive surgery were more often white, privately insured, and from ZIP Codes with higher socioeconomic status, had smaller, lower-grade tumors, and were more likely to have received a diagnosis later in the study period than women who underwent open surgery. Over a median follow-up of 45 months, the 4-year mortality was 9.1% among women who underwent minimally invasive surgery and 5.3% among those who underwent open surgery (hazard ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 2.22; P=0.002 by the log-rank test). Before the adoption of minimally invasive radical hysterectomy (i.e., in the 2000-2006 period), the 4-year relative survival rate among women who underwent radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer remained stable (annual percentage change, 0.3%; 95% CI, -0.1 to 0.6). The adoption of minimally invasive surgery coincided with a decline in the 4-year relative survival rate of 0.8% (95% CI, 0.3 to 1.4) per year after 2006 (P=0.01 for change of trend).

CONCLUSIONS

In an epidemiologic study, minimally invasive radical hysterectomy was associated with shorter overall survival than open surgery among women with stage IA2 or IB1 cervical carcinoma. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute and others.).

Surgery Versus Radiation Treatment for High-Grade Neuroendocrine Cancer of Uterine Cervix: A Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Database Analysis

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to assess treatment and other factors impacting survival in cervical high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma (HGNEC).

METHODS/MATERIALS

We identified patients with cervical HGNECs diagnosed during 1988 to 2012 in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. We determined overall survival by International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages and by local treatment modalities, that is, radical surgery versus external beam radiation treatment (EBRT) plus brachytherapy using Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test. We also determined factors of age, stage, and treatment modality impacting survival using proportional hazard analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 832 cases of cervical HGNECs in the database. After excluding cases with incomplete stage data, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages I to IV distributions were 196 (28.0%), 69 (9.9%), 175 (25.0%), and 260 patients (37.1%), respectively. Radical surgery and primary radiotherapy yielded similar 5-year overall survival for stages I (61% vs 53%, P = 0.27), II (48% vs 28%, P = 0.308), and III (33% vs 28%, P = 0.408) patients. External beam radiation treatment plus brachytherapy did not yield superior survival than EBRT alone in stage I (48% vs 49%, P = 0.799), II (37% vs 20%, P = 0.112), or III (25% vs 32%, P = 0.636) patients. Age (P = 0.004) and stage (stage II: hazard ratio [HR], 1.78, P = 0.013; stage III: HR, 2.42; P < 0.001) were independent factors impacting survival but not local treatment modality (EBRT: HR, 1.30, P = 0.17; EBRT plus brachytherapy: HR, 1.16; P = 0.417).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with cervical HGNECs had poor prognosis. Primary treatment by radical surgery or external beam radiotherapy with or without brachytherapy yielded equally poor survival.

Use of lymphoscintigraphy to differentiate primary versus secondary lower extremity lymphedema after surgical lymphadenectomy: a retrospective analysis

Background

When managing patients with cancer, lymphedema of the lower limbs (LLL) is commonly reported as secondary to the surgical excision and/or irradiation of lymph nodes (LNs). In the framework of lymphoscintigraphic imaging performed to evaluate secondary LLL, some lympho-nodal presentations have been observed that could not be explained by the applied treatments, suggesting that these LLL might be primary. Therefore, all our lymphoscintigraphic examinations that were performed in patients for LLL after surgery for gynecological or urological cancer were retrospectively analyzed in order to evaluate the frequency in which these LLL might not be secondary (either completely or partially) but primary in origin.

Methods

Lymphoscintigraphies performed in 33 patients who underwent LN dissection (limited to the intra-abdominal LN) with or without radiotherapy for histologically confirmed ovarian cancer (n = 6), uterine cancer (n = 14 with cervical cancer and n = 7 with endometrial cancer), or prostate cancer (n = 6) were compared to lymphoscintigraphies obtained in primary LLL.

Results

In 12 (33% of the) patients (3 men plus 9 women, 4 with cervical cancer and 5 with endometrial cancer), scintigraphy of the lower limbs revealed lympho-nodal presentation that did not match with the expected consequences of the surgical and/or radiological treatments and were either suggestive or typical of primary lymphedema.

