Transvaginal ultrasound for preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion in patients with endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

A Transvaginal Ultrasound-Based Deep Learning Model for the Noninvasive Diagnosis of Myometrial Invasion in Patients with Endometrial Cancer: Comparison with Radiologists

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the feasibility of using the deep learning (DL) method to determine the degree (whether myometrial invasion [MI] >50%) of MI in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) based on ultrasound (US) images.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From September 2017 to April 2023, 1289 US images of 604 patients with EC who underwent surgical resection at center 1, center 2 or center 3 were obtained and divided into a training set and an internal validation set. Ninety-five patients from center 4 and center 5 were randomly selected as the external testing set according to the same criteria as those for the primary cohort. This study evaluated three DL models trained on the training set and tested them on the validation and testing sets. The models' performance was analyzed based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and the performance of the models was subsequently compared with that of 15 radiologists.

RESULTS

In the final clinical diagnosis of MI in patients with EC, EfficientNet-B6 showed the best performance in the testing set in terms of area under the curve (AUC) [0.814, 95% CI (0.746-0.882]; accuracy [0.802, 95% CI (0.733-0.855]; sensitivity [0.623]; specificity [0.879]; positive likelihood ratio (PLR) [6.750]; and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) [0.389]. The diagnostic efficacy of EfficientNet-B6 was significantly better than that of the 15 radiologists, with an average diagnostic accuracy of 0.681, average AUC of 0.678, AUC of the best performance of 0.739, accuracy of 0.716, sensitivity of 0.806, specificity 0.672, PLR2.457, and NLR 0.289.

CONCLUSION

Based on the preoperative US images of patients with EC, the DL model can accurately determine the degree of endometrial MI; the performance of this model is significantly better than that of radiologists, and it can effectively assist in clinical treatment decisions.

Transvaginal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of myometrial infiltration in patients with low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer: A systematic review and head-to-head meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) for detecting myometrial invasion (MI) in patients with low-grade endometrioid endometrial carcinoma.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (Pubmed), Web of Science, Embase and Scopus (from January 1990 to December 2022) was performed for articles comparing TVS and MRI in the evaluation of myometrial infiltration in low-grade (grade 1 or 2) endometrioid endometrial carcinoma in the same group of patients. We used QUADAS-2 tool for assessing the risk of bias of studies.

RESULTS

We found 104 citations in our extensive research. Four articles were ultimately included in the meta-analysis, after excluding 100 reports. All articles were considered low risk of bias in most of the domains assessed in QUADAS-2. We observed that pooled sensitivity and specificity for detecting deep MI were 65% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 54%-75%) and 85% (95% CI = 79%-89%) for MRI, and 71% (95% CI = 63%-78%) and 76% (95% CI = 67%-83%) for TVS, respectively. No statistical differences were found between both imaging techniques (p > 0.05). We observed low heterogeneity for sensitivity and high for specificity regarding TVS; and moderate for both sensitivity and specificity in case of MRI.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic performance of TVS and MRI for the evaluation of deep MI in women with low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer is similar. However, further research is needed as the number of studies is scanty.

Preoperative staging of uterine cancer: can transvaginal ultrasonography play a role?

Introduction

Preoperative staging of uterine cancer has recently been implied as an important contribution to an accurate selection of low-risk cases, ultimately avoiding unnecessary lymph node debulking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) in preoperative staging of uterine cancer in comparison to pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and permanent section.

Methods

We conducted a prospective longitudinal multicenter trial between 2017 and 2018. Inclusion criteria comprised cases of endometrial neoplasia histologically confirmed or strong imaging suspicion, candidates for elective surgery as primary treatment. Proportions of Agreement (PA), kappa statistic (K), sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results

Eighty-two patients were eligible for the study, presenting a mean age of 68 years (standard deviation 11). In what concerns the TVS evaluation of myometrial invasion, the subjective and objective methods of Gordon and Karlsson presented a sensitivity of 79%, 79% and 67% [95%CI 63-91; 63-91; 50-81], a specificity of 65%, 58% and 79% [95%CI 49-79; 42-73; 64-89] and an overall accuracy of 72%, 68% and 73% [95%CI 61-81; 57-78; 63-82]. MRI presented respectively a sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of 92%, 70% and 82% [95%CI 77-98; 52-85; 71-90]. Regarding cervical involvement, the sensitivity was respectively 31%, 50% and 67% [95%CI 9-61; 21-79; 35-90] for the subjective method, objective TVS and MRI, and the specificity was 98%, 90% and 100% [95%CI 92-100; 77-97; 94;100]. Agreement between TVS and MRI was superior in the assessment of cervical invasion, with PA ranging from 0.82 to 0.93 and K from 0.45 to 0.58, in comparison to myometrial invasion with PA ranging from 0.68 to 0.73 and K from 0.31 to 0.50. Considering the assessment of cervical involvement, as MRI showed a specificity of 100% it is not possible to increase the specificity. However, it was possible to increase the sensitivity, considering the combination of TVS with objective approach and MRI.

Conclusion

TVS may have a promising role as a tool for preoperative staging of endometrial carcinoma, presenting a performance that approximates to MRI, with a higher agreement in the assessment of cervical invasion.

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE Guidelines for the fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma

Background: The standard surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma (EC) consisting of total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy drastically affects the quality of life of patients and creates a challenge for clinicians. Recent evidence-based guidelines of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) provide comprehensive guidelines on all relevant issues of diagnosis and treatment in EC in a multidisciplinary setting. While also addressing work-up for fertility preservation treatments and the management and follow-up for fertility preservation, it was considered relevant to further extend the guidance on fertility sparing treatment. Objectives: To define recommendations for fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma. Materials and Methods: ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of EC (11 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2016, 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 95 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives. Results: The multidisciplinary development group formulated 48 recommendations for fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma in four sections: patient selection, tumour clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and special issues. Conclusions: These recommendations provide guidance to professionals caring for women with endometrial carcinoma, including but not limited to professionals in the field of gynaecological oncology, onco-fertility, reproductive surgery, endoscopy, conservative surgery, and histopathology, and will help towards a holistic and multidisciplinary approach for this challenging clinical scenario. What is new? A collaboration was set up between the ESGO, ESHRE and ESGE, aiming to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based guidelines focusing on key aspects of fertility-sparing treatment in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE Guidelines for the fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma. Hum Reprod Open 2023;2023:hoac057. [PMID: 36756380 PMCID: PMC9900425 DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoac057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

STUDY QUESTION

How should fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma be performed?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Forty-eight recommendations were formulated on fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

The standard surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma consisting of total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy drastically affects the quality of life of patients and creates a challenge for clinicians. Recent evidence-based guidelines of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) provide comprehensive guidelines on all relevant issues of diagnosis and treatment in endometrial carcinoma in a multidisciplinary setting. While addressing also work-up for fertility preservation treatments and the management and follow-up for fertility preservation, it was considered relevant to further extend the guidance on fertility-sparing treatment.

STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION

A collaboration was set up between the ESGO, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE), aiming to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based guidelines focusing on key aspects of fertility-sparing treatment in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practising clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of endometrial carcinoma (11 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2016, identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, judgement 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 95 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

The multidisciplinary development group formulated 48 recommendations in four sections; patient selection, tumour clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and special issues.

LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION

Of the 48 recommendations, none could be based on level I evidence and only 16 could be based on level II evidence, implicating that 66% of the recommendations are supported only by observational data, professional experience and consensus of the development group.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

These recommendations provide guidance to professionals caring for women with endometrial carcinoma, including but not limited to professionals in the field of gynaecological oncology, onco-fertility, reproductive surgery, endoscopy, conservative surgery and histopathology, and will help towards a holistic and multidisciplinary approach for this challenging clinical scenario.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

All costs relating to the development process were covered from ESGO, ESHRE and ESGE funds. There was no external funding of the development process or manuscript production. G.S. has reported grants from MSD Italia S.r.l., advisory boards for Storz, Bayer, Astrazeneca, Metronic, TESARO Bio Italy S.r.l and Johnson & Johnson, and honoraria for lectures from Clovis Oncology Italy S.r.l. M.G. has reported advisory boards for Gedeon Richter and Merck. The other authors have reported no conflicts of interest.

DISCLAIMER

This document represents the views of ESHRE, ESGO and ESGE which are the result of consensus between the relevant stakeholders and where relevant based on the scientific evidence available at the time of preparation. The recommendations should be used for informational and educational purposes. They should not be interpreted as setting a standard of care, or be deemed inclusive of all proper methods of care nor exclusive of other methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. They do not replace the need for application of clinical judgement to each individual presentation, nor variations based on locality and facility type.

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE Guidelines for the fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma

The standard surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma, consisting of total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, drastically affects the quality of life of patients and creates a challenge for clinicians. Recent evidence-based guidelines of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) provide comprehensive information on all relevant issues of diagnosis and treatment in endometrial carcinoma in a multidisciplinary setting. While addressing also work-up for fertility preservation treatments and the management and follow-up for fertility preservation, it was considered relevant to further extend the guidance on fertility-sparing treatment.A collaboration was set up between the ESGO, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), and the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE), aiming to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based guidelines focusing on key aspects of fertility-sparing treatment (patient selection, tumor clinicopathological characteristics, treatment, special issues) in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE 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 (11 experts from across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2016, identified by 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 95 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives.

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE Guidelines for the fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma

Background

The standard surgical treatment of endometrial carcinoma (EC) consisting of total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy drastically affects the quality of life of patients and creates a challenge for clinicians. Recent evidence-based guidelines of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) provide comprehensive guidelines on all relevant issues of diagnosis and treatment in EC in a multidisciplinary setting. While also addressing work-up for fertility preservation treatments and the management and follow-up for fertility preservation, it was considered relevant to further extend the guidance on fertility sparing treatment.

Objectives

To define recommendations for fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Materials and Methods

ESGO/ESHRE/ESGE nominated an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of practicing clinicians and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of EC (11 experts across Europe). To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature published since 2016, 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 95 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and patient representatives.

Results

The multidisciplinary development group formulated 48 recommendations for fertility-sparing treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma in four sections: patient selection, tumour clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and special issues.

Conclusions

These recommendations provide guidance to professionals caring for women with endometrial carcinoma, including but not limited to professionals in the field of gynaecological oncology, onco-fertility, reproductive surgery, endoscopy, conservative surgery, and histopathology, and will help towards a holistic and multidisciplinary approach for this challenging clinical scenario. What is new? A collaboration was set up between the ESGO, ESHRE and ESGE, aiming to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based guidelines focusing on key aspects of fertility-sparing treatment in order to improve the quality of care for women with endometrial carcinoma across Europe and worldwide.

Evaluation of the role of intraoperative frozen section and magnetic resonance imaging in endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of preoperative endometrial biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of endometrial cancer compared with that of intraoperative frozen section.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 264 patients who underwent surgery with intraoperative frozen section for endometrial cancer at our institution between 2014 and 2018. Diagnosis was determined by histologic type, grade, and myometrial invasion. Concordance rate, sensitivity, and specificity of preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative frozen diagnosis were calculated, in comparison to the final pathologic diagnosis.

RESULTS

Preoperative and intraoperative diagnoses showed no statistically significant difference in determining histologic type and grade (P = 0.152). Intraoperative diagnosis showed higher sensitivity for endometrioid carcinoma grade 3 and other types, and higher specificity for grade 1. For myometrial invasion, intraoperative diagnosis showed significantly higher concordance rate than preoperative MRI findings (P < 0.01). Intraoperative diagnosis showed higher sensitivity and specificity in patients with and without myometrial invasion, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Higher agreement between intraoperative and final diagnoses, especially in myometrial invasion, suggests that intraoperative frozen section is a good indicator for appropriate surgical procedure decision making.

Learning Curve for Ultrasound Assessment of Myometrial Infiltration in Endometrial Cancer Visualizing Videoclips: Potential Implications for Training

BACKGROUND

Diagnostic accuracy for estimating myometrial infiltration by ultrasound in endometrial cancer requires experience. The objective of this study is to determine the learning curve (LC) for assessing myometrial infiltration in cases of endometrial cancer using transvaginal ultrasound (TVS).

METHODS

Five trainees (one staff radiologist and four fourth-year OB/GYN residents) participated in this study. All trainees had experience in performing TVS, but none of them had specific training on the assessment of myometrial infiltration. Trainees were given one specific lecture about the topic, and then they observed videoclips from 10 cases explained by the trainer. After this, all trainees visualized 45 videoclips of uterine ultrasound scans of endometrial cancer cases. The assessment of myometrial infiltration was based on the subjective impression. Definitive histology was used as a reference standard. Trainees stated whether myometrial infiltration was ≥50% or <50%. LC-CUSUM and standard CUSUM graphics were plotted to determine how many cases were needed to reach competence, allowing a mistake rate of 15%.

RESULTS

All trainees completed the study. LC-CUSUM graphics showed that three trainees reached competence at the 33rd, 35th and 36th case, respectively. All three of them kept the process under control after reaching competence. One trainee reached competence but did not maintain it in the cumulative analysis. One trainee did not reach competence.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that 30-40 cases would be needed to be trained for assessing myometrial infiltration by TVS by visual interpretation of videoclips by most trainees.

Three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound vs magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative staging of deep myometrial and cervical invasion in patients with endometrial cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate and compare the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound (3D-TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for deep myometrial infiltration (DMI) and cervical invasion for preoperative staging and surgery planning in patients with endometrial cancer (EC).

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the DTA of MRI and 3D-TVS for DMI and cervical invasion in patients with EC. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, The Cochrane library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EU Clinical Trials Register and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform to identify relevant studies published between January 2000 and December 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool.

