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American Journal of Obstetrics and... Apr 2024This study aimed to provide procedure-specific estimates of the risk of symptomatic venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in the absence of thromboprophylaxis,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to provide procedure-specific estimates of the risk of symptomatic venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in the absence of thromboprophylaxis, following gynecologic cancer surgery.
DATA SOURCES
We conducted comprehensive searches on Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for observational studies. We also reviewed reference lists of eligible studies and review articles. We performed separate searches for randomized trials addressing effects of thromboprophylaxis and conducted a web-based survey on thromboprophylaxis practice.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Observational studies enrolling ≥50 adult patients undergoing gynecologic cancer surgery procedures reporting absolute incidence for at least 1 of the following were included: symptomatic pulmonary embolism, symptomatic deep vein thrombosis, symptomatic venous thromboembolism, bleeding requiring reintervention (including reexploration and angioembolization), bleeding leading to transfusion, or postoperative hemoglobin <70 g/L.
METHODS
Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility, performed data extraction, and evaluated risk of bias of eligible articles. We adjusted the reported estimates for thromboprophylaxis and length of follow-up and used the median value from studies to determine cumulative incidence at 4 weeks postsurgery stratified by patient venous thromboembolism risk factors. The GRADE approach was applied to rate evidence certainty.
RESULTS
We included 188 studies (398,167 patients) reporting on 37 gynecologic cancer surgery procedures. The evidence certainty was generally low to very low. Median symptomatic venous thromboembolism risk (in the absence of prophylaxis) was <1% in 13 of 37 (35%) procedures, 1% to 2% in 11 of 37 (30%), and >2.0% in 13 of 37 (35%). The risks of venous thromboembolism varied from 0.1% in low venous thromboembolism risk patients undergoing cervical conization to 33.5% in high venous thromboembolism risk patients undergoing pelvic exenteration. Estimates of bleeding requiring reintervention varied from <0.1% to 1.3%. Median risks of bleeding requiring reintervention were <1% in 22 of 29 (76%) and 1% to 2% in 7 of 29 (24%) procedures.
CONCLUSION
Venous thromboembolism reduction with thromboprophylaxis likely outweighs the increase in bleeding requiring reintervention in many gynecologic cancer procedures (eg, open surgery for ovarian cancer and pelvic exenteration). In some procedures (eg, laparoscopic total hysterectomy without lymphadenectomy), thromboembolism and bleeding risks are similar, and decisions depend on individual risk prediction and values and preferences regarding venous thromboembolism and bleeding.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Anticoagulants; Venous Thromboembolism; Postoperative Complications; Hemorrhage; Thrombosis; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37827272
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.006 -
European Journal of Surgical Oncology :... Apr 2024To assess 5-year oncologic outcomes of apparent early-stage high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic...
OBJECTIVE
To assess 5-year oncologic outcomes of apparent early-stage high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic lymphadenectomy.
METHODS
This is a multi-institutional retrospective, propensity-matched study evaluating data of high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer (according to ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines) undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (with and without para-aortic lymphadenectomy). Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard methods.
RESULTS
Overall, the charts of 242 patients with high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer were retrieved. Data on 73 (30.1%) patients undergoing hysterectomy plus sentinel node mapping were analyzed. Forty-two (57.5%) and 31 (42.5%) patients were classified in the high-intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively. Unilateral sentinel node mapping was achieved in all patients. Bilateral mapping was achieved in 67 (91.7%) patients. Three (4.1%) patients had site-specific lymphadenectomy (two pelvic areas only and one pelvic plus para-aortic area), while adjunctive nodal dissection was omitted in the hemipelvis of the other three (4.1%) patients. Sentinel nodes were detected in the para-aortic area in eight (10.9%) patients. Twenty-four (32.8%) patients were diagnosed with nodal disease. A propensity-score matching was used to compare the aforementioned group of patients undergoing sentinel node mapping with a group of patients undergoing lymphadenectomy. Seventy patient pairs were selected (70 having sentinel node mapping vs. 70 having lymphadenectomy). Patients undergoing sentinel node mapping experienced similar 5-year disease-free survival (HR: 1.233; 95%CI: 0.6217 to 2.444; p = 0.547, log-rank test) and 5-year overall survival (HR: 1.505; 95%CI: 0.6752 to 3.355; p = 0.256, log-rank test) than patients undergoing lymphadenectomy.
