Comparison of the laparoscopic versus conventional open method for surgical staging of endometrial carcinoma

Objective: Although laparoscopic surgery is widely utilized in the treatment of endometrial cancer, its efficacy in staging the cancer is not well established. The aim of this study was to compare staging endometrial cancer with laparoscopic and conventional open methods. Materials and Methods: From January 2002 to June 2012, 151 patients (70 treated by laparoscopy and 81 by laparotomy) diagnosed with endometrial cancer were enrolled. This was a retrospective cohort review of endometrial cancer surgically staged using laparoscopy or laparotomy in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Results: The two groups did not significantly differ in patient age, body mass index, previous obstetrical history, or amount of previous abdominal surgery. No differences between the surgical cohorts were observed in relation to cancer status, including stage, grade, myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, lymph node involvement, and recurrence rate. The laparoscopic approach had less intraoperative blood loss, longer operative time, lower uterine weight, number of removed lymph nodes, and shorter hospital stay. Conclusion: Our preliminary results showed that the laparoscopic method for staging endometrial cancer was technically feasible and efficient.