RESULTS

Five studies, including a total of 450 patients, were included in the systematic review. All five studies compared the DTA of 3D-TVS vs MRI for DMI, and three studies compared the DTA of 3D-TVS vs MRI for cervical invasion. Pooled sensitivity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio for detecting DMI using 3D-TVS were 77% (95% CI, 66-85%), 4.57 and 0.31, respectively. The respective values for detecting DMI on MRI were 80% (95% CI, 73-86%), 4.22 and 0.24. Bivariate metaregression indicated a similar DTA of 3D-TVS and MRI (P = 0.80) for the correct identification of DMI. Pooled ln diagnostic odds ratio for detecting cervical invasion was 3.11 (95% CI, 2.09-4.14) for 3D-TVS and 2.36 (95% CI, 0.90-3.83) for MRI. The risk of bias was low for most of the four domains assessed in QUADAS-2.

CONCLUSION

3D-TVS demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in terms of sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of DMI and cervical invasion, with results comparable with those of MRI. Thus, we confirmed the potential role of 3D-TVS in the preoperative staging and surgery planning in patients with EC. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Incorporation of Tumor-Free Distance and Other Alternative Ultrasound Biomarkers into a Myometrial Invasion-Based Model Better Predicts Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer: Evidence and Future Prospects

Myometrial invasion (MI) is a parameter currently used in transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) in endometrial cancer (EC) to determine local staging; however, without molecular diagnostics, it is insufficient for the selection of high-risk cases, i.e., those with a high risk of lymph node metastases (LNM). The study’s objective was to answer the question of which TVS markers, or their combination, reflecting the molecular changes in EC, can improve the prediction of LNM. Methods: The TVS examination was performed on 116 consecutive EC patients included in this prospective study. The results from the final histopathology were a reference standard. Univariate and multivariate logistic models of analyzed TVS biomarkers (tumor [T] size, T area [AREA], T volume [SPE-VOL], MI, T-free distance to serosa [TFD], endo-myometrial irregularity, [EMIR], cervical stromal involvement, CSI) were evaluated to assess the relative accuracy of the possible LNM predictors., Spline functions were applied to avoid a potential bias in assuming linear relations between LNM and continuous predictors. Calculations were made in R using libraries splines, glmulti, and pROC. Results: LNM was found in 20 out of the 116 (17%) patients. In univariate analysis, only uMI, EMIR, uCSI and uTFD were significant predictors of LNM. The accuracy was 0.707 (AUC 0.684, 95% CI 0.568−0.801) for uMI (p < 0.01), 0.672 (AUC 0.664, 95% CI 0.547−0.781) for EMIR (p < 0.01), 0.776 (AUC 0.647, 95% CI 0.529−0.765) for uCSI (p < 0.01), and 0.638 (AUC 0.683, 95% CI 0.563−0.803) for uTFD (p < 0.05). The cut-off value for uTFD was 5.2 mm. However, AREA and VOL revealed a significant relationship by nonlinear analysis as well. Among all possible multivariate models, the one comprising interactions of splines of uTFD with uMI and splines of SPE-VOL with uCSI showed the most usefulness. Accuracy was 0.802 (AUC 0.791, 95% CI 0.673−0.91) Conclusions: A combination of uTFD for patients with uMI > 50%, and SPE-VOL for patients with uCSI, allows for the most accurate prediction of LNM in EC, rather than uMI alone.

The diagnostic accuracy of 3D ultrasound compared to 2D ultrasound and MRI in the assessment of deep myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer patients: A systematic review

Endometrial cancer is a common malignancy in women worldwide, with myometrial invasion (MI) being an important prognostic factor, usually assessed via imaging techniques. The aim of this review is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of 3D transvaginal ultrasound (3D-TVUS), a relatively new imaging modality, to that of 2D transvaginal ultrasound (2D-TVUS) and MRI in the prediction of deep myometrial invasion. Relevant articles were sought on MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Wiley Online Library databases. Articles were included if they were primary studies comparing 3D-TVUS to 2D-TVUS and/or MRI in adult endometrial cancer patients, with histopathological confirmation of MI as a reference standard. Ultimately, 7 studies were included, with 714 participants, 242 with deep MI and a mean age of approximately 60 years. 3D-TVUS, 2D-TVUS, MRI and 3D-TVUS-MRI co-evaluation had a pooled sensitivity of 80.4%, 77.6%, 80.7% and 94.6% respectively and a specificity range of 82.8%, 81.6%, 87% and 69.1% respectively. Overall, no statistically significant differences were found in sensitivity and specificity among 3D-TVUS and the other methods, except for a significant increase in sensitivity (p = 0.038) when combined with MRI. This shows that 3D-TVUS is comparable to MRI as far as diagnostic accuracy is concerned, however remains cheaper, less time-consuming and more tolerable, while offering some advantages over 2D-TVUS as well. Therefore 3D-TVUS application in MI assessment seems promising, although more research is required to further assess this finding and ascertain 3D-TVUS's place in endometrial cancer MI assessment.

Endometrial Cancer Management in Young Women

Endometrial cancer (EC) rarely develops in young women. Most cases are associated with known risk factors: BMI > 30, history of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOs), and race differentiation. The molecular EC classification based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network divides these heterogeneous cancers into four types: Polymerase Epsilon Mutation (POLE), Microsatellite Instability (MSI), Copy Number Low (CNL), and Copy Number High (CNH). This division was introduced to allow for early assessment of neoplastic changes and clinical management, including targeted therapies. The basic technique for imaging endometrium changes is transvaginal sonography. Hysteroscopy is the standard for obtaining endometrial material for histological evaluation. The MRI result permits assessment of the extent of EC cancer infiltration. In young women who want to preserve fertility, apart from surgery, conservative management is often implemented after strict selection based on clinical and pathological data. This pharmacological treatment involves the administration of progestogens MPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate) and MA (megestrol acetate). The use of metformin may increase the effectiveness of such treatment. An alternative option is to apply progestogens locally—via the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. In addition to pharmacological treatment, hysteroscopic resection may be used—part of the uterine muscle adjacent to the pathologically changed endometrium may also undergo resection. An alternative is the administration of estrogen receptor modulators (e.g., SERMs) or aromatase inhibitors, or GnRH agonists.

Efficacy of transvaginal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion in patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer: a prospective comparative study

Background

We compared the accuracy of preoperative transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of myometrial invasion (MI) in patients with endometrial cancer (EC), while definitive histopathological diagnosis served as a reference method.

Patients and methods

Study performed at a single tertiary centre from 2019 to 2021, included women with a histopathological proven EC, hospitalized for scheduled surgery. TVUS and MRI were performed prior to surgical staging for assessment MI, which was estimated using two objective TVUS methods (Gordon’s and Karlsson’s) and MRI. Patients were divided into two groups, after surgery and histopathological assessment of MI: superficial (≤ 50%) and deep (> 50%).

