Stellenwert der systematischen Lymphonodektomie beim Endometriumkarzinom an der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen 1998–2019
by Werner Rath
Date of Examination:2024-11-12
Date of issue:2024-10-14
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Günter Emons
Referee:Prof. Dr. Günter Emons
Referee:Prof. Dr. Lutz Trojan
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Abstract
English
This retrospective cohort study is based on the data of 152 patients with endometrial cancer, who underwent systematic lymphadenectomy at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital Göttingen between January 1998 and December 2019. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of lymph node metastasis in different risk groups and to examine German guideline recommendations regarding lymphadenectomy, which had multiply changed during the observation period. Due to the lack of evidence of the therapeutic benefit of systemic lymphadenectomy and the good prognosis of the disease the German S1-Guidelines between 1998 and 2008 did not recommend lymphadenectomy in low-risk cases and early stages of the disease, however, most of larger hospitals performed lymphadenectomy in these cases. This guideline recommendation was omitted in 2008. Due to the potential therapeutic benefit lymphadenectomy was recommended later in preferably all cases of endometrial cancer. In patients with stages Ia and Ib and low or moderate grade of malignancy lymphadenectomy was considered optional, however, university hospitals conducted lymphadenectomy routinely in most of these cases. Shortly afterwards, the results of two large randomized and controlled trials have shown no benefit of systemic lymphadenectomy regarding the overall survival and the recurrence-free survival. Consequently, the German Guideline 2013 did not longer recommend lymphadenectomy in low-risk carcinoma. The average age of patients in our cohort was 61.8 +/- 9.9 years (median: 63 years, range: 50-81 years). At the time of diagnosis two-thirds of patients were between 50 and 70 years. The first symptom of the disease was postmenopausal bleeding in 81% of the patients. The most frequent histopathological diagnosis was endometroid adenocarcinoma (type I- carcinoma; 77%) followed by serous adenocarcinoma (type II-carcinoma; 14.5%). Complications associated with systemic lymphadenectomy were observed in 38% of patients, in particular, wound healing disorders (n = 14) and lymphocele (n = 12). The percentage distribution of patients according to the guidelines-oriented risk Stratification for systematic lymphadenectomy was as follows: 51% in the high-risk cohort (type I endometrial cancer pTIb, G3, pT2-4 M0 G 1-3 and type II endometrial cancer), 23% in the intermediate-risk group (type I endometrial cancer pT1a, G3 and pT1b, G 1/2) and 26% in the low-risk group (type I endometrial cancer pT1a, G1/2). Suspicious lymph nodes were found in 2.5 % of women in the low risk, in 9% of women in the Intermediate-risk and in 36% of women in high-risk group. The 5-year overall survival was 90% in the low-risk, 80% in the intermediate-risk and 60% in the high-risk group. Considering the high-risk group there were significant differences. In the 5- year overall survival between the different histopathological entities: 75% in cases of type I endometrial cancer pT1b G3 and 25% in cases of type I endometrial cancer pT3a G 1-3. Our study agrees with present recommendations regarding the application of systemic lymphadenectomy in women with high-risk endometrial cancer, since lymph node metastasis were detected in 36% of these cases. Whether systemic lymphadenectomy may lead to an improvement of prognosis, is subject of current randomized and controlled trials Since nearly 9% of lymph node metastasis were found in the intermediate-risk group of our study, the optional recommendation of the current guideline to perform systemic lymphadenectomy may be justified. The only 2.5% of lymph node metastasis in our low-risk cohort may support the recommendation of the current German guideline to abstain from systemic lymphadenectomy in these cases.
Keywords: enometrial carcinoma; lymphadenectomy