CONCLUSIONS
Sentinel node mapping does not negatively impact 5-year outcomes of high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer. Further prospective studies are warranted.
Topics: Female; Humans; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Retrospective Studies; Endometrial Neoplasms; Lymph Node Excision; Sentinel Lymph Node; Neoplasm Staging; Lymph Nodes
PubMed: 38428106
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108018 -
Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology Jun 2024
PubMed: 38851628
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2024.06.001 -
Cancers Mar 2024The implementation of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is changing the scenario in the surgical treatment of early-stage cervical cancer, and the oncologic safety of... (Review)
Review
The implementation of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is changing the scenario in the surgical treatment of early-stage cervical cancer, and the oncologic safety of replacing bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy with SLN biopsy is currently under investigation. Part of the undisputed value of SLN biopsy is its diagnostic accuracy in detecting low-volume metastases (LVM) via pathologic ultrastaging. In early-stage cervical cancer, the reported incidence of LVM ranges from 4 to 20%. The prognostic impact and the role of adjuvant treatment in patients with LVM is still unclear. Some non-prespecified analyses in prospective studies showed no impact on the oncologic outcomes compared to node-negative disease. However, the heterogeneity of the studies, the differences in the disease stage and the use of adjuvant treatment, and the concomitant pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) make reaching any conclusions on this topic hard. Current guidelines suggest considering micrometastases (MIC) as a node-positive disease, while considering isolated tumor cells (ITC) as a node-negative disease with a low level of evidence. This review aims to highlight the unanswered questions about the definition, identification, and prognostic and therapeutic roles of LVM and to underline the present and future challenges we are facing. We hope that this review will guide further research, giving robust evidence on LVM and their impacts on clinical practice.
PubMed: 38539442
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16061107 -
International Journal of Gynecological... Dec 2023Sentinel lymph node biopsy represents an alternative to pelvic lymphadenectomy for lymph node staging of early-stage cervical carcinoma, but prospective evidence on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Sentinel lymph node biopsy represents an alternative to pelvic lymphadenectomy for lymph node staging of early-stage cervical carcinoma, but prospective evidence on long-term oncological safety of sentinel lymph node biopsy alone versus pelvic lymphadenectomy is missing.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate, with this meta-analysis, the impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy alone versus pelvic lymphadenectomy on survival for patients with early-stage cervical cancer.
METHODS
A systematic literature review was performed. We excluded studies in which pelvic lymphadenectomy was systematically performed after every sentinel lymph node biopsy, including only articles where pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed because sentinel lymph node biopsy was not conclusive. A meta-analysis was carried out combining 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates with a random and fixed effect model. Heterogeneity was tested using the Cochran Χ test and quantified with Higgins information I2.
RESULTS
The search of databases and registers found 927 items and six articles (two retrospective and four prospective). The median time of follow-up was 34.8 months (range 13-53). Overall common effect disease-free survival was 98% while random effect disease-free survival was 94%. Overall heterogeneity was 77%. A subgroup analysis was applied, dividing studies into one group including sentinel lymph node biopsy negative data only (common effect disease-free survival 91%; random effect disease-free survival 90%), and one group with a negative and positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (common effect disease-free survival 98%; random effect disease-free survival 96%). In the analysis of overall survival, positive and negative sentinel lymph node biopsy cases were examined together (common and random effect overall survival 99%). Ultrastaging did not affect disease-free survival (common and random effect disease-free survival 92% in the ultrastaging group vs common effect disease-free survival 99% and random effect disease-free survival 96% in the non-ultrastaging group).
CONCLUSIONS
Both 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rate after sentinel lymph node biopsy alone are higher than 90% and do not differ from pelvic lymphadenectomy survival data. Ultrastaging did not impact survival.
Topics: Female; Humans; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Prospective Studies; Lymph Node Excision; Lymph Nodes; Neoplasm Staging
PubMed: 37696646
DOI: 10.1136/ijgc-2023-004726 -
Cancers Nov 2023The role of pelvic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of lymphadenectomy on progression-free and...