Results

Sixty patients were eligible for the study. According to the reference method, there were 34 (56.7%) cases in the study with MI < 50%, and 26 (43.3%) with MI > 50%. Both objective TVUS methods and MRI showed no statistical significant differences in overall diagnostic performance for the preoperative assessment of MI. The concordance coefficient between both TVUS methods, MRI and histopathology was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Gordon’s method calculating MI reached a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 83%, 77% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 83% overall accuracy. Karlsson’s method reached PPV of 82%, NPV of 79%, 69% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 80% overall accuracy. Accordingly, MRI calculating MI reached PPV of 83%, NPV of 97%, 97% sensitivity, 85% specificity, and 90% overall accuracy.

Conclusions

We found that objective TVUS assessment of myometrial invasion was performed with a diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of MRI in women with endometrial cancer.

Transvaginal Ultrasound Versus Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Myometrial Infiltration in Endometrioid Low Grade Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing myometrial infiltration (MI) in patients with low grade endometrioid endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Observational prospective study performed at a single tertiary care center from 2016 to 2020, comprising 156 consecutive patients diagnosed by endometrial sampling as having an endometrioid grade 1/grade 2 endometrial cancer. TVS and MRI were performed prior to surgical staging for assessing MI, which was estimated using subjective examiner's impression and Karlsson's method for both TVS and MRI. During surgery, intraoperative assessment of MI was also performed. Definitive pathological study considered as reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy for ultrasound, MRI, and intraoperative biopsy was estimated and compared.

RESULTS

Sensitivity and specificity of TVS for detecting deep MI were 75 and 73.5% for subjective impression and 65 and 70% for Karlsson method, respectively (P = .54). Sensitivity and specificity of MRI for detecting deep MI were 80 and 87% for subjective impression and 70 and 71.3% for Karlsson method. MRI subjective impression showed a significant better specificity than MRI Karlsson method (P = .03). MRI showed better specificity than TVS when subjective impression was considered (P <.05), but not for Karlsson method. Sensitivity and specificity of intraoperative were 75 and 97%, respectively. Intraoperative biopsy showed better specificity than ultrasound and MRI either using examiner's impression or Karlsson method (P <.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MRI revealed a significant higher specificity than TVS when assessing deep myometrial infiltration. However, the intraoperative biopsy offers a significant better diagnostic accuracy than preoperative imaging techniques.

A prospective comparison of the diagnostic accuracies of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative staging of endometrial cancer

Objective

To compare the diagnostic accuracies of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for deep (≥50%) myometrial invasion (DMI) and cervical stromal invasion (CSI) in women with endometrial cancer.

Methods

This was a prospective study at a gynecology clinic for women with postmenopausal bleeding. Between October 2015–October 2018, consecutive women with suspected endometrial cancer based on ultrasound subjective pattern recognition were simultaneously assessed for DMI and CSI on ultrasound. Subsequently, they also underwent preoperative MRI. We compared the diagnostic accuracies of ultrasound and MRI in predicting DMI and CSI with the final histology as the gold standard.

Results

We included 51 women. The prevalence of DMI and CSI were 22/51 (43%) and 7/51 (14%), respectively. The majority of malignancies were of endometrioid histological subtype (38/51, 75%) and FIGO stage 1 or 2 (40/51, 78%). Ultrasound diagnosed more cases of DMI compared to MRI (19/22 vs. 17/22), however, the difference was not statistically significant. The sensitivities and specificities of ultrasound and MRI for DMI were 86% vs. 77% and 66% vs. 76%, respectively. For CSI, ultrasound and MRI correctly diagnosed the same number of cases (5/7, 71%); their respective false-positive rates were low, 0/44 (0%) and 1/44 (2%). Ultrasound and MRI had a moderate agreement for DMI (ƙ=0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.26–0.73), whereas the agreement for CSI was substantial (ƙ=0.69; 95% CI=0.36–1.00).

Conclusion

Endometrial cancer can be simultaneously diagnosed and staged at women’s initial ultrasound assessment. The accuracies of ultrasound for DMI and CSI are comparable to MRI.

Trial Registration

ISRCTN Identifier: ISRCTN24363390

For women with endometrial cancer, the assessment for myometrial and cervical stromal invasion on ultrasound is comparable to magnetic resonance imaging. Agreement between the two imaging modalities for cervical stromal invasion is substantial, whereas it is moderate for myometrial invasion.

Predictive Score of Nodal Involvement in Endometrial Cancer Patients: A Large Multicentre Series

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is considered the standard of care in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC). For SLN failure, a side-specific lymphadenectomy is recommended. Nevertheless, most hemipelvises show no nodal involvement. The authors previously published a predictive score of lymphovascular involvement in EC. In case of a negative score (value 3-4), the risk of nodal metastases was extremely low. This multicenter study aimed to analyze a predictive score of nodal involvement in EC patients.

METHODS

The study enrolled patients with EC who had received comprehensive surgical staging with nodal assessment. A preoperative predictive score of nodal involvement was calculated for all the patients before surgery. The score included myometrial infiltration, tumor grading (G), tumor diameter, and Ca125 assessment. The STARD (standards for Reporting Diagnostic accuracy studies) guidelines were followed for score accuracy.

RESULTS

The study analyzed 1038 patients and detected 155 (14.9%) nodal metastases. The score was negative (3 or 4) for 475 patients and positive (5-7) for 563 of these patients. The score had a sensitivity of 83.2%, a specificity of 50.8%, a negative predictive value of 94.5%, and a diagnostic value of 55.7%. The area under the curve was 0.75. The logistic regression showed a significant correlation between a negative score and absence of nodal metastasis (odds ration [OR], 5.133, 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.30-7.98; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The proposed predictive score is a useful test to identify patients at low risk of nodal involvement. In case of SLN failure, the application of the current score in the SLN algorithm could allow avoidance of unnecessary lymphadenectomies.

Performance of automatic machine learning versus radiologists in the evaluation of endometrium on computed tomography

PURPOSE

In this study, we developed radiomic models that utilize a combination of imaging features and clinical variables to distinguish endometrial cancer (EC) from normal endometrium on routine computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

A total of 926 patients consisting of 416 endometrial cancer (EC) and 510 normal endometrium were included. The CT images of these patients were segmented manually, and divided into training, validation, testing and external testing sets. Non-texture and texture features of these images with endometrium or uterus as region of interest were extracted. The clinical feature "age" was also included in the feature set. Feature selection and machine learning classifier were applied to normalized feature set. This manual optimized combination was then compared with the best pipeline exported by Tree-Based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) on testing and external testing set. The performances of these machine learning pipelines were compared to that of radiologists.

RESULTS

The manual expert optimized pipeline using the "reliefF" feature selection method and "Bagging" classifier on the external testing set achieved a test ROC AUC of 0.73, accuracy of 0.73 (95% CI 0.62-0.82), sensitivity of 0.64 (95% CI 0.45-0.79), and specificity of 0.78 (95% CI 0.65-0.87), while TPOT achieved a test ROC AUC of 0.79, accuracy of 0.80 (95% CI 0.70-0.87), sensitivity of 0.61 (95% CI 0.43-0.77), and specificity of 0.90 (95% CI 0.78-0.96). When compared to average radiologist performance, the TPOT achieved higher test accuracy (0.80 vs. 0.49, p < 0.001) and specificity (0.90 vs. 0.51, p < 0.001), with comparable sensitivity (0.61 vs. 0.46, p = 0.130).