Conclusions

This retrospective analysis of a limited but well-defined series of patients suggests that the appearance of LLL might not be related to cancer treatment(s) but that these LLL may represent the development of a primary lymphatic disease latent prior to the therapeutic interventions.

New Developments in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Oncology Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery continues to transform the field of gynecologic oncology and has now become the standard of care for many early-stage malignancies. The proven benefits of minimally invasive surgery are driving the rapid introduction and dissemination of novel technologies and the increasing ability to perform even the most complex procedures less invasively. In this article, we will review the current literature on traditional multiport laparoscopy, robotic-assisted laparoscopy, laparoendoscopic single-site surgery as well as robotic-assisted laparoendoscopic single-site surgery, with a specific focus on their role in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies.

Comparison of Robotic and laparoscopic Radical type-B and C hysterectomy for cervical cancer: Long term-outcomes

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical and oncologic outcomes of Robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) vs Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) in patients with cervical carcinoma.

DESIGN

Long term follow-up in a prospective study between March 2010 to March 2016.

SETTING

Oncological referral center, department of gynecology and obstetrics of Alessandro Manzoni Hospital, department of gynecology, University of San Gerardo Monza, Milan.

PATIENTS

52 patients with cervical carcinoma, matched by age, body mass index, tumor size, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, comorbidity, previous neoadjuvant chemotherapy, histology type, and tumor grade to obtain homogeneous samples.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients with FIGO stage IA2 or IB1 with a tumor size less than or equal to 2 cm underwent RR type B. RR-Type C1 was performed in stage IB1, with a tumor size larger than 2 cm, or in patients previously treated with NACT (IB2). In all cases Pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed for the treatment of cervical cancer.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Surgical time was similar for both the 2 groups. RRH was associated with significantly less (EBL) estimated blood loss (P=0,000). Median number pelvic lymph nodes was similar, but a major number of nodes was observed in RRH group (35.58 vs 24.23; P=0,050). The overall median length of follow-up was 59 months (range: 9-92) and 30 months (range: 90-6) for RRH and TLRH group respectively. Overall survival rate (OSR) was 100% for RRH group and 83.4% for LTRH group. The DFS (disease free survival rate) was of 97% and 89% in RRH and LTRH group respectively. No significant difference was reported in HS (hospital stay).

CONCLUSIONS

RRH is safe and feasible and is associated with an improved intraoperative results and clinical oncological outcomes. The present study showed that robotic surgery, in comparison to laparoscopic approach, was associated with better perioperative outcomes because of a decrease of EBL, and similar operative time, HS and complication rate, without neglecting the long-term optimal oncologic outcomes.

Comparison of laparoscopic-assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy and abdominal radical hysterectomy in patients with early stage cervical cancer: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare the safety and survival outcomes of early stage cervical cancer patients treated by laparoscopically assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy (LARVH) versus abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH).

METHODS

Since March 2008 to July 2012, the patients with early stage cervical cancer undergoing LARVH or ARH in Beijing hospital have been entered into this study. Statistical analysis used Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) and significance was defined as P < .05.

RESULT

Forty-two patients were included in LARVH group and 35 patients in ARH group. Both groups were similar with respect to age, body mass index (BMI), histological diagnosis, and stage. There were no differences in operative time, vaginal length, and postoperative complications, but blood loss, rate of transfusion, length of catheterized, and length of hospital stay were significantly less in LARVH. Number of lymph node retrieved was less than ARH. No differences were seen regarding recurrence rate, length of disease free survival, overall survival, and mortality rate after a median follow up of 58.5 and 48.5 months.

CONCLUSION

LARVH is a suitable alternative to ARH for early-stage cervical cancer, which shows less blood loss, shorter catheterized and hospital stay, and similar survival outcomes.

Role of robotic surgery in cervical malignancy

Surgical treatment is the mainstay of the management of early-stage cervical cancer. Abdominal radical hysterectomy and trachelectomy have long been the standard surgical approach to early-stage cervical cancer, achieving excellent survival outcomes. Recently, laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and trachelectomy have become the preferred alternative to abdominal surgery because laparoscopic approaches lead to better surgical outcomes without compromising survival outcomes. Since the robotic surgery platform was approved for the use of gynaecologic surgery in 2005, robotic radical hysterectomy and trachelectomy have been increasingly used in the surgical management of early-stage cervical cancer. However, the role of robotic surgery is poorly defined. This review examines the role of robotic surgery in the surgical management of cervical cancer by comparing the published data on its use with those of abdominal and laparoscopic surgeries.

