Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy and vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for endometrial cancer: morbidity and survival.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to evaluate the morbidity, recurrence, and survival of patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer treated by laparoscopic lymphadenectomy with vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.Study Design: This article is a retrospective review of records for 56 patients. The mean follow-up among those alive at last contact was 2.4 years (range, 32 days-5.2 years). Staging according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (1988) was as follows: I, 45 (80.4%); II, 3 (5.4%); III, 6 (10.7%); and IV, 2 (3.6%). RESULTS: Intraoperative complications occurred in 4 patients (7.1%). Transformation to laparotomy was necessary in 7 patients. Postoperative complications were observed in 9 patients (16.1%). Pelvic irradiation was administered postoperatively to 11 patients (19.6%). Among the 45 patients with surgical stage I disease, the 3-year recurrence rate was 2.5% and the 3-year cause-specific survival was 96.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy and vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy provided 3-year survival and recurrence rates similar to those of the traditional abdominal approach.