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that automatic machine learning can distinguish EC from normal endometrium on routine CT imaging with higher accuracy and specificity than radiologists.

Diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative evaluation of low-grade endometrioid endometrial carcinoma: prospective comparative study

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the prediction of deep myometrial invasion (DMI) and cervical stromal invasion (CSI) in patients with low-grade (Grade 1 or 2) endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC).

METHODS

This was a prospective study including all patients with low-grade EEC diagnosed between October 2013 and July 2018 at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Preoperative staging was performed using TVS and MRI, followed by surgical staging. Final histology was considered as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic accuracy were calculated for both imaging techniques in the prediction of DMI and CSI, and the agreement index was calculated for both techniques. The STARD 2015 guidelines were followed.

RESULTS

A total of 131 patients with low-grade EEC were included consecutively. Sensitivity was higher for TVS than for MRI both for the prediction of DMI (69% (95% CI, 53-82%) vs 51% (95% CI, 36-66%), respectively) and CSI (43% (95% CI, 27-61%) vs 24% (95% CI, 12-41%), respectively). Specificity was similar for TVS and MRI in the prediction of DMI (87% (95% CI, 78-93%) vs 91% (95% CI, 82-96%)) and equal in the prediction of CSI (97% (95% CI, 91-99%) for both). The agreement index between TVS and MRI was 0.84 (95% CI, 0.76-0.90) for DMI and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.85-0.96) for CSI.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic performance of TVS is similar to that of MRI for the prediction of DMI and CSI in low-grade EEC, and TVS can play a role as a first-line imaging technique in the preoperative evaluation of low-grade EEC. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Preoperative and intraoperative assessment of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer-A Swedish Gynecologic Cancer Group (SweGCG) study

INTRODUCTION

Deep myometrial invasion (≥50%) is a prognostic factor for lymph node metastases and decreased survival in endometrial cancer. There is no consensus regarding which pre/intraoperative diagnostic method should be preferred. Our aim was to explore the pattern of diagnostic methods for myometrial invasion assessment in Sweden and to evaluate differences among magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transvaginal sonography, frozen section, and gross examination in clinical practice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a nationwide historical cohort study; women with endometrial cancer with data on assessment of myometrial invasion and FIGO stage I-III registered in the Swedish Quality Registry for Gynecologic Cancer (SQRGC) between 2017 and 2019 were eligible. Data on age, histology, FIGO stage, method, and results of myometrial invasion assessment, pathology results, and hospital level were collected from the SQRGC. The final assessment by the pathologist was considered the reference standard.

RESULTS

In the study population of 1401 women, 32% (n = 448) had myometrial invasion of 50% of more. The methods reported for myometrial invasion assessment were transvaginal sonography in 59%, MRI in 28%, gross examination in 8% and frozen section in 5% of cases. Only minor differences were found for age and FIGO stage when comparing methods applied for myometrial invasion assessment. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to find myometrial invasion of 50% or more with transvaginal sonography were 65.6%, 80.3%, and 75.8%, for MRI they were 76.9%, 71.9%, and 73.8%, for gross examination they were 71.9%, 93.6%, and 87.3%, and for frozen section they were 90.0%, 92.7%, and 92.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In Sweden, the assessment of deep myometrial invasion is most often performed with transvaginal sonography, but the sensitivity is lower than for the other diagnostic methods. In clinical practice, the accuracy is moderate for transvaginal sonography and MRI.

Preoperative prediction of high-risk endometrial cancer by expert and non-expert transvaginal ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and endometrial histology

OBJECTIVE

To identify women with high-risk endometrial cancers using expert and non-expert transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) and MRI.

STUDY DESIGN

Myometrial involvement was prospectively evaluated in patients with atypical hyperplasia or endometrial cancer on ultrasound by non-experts at first visit (non-expert-TVS: n = 266) and experts (expert-TVS: n = 188) at second visit. MRI (n = 175) was performed when high-risk cancer was suspected on non-expert-TVS. Preoperatively, high-risk cancer was defined as myometrial involvement ≥50 %, or preoperative unfavorable tumor histology (grade 3 endometrioid, non-endometrioid tumors, or tumor in cervical biopsies) obtained by endometrial sampling or hysteroscopic biopsies. Preoperative evaluations were compared with final histopathology obtained at surgery, high-risk cancer being defined as unfavorable tumor histology or patients with FIGO stage ≥1b.

RESULTS

Preoperative unfavorable tumor histology was seen in 64 women and correctly identified 63 of 128 high-risk cancers. Preoperative diagnosis of unfavorable tumor histology or myometrial involvement ≥50 %, i.e. judged high-risk, had an area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of 79.5 %, 93.8 %, 65.2 % on non-expert-TVS; 85.5 %, 84.4 %, 86.5 % on expert-TVS, and 85.4 %, 89.6 %, 81.2 % on MRI. AUC values were not significantly different between MRI and expert-TVS, but lower on non-expert-TVS (p < 0.02). However, sensitivity was highest on non-expert-TVS, where a low cutpoint for myometrial involvement was used (included potentially deep and difficult evaluations) in contrast to an exact cutpoint of myometrial involvement ≥50 % used on expert-TVS and MRI. The highest AUC, 88.6 %, was seen when MRI was performed in patients with myometrial involvement ≥50 %, determined on non-expert TVS. Sensitivity was reduced to 85.9 %, while specificity increased to 91.3 %. Thus, MRI was needed for risk classification in only 104 (39 %) patients.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostically, expert-TVS and MRI were comparable and superior to non-expert-TVS. However, non-expert-TVS classified all patients with unclear myometrial involvement ≥50 %, and thereby only misdiagnosed 6.2 % of high-risk cases. Non-expert-TVS combined with MRI when myometrial involvement was ≥50 % on non-expert-TVS was a simple and effective method comparable with expert imaging to identify low- and high-risk cancer and select patients for SLND. Addition of MRI to the diagnostic regimen was needed in only 39 % of our patients.

Could a 2D/3D US based model be helpful in the assessment of myometrial invasion at time of intraoperative frozen section? A pilot study

BACKGROUND

The assessment of myometrial invasion is a pivotal step in the preoperative staging of endometrial cancer. Intraoperative frozen section (FS) represents a reliable tool in directing surgeon's choices. Preoperative transvaginal ultrasound (US) showed high accuracy in evaluating myometrial invasion. This study aimed to understand if the application of a standardized ultrasonographic protocol for the pre-operative evaluation of myometrial invasion can help pathologists in improving the accuracy of FS. Furthermore, the agreement between US and FS in the assessment of myometrial invasion was assessed.