Introduction of robot-assisted radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer: impact on complications, costs and oncologic outcome

INTRODUCTION

The objective was to assess the impact of robot-assisted radical hysterectomy (RRH) on surgical and oncologic outcome and costs compared with open radical hysterectomy (ORH) at a tertiary referral center in Sweden.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this retrospective analysis all patients treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for early stage uterine cervical cancer during 2006-2015 were included (n = 304). The patients were divided into two groups, ORH (n = 155) and RRH (n = 149). Patient characteristics, FIGO stage, histology, adjuvant therapy, operation time, length of stay (LOS), lymph node yield, recurrence rate and survival were retrieved from medical records. Complications were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. In addition, costs related to the surgical treatments were calculated.

RESULTS

Blood loss, LOS and intraoperative complications were significantly lower as well as lymph node yield after RRH. No differences in postoperative complications or costs were observed between the two groups. Recurrence of disease was detected in 13.4 and 10.3% after RRH and ORH, respectively. Regression analysis demonstrated that histology, tumor size, positive lymph nodes and type of operation (RRH) were significantly associated with recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of RRH was accompanied by similar postoperative complication rates and costs but lower LOS compared with ORH. An initial learning curve may account for the higher recurrence rate observed after RRH. These data reinforce the need for structured training and monitoring of outcomes when novel treatment modalities are introduced.

Robot-assisted Surgery in Gynecologic Cancers

Robotic-assisted surgery is a technological advancement that facilitates the application of minimally invasive techniques for complex operations in gynecologic oncology. The objective of this article was to review the literature regarding the role of robotic-assisted surgery to treat women with gynecologic cancers. The majority of publications on robotic surgery are still retrospective or descriptive in nature; however, the data for managing patients with a robotic-assisted approach show comparable, and at times improved, outcomes compared with both laparoscopy (2-dimensional) and laparotomy approaches. Robotic-assisted surgery has been used for patients with endometrial cancer and resulted in the increased use of minimally invasive surgery with improved outcomes compared with laparotomy and partially with laparoscopy. This has been shown in large cohorts of patients as well as in obese patients in whom the complication rates have significantly decreased. For early cervical cancer, robotic radical hysterectomy seems to be safe and feasible and to be preferable to laparotomy with seemingly comparable oncologic outcomes. Robotic-assisted surgery and conventional laparoscopy to stage women with early-stage ovarian cancer seem to have similar surgical and oncologic outcomes, with a shorter learning curve for robotic-assisted surgery. However, robotic-assisted surgery appears to be more expensive than laparotomy and traditional laparoscopy. In conclusion, robotic-assisted surgery appears to facilitate the surgical approach for complex operations to treat women with gynecologic cancers. Although randomized controlled trials are lacking to further elucidate the equivalence of robot-assisted surgery with conventional methods in terms of oncologic outcome and patients' quality of life, the technology appears to be safe and effective and could offer a minimally invasive approach to a much larger group of patients.

Bowel injury in robotic gynecologic surgery: risk factors and management options. A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

We sought to analyze the published literature on bowel injuries in patients undergoing gynecologic robotic surgery with the aim to determine its incidence, predisposing factors, and treatment options.

DATA SOURCES

Studies included in this analysis were identified by searching PubMed Central, OVID Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. References for all studies were also reviewed. Time frame for data analysis spanned from November 2001 through December 2014.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

All English-language studies reporting the incidence of bowel injury or complications during robotic gynecologic surgery were included. Studies with data duplication, not in English, case reports, or studies that did not explicitly define bowel injury incidence were excluded.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS

The Guidelines for Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews of Observational Studies were used to complete the systematic review with the exception of scoring study quality and a single primary reviewer.