The role of pelvic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of lymphadenectomy on progression-free and overall survival among patients diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma. This retrospective single-center study included 1532 patients operated on in a Polish reference center for gynecologic oncology at Holy Cross Hospital, Kielce, between 2002 and 2020. A total of 1004 patients underwent systematic lymphadenectomy as a part of their surgical procedure. The median number of collected lymph nodes was seven. In total, 11.6% of patients were found to have lymph node invasion. The number of lymph nodes removed correlated with patient survival. In patients in whom the number of removed lymph nodes was above the median (>7), the risk of death was reduced (HR 0.68, = 0.002). The risk of death correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (HR 4.12, < 0.001). The risk of cancer progression was associated with the number of lymph nodes removed (HR 0.54, = 0.006), and the risk of EC recurrence was greater in patients with lymph node metastasis (HR 1.94, = 0.016). Our study provides additional evidence that systematic lymphadenectomy may influence the disease-free and overall survival of patients with endometrial cancer. The number of lymph nodes removed correlated with patient prognosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the use of lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer treatment.
PubMed: 38067339
DOI: 10.3390/cancers15235636 -
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Nov 2023This study aimed to validate the surgical and oncologic outcomes of robotic surgery with sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) in endometrial cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to validate the surgical and oncologic outcomes of robotic surgery with sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) in endometrial cancer.
METHODS
This study included 130 patients with endometrial cancer, who underwent robotic surgery, including hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and pelvic SNNS at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Kagoshima University Hospital. Pelvic sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were identified using the uterine cervix 99m Technetium-labeled phytate and indocyanine green injections. Surgery-related and survival outcomes were also evaluated.
RESULTS
The median operative and console times and volume of blood loss were 204 (range: 101-555) minutes, 152 (range: 70-453) minutes, and 20 (range: 2-620) mL, respectively. The bilateral and unilateral pelvic SLN detection rates were 90.0% (117/130) and 5.4% (7/130), respectively, and the identification rate (the rate at which at least one SLN could be identified on either side) was 95% (124/130). Lower extremity lymphedema occurred in only 1 patient (0.8%), and no pelvic lymphocele occurred. Recurrence occurred in 3 patients (2.3%), and the recurrence site was the abdominal cavity, with dissemination in 2 patients and vaginal stump in one. The 3-year recurrence-free survival and 3-year overall survival rates were 97.1% and 98.9%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Robotic surgery with SNNS for endometrial cancer showed a high SLN identification rate, low occurrence rates of lower extremity lymphedema and pelvic lymphocele, and excellent oncologic outcomes.
Topics: Female; Humans; Sentinel Lymph Node; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Lymphocele; Endometrial Neoplasms; Lymph Nodes; Prognosis; Indocyanine Green; Lymphedema; Lymph Node Excision
PubMed: 37293801
DOI: 10.3802/jgo.2023.34.e68 -
Vaccines Jan 2024Bladder cancer, a common malignancy of the urinary system, is routinely treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical excision. However, these strategies have... (Review)
Review
Bladder cancer, a common malignancy of the urinary system, is routinely treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical excision. However, these strategies have inherent limitations and may also result in various side effects. Immunotherapy has garnered considerable attention in recent years as a novel therapeutic approach. It harnesses and activates the patient's immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, which not only prolongs therapeutic efficacy but also minimizes the toxic side effects. Several immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines have been developed for the treatment of bladder cancer. Whereas blocking immune checkpoints on the surface of tumor cells augments the effect of immune cells, immunization with tumor-specific antigens can elicit the production of anti-tumor immune effector cells. However, there are several challenges in applying immunotherapy against bladder cancer. For instance, the efficacy of immunotherapy varies considerably across individual patients, and only a small percentage of cancer patients are responsive. Therefore, it is crucial to identify biomarkers that can predict the efficacy of immunotherapy. Pelvic lymph nodes are routinely dissected from bladder cancer patients during surgical intervention in order to remove any metastatic tumor cells. However, some studies indicate that pelvic lymph node dissection may reduce the efficacy of immunotherapy by damaging the immune cells. Therefore, the decision to undertake pelvic lymph node removal should be incumbent on the clinical characteristics of individual patients. Thus, although immunotherapy has the advantages of lower toxic side effects and long-lasting efficacy, its application in bladder cancer still faces challenges, such as the lack of predictive biomarkers and the effects of pelvic lymph node dissection. Further research is needed to explore these issues in order to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy for bladder cancer.