METHODS

Sixty-six patients who underwent surgery for endometrial cancer were analyzed. Preoperative 2D/3D ultrasound was performed in all the patients. Myometrial invasion was estimated by subjective assessment and objective measurement techniques. Data from US were reported to pathologists through a prefilled form with depth and site of the maximum myometrial invasion. Diagnostic performance of US and FS were compared having the definitive histological examination as the gold standard.

RESULTS

Influenced by the information given by our 3D US-model, FS showed a 90% sensitivity and a 93% specificity, with a 93% PPV and an 89% NPV. The agreement with histology was strong (K=0.824). Myometrial invasion was missed at the level of the isthmus by FS just in one case. Subjective assessment was confirmed as the most reliable ultrasonographic technique in assessing myometrial invasion, with 90% sensitivity, 78% specificity, 80% PPV and 89% NPV. The agreement with histology was substantial (K=0.68).

CONCLUSIONS

The application of a preoperative 2D/3D US assessment would seem to help pathologists in detecting myometrial invasion in difficult areas of the uterus such as the isthmus, reducing downstaging and overtreatment.

Ultrasonographic features of uterine cervical lesions

Currently, ultrasound (US) is a valuable imaging tool for the initial assessment and evaluation of the female genital organs, uterus, and adnexa. However, it is easy to overlook the uterine cervix while conducting a pelvic US. Uterine cervical lesions may range from benign to malignant in nature. Therefore, meticulous examination with US may play a key role in assessing uterine cervical lesions. Although there is substantial overlap in the US findings across various uterine cervical lesions, some US features, in tandem with clinical characteristics, may suggest a specific diagnosis. Familiarity with the clinical settings and US characteristics of different uterine cervical lesions can support prompt and accurate diagnosis of suspicious lesions. This review article aims to describe the features of US and possible values for distinction of these lesions in the uterine cervix.

Complementary role of 18F-FDG PET/CT for sentinel lymph node algorithm in endometrial cancer with high-risk factors for lymphatic metastasis

OBJECTIVE

National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) sentinel lymph node (SLN) algorithm includes 'mandatory steps' for evaluating pelvic lymph nodes, but assessment of paraaortic area is left to surgeon's discretion. In this study, we aimed to investigate the complementary role of preoperative F-FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) scan in detecting pelvic and especially paraaortic lymphatic metastasis in endometrial cancer patients with high-risk factor(s) according to Mayo Clinic Criteria and underwent SLN algorithm.

METHODS

Patients who underwent preoperative F-FDG PET/CT scan, intraoperative SLN algorithm followed by systematic lymphadenectomy (LND) and had at least one high-risk criterion for lymphatic metastasis were included in this study. F-FDG PET/CT and SLN algorithm were compared with final histopathological results of systematic LND.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight patients were eligible for the study. Lymphatic metastasis was seen in 10 patients (26.3%). Four cases had paraaortic lymphatic metastases which were together with pelvic (n:2) or isolated (n:2) metastases. SLN algorithm was able to detect all pelvic lymph node metastases. However, isolated paraaortic metastases were diagnosed only by F-FDG PET/CT. In 76 hemipelvises, sensitivity and negative predictive value of SLN algorithm for diagnosis of pelvic nodal metastasis were 100%, while sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of F-FDG PET/CT were 45.4, 95.3, 62.5 and 91.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although SLN algorithm has an excellent diagnostic value for pelvic nodal metastasis, paraaortic metastasis might be underdiagnosed. F-FDG PET/CT may be a feasible tool to exclude paraaortic lymphatic metastasis in high-risk patients for lymphatic metastasis who will undergo SLN algorithm.

Importance of pre-operative ultrasound examination and pathological tumour evaluation in the management of women with endometrial cancer

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy in developed countries. Early and accurate diagnostic assessment is crucial for appropriate treatment planning. Information obtained by pre-operative imaging with transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and histological endometrial biopsy assessment is often the cornerstone for further management planning. This study aimed to analyse the accuracy of this diagnostic approach for patient management decisions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This single-centre retrospective analysis included all patients with endometrial cancer treated between 2015 and 2019. Pre-operative TVUS staging assessment and histopathological endometrial biopsy examination were compared with the final surgical stage and histopathological diagnosis.

RESULTS

Pre-operative and surgical pathological assessment of Type I and Type II tumours was in agreement in 95 % (174/184) and 54 % (12/22) of cases, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of TVUS assessment of myometrial invasion were 76 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 66.3-84.2 %] and 81.7 % [95 % CI 73.0-88.6 %], respectively. Diagnostic accuracy was higher for Type I EC (95 %) than Type II EC (54 %). Only presumed ESMO/ESGO/ESTRO risk classification (p < 0.000) and deep myometrial invasion (p < 0.000) were significant for the prediction of lymph node involvement.

CONCLUSION

Pre-operative TVUS examination and pathological endometrial biopsy evaluation enable moderately accurate assessment of the risk of EC. Efforts should be aimed towards the development of novel and more reproducible methods, such as molecular tumour characterization, to improve the pre-operative assessment of risk in patients with EC.

The Reliability of Intraoperative Assessment on Predicting Tumor Size, Myometrial Invasion, and Cervical Involvement in Patients With a Preoperative Diagnosis of Complex Atypical Hyperplasia or (Clinical Stage I) Endometrial Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to assess the reliability of intraoperative uterine assessment compared with the final pathologic evaluation in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) and whether assessment improves with experience.

METHODS

After Institutional Review Board approval, a prospective cohort study of women surgically managed with biopsy-proven complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH) or EC between March 2015 and December 2016 was performed. Demographics, preoperative biopsy results, procedure, intraoperative and final pathologic evaluation of lesion size, myometrial invasion, and lower uterine segment/cervical involvement were abstracted. The agreement between the intraoperative and final pathologic evaluation of tumor involvement of the uterus was determined using the kappa statistic and the intraclass correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

A total of 264 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of CAH or EC were included-71 (26.9%) with CAH and 193 (73.1%) with EC. The mean age was 62.6±11.5, and mean body mass index was 37.2±10.1. The majority of women were white (67%). A total of 227 (85.9%) patients underwent a laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy, whereas 36 (13.6%) underwent an abdominal hysterectomy. 233 (88.3%) patients had EC and 21 (7.9%) patients had CAH on final pathology. There was a fair agreement between the intraoperative estimation of myometrial invasion (κ=0.37). A moderate agreement exists between the intraoperative estimation of lower uterine segment/cervical involvement (κ=0.57). There was a strong agreement between intraoperative tumor size assessment and the final path (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.74). The intraoperative correlation of tumor size was similar for the first half of the cohort (κ=0.50) and the second half (κ=0.46) chronologically.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite only a fair correlation in the myometrial invasion, intraoperative assessment of cervical involvement and especially tumor size is more readily identified and overall accurate. Therefore, intraoperative evaluation is an additional tool to use when making the decision to proceed with surgical staging.