RESULTS

In all, 370 full-text articles were reviewed and 144 met the inclusion criteria. There were 84 bowel injuries recorded in 13,444 patients for an incidence of 1 in 160 (0.62%; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.76%). There were no significant differences in incidence of bowel injury by procedure type. The anatomic location of injury, etiology, and management were rarely reported. Of the bowel injuries, 87% were recognized intraoperatively and the majority (58%) managed via a minimally invasive approach. Of 13,444 patients, 3 (0.02%) (95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.07%) died in the immediate postoperative period and no deaths were a result of a bowel injury.

CONCLUSION

The overall incidence of bowel injury in robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery is 1 in 160. When the location of bowel injuries were specified, they most commonly occurred in the colon and rectum and most were managed via a minimally invasive approach.

Robotic Surgery in Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Survival Outcomes

AIM

To evaluate the survival outcomes of consecutive patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) who underwent comprehensive robotic surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Since 2009, patients with LACC (FIGO [International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics] stages IB2-IIB) were submitted to robotic surgical staging after 3 cycles of NACT. Clinical objective tumor response was assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, whereas pathologic responses were defined according to the criteria of the European study SNAP01. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess potential clinicopathologic prognostic factors affecting progression-free survival and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

During the study period, 32 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were managed. The median (range) age and body mass index were 47.3 (8.6-75.5) years and 22.7 (17.5-37.1) kg/m(2), respectively. Overall, 28.0 (range, 12-58) lymph nodes were retrieved. According to the final pathologic examination, 6 (18.8%) women had positive pelvic lymph nodes, whereas 16 (50.0%) patients achieved an optimal pathological response. After a median follow-up of 36.3 (range, 5.2-71.1) months, 6 (18.8%) patients had a recurrence and subsequently died of disease.Positive nodal status was the only independent predictor of both progression-free survival (12.5 [2.3-69.1]; P < 0.0001) and OS (12.0 [2.0-60.4]; P < 0.0001) at multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Nodal status represents the strongest predictor of survival in women with LACC. Similarly, NACT including 3 agents (TIP [paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) + ifosfamide 5 g/m(2) + cisplatin 75 mg/m(2)] and TEP [paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) + epirubicin 80 mg/m(2) + cisplatin 75 mg/m(2)] regimens) warranted better OS than those achieved by other schedules.

High-resolution T2-weighted cervical cancer imaging: a feasibility study on ultra-high-field 7.0-T MRI with an endorectal monopole antenna

Objectives

We studied the feasibility of high-resolution T₂-weighted cervical cancer imaging on an ultra-high-field 7.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system using an endorectal antenna of 4.7-mm thickness.

Methods

A feasibility study on 20 stage IB1–IIB cervical cancer patients was conducted. All underwent pre-treatment 1.5-T MRI. At 7.0-T MRI, an external transmit/receive array with seven dipole antennae and a single endorectal monopole receive antenna were used. Discomfort levels were assessed. Following individualised phase-based B₁⁺ shimming, T₂-weighted turbo spin echo sequences were completed.

Results

Patients had stage IB1 (n = 9), IB2 (n = 4), IIA1 (n = 1) or IIB (n = 6) cervical cancer. Discomfort (ten-point scale) was minimal at placement and removal of the endorectal antenna with a median score of 1 (range, 0–5) and 0 (range, 0–2) respectively. Its use did not result in adverse events or pre-term session discontinuation. To demonstrate feasibility, T₂-weighted acquisitions from 7.0-T MRI are presented in comparison to 1.5-T MRI. Artefacts on 7.0-T MRI were due to motion, locally destructive B₁ interference, excessive B₁ under the external antennae and SENSE reconstruction.

Conclusions

High-resolution T₂-weighted 7.0-T MRI of stage IB1–IIB cervical cancer is feasible. The addition of an endorectal antenna is well tolerated by patients.