PubMed: 38400134
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020150 -
European Urology Focus Jan 2024Symptomatic lymphocele (sLC) occurs at a frequency of 2-10% after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). Construction of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Impact of Peritoneal Interposition Flap on Patients Undergoing Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
CONTEXT
Symptomatic lymphocele (sLC) occurs at a frequency of 2-10% after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). Construction of bilateral peritoneal interposition flaps (PIFs) subsequent to completion of RARP + PLND has been introduced to reduce the risk of lymphocele, and was initially evaluated on the basis of retrospective studies.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the impact of PIF on the rate of sLC (primary endpoint) and of overall lymphocele (oLC) and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications (secondary endpoints) to provide the best available evidence.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Meta-Analyses statement for observational studies in epidemiology, a systematic literature search using the MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and EMBASE databases up to February 3, 2023 was performed to identify RCTs. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the revised Cochrane RoB tool for randomized trials. Meta-analysis used random-effect models to examine the impact of PIF on the primary and secondary endpoints.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
Four RCTs comparing outcomes for patients undergoing RARP + PLND with or without PIF were identified: PIANOFORTE, PerFix, ProLy, and PLUS. PIF was associated with odds ratios of 0.46 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.93) for sLC, 0.51 (95% CI 0.38-0.68) for oLC, and 0.41 (95% CI 0.21-0.83) for Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications. Functional impairment resulting from PIF construction was not observed. Heterogeneity was low to moderate, and RoB was low.
CONCLUSIONS
PIF should be performed in patients undergoing RARP and simultaneous PLND to prevent or reduce postoperative sLC.
PATIENT SUMMARY
A significant proportion of patients undergoing prostate cancer surgery have regional lymph nodes removed. This part of the surgery is associated with a risk of postoperative lymph collections (lymphocele). The risk of lymphocele can be halved via a complication-free surgical modification called a peritoneal interposition flap.
Topics: Male; Humans; Robotics; Lymphocele; Prostatic Neoplasms; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Lymph Node Excision; Prostatectomy
PubMed: 37541915
DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2023.07.007 -
European Journal of Hybrid Imaging Jul 2023F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission combined with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) has been proposed to improve preoperative staging in patients with bladder cancer...
BACKGROUND
F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission combined with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) has been proposed to improve preoperative staging in patients with bladder cancer subjected to radical cystectomy (RC).
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to assess the accuracy of FDG-PET/CT for lymph node staging ascertained at the multidisciplinary tumour board compared to lymph node status in the surgical lymphadenectomy specimen obtained at RC, and to explore potential factors associated with false-positive FDG-PET/CT results.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Consecutive patients with bladder cancer undergoing RC with extended lymph node dissection between 2011 and 2019 without preoperative chemotherapy in a tertial referral cystectomy unit were included in the study.
OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSES
Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios were calculated. Potential factors investigated for association with false-positive FDG-PET/CT were; bacteriuria within four weeks prior to FDG-PET/CT, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment within 12 months prior to FDG-PET/CT and transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURB) within four weeks prior to FDG-PET/CT.
RESULTS
Among 157 patients included for analysis, 44 (28%) were clinically node positive according to FDG-PET/CT. The sensitivity and specificity for detection of lymph node metastasis were 50% and 84%, respectively, and the corresponding positive predictive and negative predictive values were 61% and 76%. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were 3.0 and 0.6, respectively. No association was found between bacteriuria, previous BCG treatment or TURB within 28 days and false-positive FDG-PET/CT results.
CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative FDG-PET/CT prior to RC had a clinically meaningful high specificity (84%) but lower sensitivity (50%) for detection of lymph node metastases compared to lymph node status in an extended pelvic lymphadenectomy template. We could not identify any factors associated with false-positive FDG-PET/CT outcomes.
PubMed: 37482566
DOI: 10.1186/s41824-023-00170-9