Improved preoperative risk stratification with CA-125 in low-grade endometrial cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The global obesity epidemic has great impact on the prevalence of low-grade endometrial carcinoma. The preoperative tumor serum marker cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) might contribute to improved identification of high-risk patients within this group. The study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of CA-125 in relation to established preoperative prognosticators, with a focus on identifying patients with poor outcome in low-grade endometrial carcinoma (EC) patients.

METHODS

Prospective multicenter cohort study including all consecutive patients surgically treated for endometrial carcinoma in nine collaborating hospitals from September 2011 until December 2013. All preoperative histopathological diagnoses were reviewed in a blinded manner. Associations between CA-125 and clinicopathological features were determined. Univariable and multivariable analysis by Cox regression were used. Separate analyses were performed for preoperatively designated low-grade and high-grade endometrial carcinoma patients.

RESULTS

A total of 333 patients were analyzed. CA-125 was associated with poor prognostic features including advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage. In multivariable analysis, age, preoperative tumor and CA-125 were significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS); preoperative grade, tumor type, FIGO and CA-125 were significantly associated with disease-specific survival (DSS). Low-grade EC patients with elevated CA-125 revealed a DFS of 80.6% and DSS of 87.1%, compared to 92.1% and 97.2% in low-grade EC patients with normal CA-125.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative elevated CA-125 was associated with poor prognostic features and independently associated with DFS and DSS. Particularly patients with low-grade EC and elevated CA-125 represent a group with poor outcome and should be considered as high-risk endometrial carcinoma.

Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology guidelines for surgical treatment of endometrial cancer in regions with limited resources

BACKGROUND

Approximately 70% of cancer-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to social and racial inequalities, treatment options in these countries are usually limited because of the lack of trained staff and equipment, limited patient access to health services, and a small number of clinical guidelines.

OBJECTIVES

The Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology developed this guideline to address these barriers and guide physicians treating patients with endometrial cancer (EC) in regions with limited resources and few specialized centers.

METHODS

The guideline was prepared from 10 January to 25 October 20192019 by a multidisciplinary team of 56 experts to discuss the main obstacles faced by EC patients in Brazil. Thirteen questions considered critical to the surgical treatment of these patients were defined. The questions were assigned to groups that reviewed the literature and drafted preliminary recommendations. Following a review by the coordinators and a second review by all participants, the groups made final adjustments for presentations in meetings, classified the level of evidence, and voted on the recommendations.

RESULTS

For all questions including staging, fertility spearing treatment, genetic testing, sentinel lymph node use, surgical treatment, and other clinical relevant questions, major agreement was achieved by the participants, always using accessible alternatives.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible to provide adequate treatment for most EC patients in resource-limited areas, but the first option should be referral to specialized centers with more resources.

Endometrial cancer: Preoperative versus intraoperative staging

PURPOSE

To determine the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preoperative staging of endometrial cancer in comparison to frozen section (FS) for the assessment of myometrial invasion, considering permanent section as the gold standard.

METHODS

A retrospective longitudinal study of all endometrial carcinomas diagnosed in our institution between March 2012 and October 2018 was conducted. Women with histologically confirmed endometrial malignancy, planned for surgery as primary treatment and submitted either to TVS, MRI and/or intraoperative FS followed by comprehensive surgical staging were eligible.

RESULTS

From a total of 187 endometrial carcinomas, 156 were eligible for the study. The most frequent histology was endometrioid carcinoma (n=115), followed by serous carcinoma (n=25); the majority presented a FIGO stage IA (n=85) or IB (n=21). TVS, MRI and FS presented a sensitivity 56 %, 71 % and 67 % [95 %CI 0.35-0.75; 0.49-0.87; 0.45-0.84] and a specificity of 90 %, 78 % and 94 % [95 %CI 0.79-0.97; 0.58-0.91; 0.84-0.98], respectively. FS was the method with the lowest overestimation rate (6.5 %, 95 %CI 0.02-0.16), whereas MRI showed the lowest underestimation rate (29.2 %, 95 %CI 0.13-0.51). Agreement was superior between MRI and FS (Pa=0.79, K=0.56) and secondly between MRI and TVS (Pa=0.78, K=0.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative FS presents the higher specificity and the lowest overestimation rate, while MRI seems to be the exam with the highest sensitivity in the evaluation of myometrial invasion. Agreement between the different methods is reasonable, suggesting that the best alternative will be highly dependent on the availability and experience of each institution.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Clinical Biomarkers for Preoperative Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

In endometrial carcinoma (EC), preoperative classification is based on histopathological criteria, with only moderate diagnostic performance for the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). So far, existing molecular classification systems have not been evaluated for prediction of LNM. Optimized use of clinical biomarkers as recommended by international guidelines might be a first step to improve tailored treatment, awaiting future molecular biomarkers.

AIM

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative clinical biomarkers for the prediction of LNM in endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed according to the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Studies identified in MEDLINE and EMBASE were selected by two independent reviewers. Included biomarkers were based on recommended guidelines (cancer antigen 125 [Ca-125], lymphadenopathy on magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography [¹⁸FDG PET-CT]) or obtained by physical examination (body mass index, cervical cytology, blood cell counts). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), and likelihood ratios were calculated with bivariate random-effects meta-analysis. Likelihood ratios were classified into small (0.5-1.0 or 1-2.0), moderate (0.2-0.5 or 2.0-5.0) or large (0.1-0.2 or ≥ 5.0) impact.

RESULTS

Eighty-three studies, comprising 18,205 patients, were included. Elevated Ca-125 and thrombocytosis were associated with a moderate increase in risk of LNM; lymphadenopathy on imaging with a large increase. Normal Ca-125, cytology, and no lymphadenopathy on ¹⁸FDG PET-CT were associated with a moderate decrease. AUCs were above 0.75 for these biomarkers. Other biomarkers had an AUC <0.75 and incurred only small impact.

CONCLUSION

Ca-125, thrombocytosis, and imaging had a large and moderate impact on risk of LNM and could improve preoperative risk stratification.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Routine lymphadenectomy in clinical early-stage endometrial carcinoma does not improve outcome and is associated with 15%-20% surgery-related morbidity, underlining the need for improved preoperative risk stratification. New molecular classification systems are emerging but have not yet been evaluated for the prediction of lymph node metastasis. This article provides a robust overview of diagnostic performance of all clinical biomarkers recommended by international guidelines. Based on these, at least measurement of cancer antigen 125 serum level, assessment of thrombocytosis, and imaging focused on lymphadenopathy should complement current preoperative risk stratification in order to better stratify these patients by risk.

A Novel Approach to Preoperative Risk Stratification in Endometrial Cancer: The Added Value of Immunohistochemical Markers

Background: The current model used to preoperatively stratify endometrial cancer (EC) patients into low- and high-risk groups is based on histotype, grade, and imaging method and is not optimal. Our study aims to prove whether a new model incorporating immunohistochemical markers, L1CAM, ER, PR, p53, obtained from preoperative biopsy could help refine stratification and thus the choice of adequate surgical extent and appropriate adjuvant treatment.