Key Points

• High resolution T₂-weighted 7.0-T MRI of the inner female pelvis is challenging

• We demonstrate a feasible approach for T₂-weighted 7.0-T MRI of cervical cancer

• An endorectal monopole receive antenna is well tolerated by participants

• The endorectal antenna did not lead to adverse events or session discontinuation

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00330-016-4419-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Robotic surgery for early stage cervical cancer: Evolution and current trends

The management of early stage cervical cancer often includes surgery in the form of radical hysterectomy, radical trachelectomy, or radical parametrectomy. Surgical techniques have evolved to include minimal invasive approaches, and more recently, to include robotic assisted techniques. This review highlights the evolution of surgical management of early cervical cancer and specifically explores robotic assisted radical hysterectomy, radical trachelectomy, radical parametrectomy, and the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

First Robotic SPECT for Minimally Invasive Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping

In this paper we present the usage of a drop-in gamma probe for intra-operative Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging in the scope of minimally invasive robot-assisted interventions. The probe is designed to be inserted and reside inside the abdominal cavity during the intervention. It is grasped during the procedure using a robotic laparoscopic gripper enabling full six degrees of freedom handling by the surgeon. We demonstrate the first deployment of the tracked probe for intra-operative in-patient robotic SPECT enabling augmented-reality image guidance. The hybrid mechanical- and image-based in-patient probe tracking is shown to have an accuracy of 0.2 mm. The overall system performance is evaluated and tested with a phantom for gynecological sentinel lymph node interventions and compared to ground-truth data yielding a mean reconstruction accuracy of 0.67 mm.

Robot-assisted versus open radical hysterectomy: A multi-institutional experience for early-stage cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

To compare perioperative and clinico-pathological outcomes of patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent robot-assisted radical hysterectomy (RRH) and open radical hysterectomy (ORH).

METHODS

This retrospective multi-center study abstracted demographic, clinico-pathological and perioperative outcomes data from medical records of 491 cervical cancer patients treated with RRH (n = 259) ORH (n = 232) between 2005 and 2011 at two American and one Norwegian University Cancer Centres.

RESULTS

Mean estimated blood loss (EBL) and transfusion rates were less for RRH than for ORH (97 vs. 49 mL, p < 0.001, and 3% vs. 7%, p = 0.018, respectively). Mean length of hospital stay (LOS) was significantly shorter in RRH versus ORH (1.8 vs. 5.1 days, p < 0.001). Mean operative time was longer for RRH than ORH (220 vs. 156 min, p < 0.001). Although overall complications were similar (p = 0.49), intra-operative complications were less common in the RRH group than ORH (4% vs. 10%, p = 0.004). In multivariate regression analyses longer operative time, less EBL and intra-operative complications, shorter LOS, and more pre-operative cone were significantly associated with RRH versus ORH. Recurrence and death rates were not statistically different for the two groups at a mean follow-up time of 39 months (p = 1.00 and p = 0.48, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

RRH had improved clinical outcomes compared to ORH in the treatment of early-stage cervical cancer in terms of EBL, intra-operative complications, transfusion rates, LOS, and pre-operative cone. Disease recurrence and survival were comparable for the two procedures.

Robot-Assisted Radical Hysterectomy in Cervical Carcinoma: The Belgian Experience

Objective

The purpose of this study was to report the experience and oncological outcome of robot-assisted radical hysterectomies (RRHs) for cervical cancer performed in Belgium.

Methods

Patients undergoing RRH for cervical cancer (n = 109) were prospectively collected between July 2007 and April 2014 in the 5 Belgian centers performing RRH for cervical cancer.

Results

The median age of the patients was 46 years (range, 31–80 years). Histological types included squamous cell carcinoma in 61 patients, adenocarcinoma in 22 patients, adenosquamous in 8 patients, endometrioid carcinoma in 2 patients, and other types (n = 16). The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage distribution was IA (n = 9), stage IB1 (n = 71), stage IB2 (n = 4), stage II (n = 24), and unknown (n = 1). Twenty-four patients received adjuvant therapy, 17 patients underwent radiochemotherapy, and 7 underwent adjuvant radiation. Eighteen patients relapsed, and 5 died of disease. The median follow-up was 27.5 months (range, 3–82 months). The 2- and 5-year overall survivals were 96% and 89%, respectively. The 2- and 5-year disease-free survivals (DFSs) were 88% and 72%, respectively. The 2-year DFS per stage was 100% for IA, 88% for IB1, 100% for IB2, and 83% for II. The 5-year DFS per stage was 100% for stage IA and 75% for IB1. The complications were as expected for radical hysterectomy.

Conclusions

This series confirms the feasibility and safety of RRH not only in cervical cancer stage IA to IB1, but also after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage IB2 to IIB.