Materials and Methods: The following data were prospectively collected from patients operated for EC from January 2016 through August 2018: age, pre- and post-operative histology, grade, lymphovascular space invasion, L1CAM, ER, PR, p53, imaging parameters obtained from ultrasound, CT chest/abdomen, final FIGO stage, and current decision model (based on histology, grade, imaging method).

Results: In total, 132 patients were enrolled. The current model revealed 48% sensitivity and 89% specificity for high-risk group determination. In myometrial invasion >50%, lower levels of ER (p = 0.024), PR (0.048), and higher levels of L1CAM (p = 0.001) were observed; in cervical involvement a higher expression of L1CAM (p = 0.001), lower PR (p = 0.014); in tumors with positive LVSI, higher L1CAM (p = 0.014); in cases with positive LN, lower expression of ER/PR (p < 0.001), higher L1CAM (p = 0.002) and frequent mutation of p53 (p = 0.008).

Cut-offs for determination of high-risk tumors were established: ER <78% (p = 0.001), PR <88% (p = 0.008), and L1CAM ≥4% (p < 0.001). The positive predictive values (PPV) for ER, PR, and L1CAM were 87% (60.8–96.5%), 63% (52.1–72.8%), 83% (70.5–90.8%); the negative predictive values (NPV) for each marker were as follows: 59% (54.5–63.4%), 65% (55.6–74.0%), and 77% (67.3–84.2%). Mutation of p53 revealed PPV 94% (67.4–99.1%) and NPV 61% (56.1–66.3%). When immunohistochemical markers were included into the current diagnostic model, sensitivity improved (48.4 vs. 75.8%, p < 0.001). PPV was similar for both methods, while NPV (i.e., the probability of extremely low risk in negative test cases) was improved (66 vs. 78.9%, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: We proved superiority of new proposed model using immunohistochemical markers over standard clinical practice and that new proposed model increases accuracy of prognosis prediction. We propose wider implementation and validation of the proposed model.

Predictive Value of Three-Dimensional Transvaginal Sonography for Staging of Endometrial Neoplasia

The goal of this study was to compare the sonographic assessment of endometrial cancer diagnosis and staging using three-dimensional transvaginal sonography with the staging that was ultimately found at surgery. Three-dimensional transvaginal sonography was performed for 20 consecutive cases of presumptive endometrial cancer using power Doppler angiography, virtual organ computer-aided analysis, and volume contrast imaging. These results were compared with the surgical staging found for those identified cases. The sonographic findings predicted the correct minimum endometrial cancer staging in 100% of the 20 cases that were examined and correlated to surgical outcomes. The successful prediction of endometrial cancer staging demonstrated by others was replicated in the organization of this case series. The findings compared favorably with other imaging modalities used for this purpose. This study assists in demonstrating the value of using presurgical three-dimensional sonography to plan for the optimal surgical excision and overall treatment of endometrial cancer.

Transvaginal ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for preoperative assessment of myometrial infiltration in patients with endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting myometrial infiltration (MI) in endometrial carcinoma.

Methods

An extensive search of papers comparing TVS and MRI in assessing MI in endometrial cancer was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Cochrane Database from January 1989 to January 2017. Quality was assessed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool.

Results

Our extended search identified 747 citations but after exclusions we finally included in the meta-analysis 8 articles. The risk of bias for most studies was low for most 4 domains assessed in QUADAS-2. Overall, pooled estimated sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing deep MI were 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]=67%–82%) and 82% (95% CI=75%–93%) for TVS, and 83% (95% CI=76%–89%) and 82% (95% CI=72%–89%) for MRI, respectively. No statistical differences were found when comparing both methods (p=0.314). Heterogeneity was low for sensitivity and high for specificity for TVS and MRI.

Conclusion

MRI showed a better sensitivity than TVS for detecting deep MI in women with endometrial cancer. However, the difference observed was not statistically significant.

The Usefulness of Ultrasound Imaging in Gynecologic Oncology

Pelvic ultrasound examination is the primary imaging modality for evaluating a wide range of female pelvic symptomatology, and is often the first imaging test to detect a gynecologic malignancy. Ultrasound imaging is particularly useful for evaluating the thickness and appearance of the endometrium in patients with abnormal bleeding, and in detecting and characterizing ovarian lesions. This article reviews the ultrasound appearance of gynecologic neoplasms grouped by anatomic site of origin, the ultrasound appearance of select benign pelvic pathology not to be misinterpreted as malignancy, as well as available ultrasound imaging-based guidelines for managing potential gynecologic neoplasms.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound in Assessment of Myometrial Invasion in Endometrial Cancer: Subjective Assessment versus Objective Techniques

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of subjective ultrasound evaluation of myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer and to compare its accuracy to objective methods. All consecutive patients with histologically proven endometrial cancer, who underwent ultrasound evaluation followed by surgical staging between January 2009 and December 2011, were prospectively enrolled. Myometrial invasion was evaluated by subjective assessment using ultrasound (<50% or ≥50%) and calculated as deepest invasion/normal myometrium ratio (Gordon's ratio) and as tumor/uterine anteroposterior diameter ratio (Karlsson's ratio). Histological assessment from hysterectomy was considered the gold standard. Altogether 210 patients were prospectively included. Subjective assessment and two objective ratios were found to be statistically significant predictors of the myometrial invasion (AUC = 0.65, p value < 0.001). Subjective assessment was confirmed as the most reliable method to assess myometrial invasion (79.3% sensitivity, 73.2% specificity, and 75.7% overall accuracy). Deepest invasion/normal myometrium (Gordon's) ratio (cut-off 0.5) reached 69.6% sensitivity, 65.9% specificity, and 67.3% overall accuracy. Tumor/uterine anteroposterior diameter (Karlsson's) ratio with the same cut-off reached 56.3% sensitivity, 76.4% specificity, and 68.1% overall accuracy. The subjective ultrasound evaluation of myometrial invasion performed better than objective methods in nearly all measures but showed statistically significantly better outcomes only in case of sensitivity.

What Is the Best Preoperative Imaging for Endometrial Cancer?

Although endometrial cancer is surgicopathologically staged, preoperative imaging is recommended for diagnostic work-up to tailor surgery and adjuvant treatment. For preoperative staging, imaging by transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is valuable to assess local tumor extent, and positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) and/or computed tomography (CT) to assess lymph node metastases and distant spread. Preoperative imaging may identify deep myometrial invasion, cervical stromal involvement, pelvic and/or paraaortic lymph node metastases, and distant spread, however, with reported limitations in accuracies and reproducibility. Novel structural and functional imaging techniques offer visualization of microstructural and functional tumor characteristics, reportedly linked to clinical phenotype, thus with a potential for improving risk stratification. In this review, we summarize the reported staging performances of conventional and novel preoperative imaging methods and provide an overview of promising novel imaging methods relevant for endometrial cancer care.