Journal of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy

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Diagnostic accuracy and economic impact of three work-up strategies identifying risk groups in endometrial cancer, fully incorporating sentinel lymph node algorithm

A.A. Novelli 1,2, A. Puppo 1,3, M. Ceccaroni 4, E. Olearo 1, G. Monterossi 5, G. Mantovani 4, S. Pelligra 2,5, P.L. Olearo 1, F. Fanfani 2,5, G. Scambia 2,5

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, “Regina Montis Regalis” Hospital, Mondovì (Cuneo), Italy;
2 Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy;
3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Santa Croce e Carle Hospital, Cuneo, Italy;
4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gynaecologic Oncology and Minimally-Invasive Pelvic Surgery, International School of Surgical Anatomy, IRCCS Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar (Verona), Italy;
5 Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Keywords:

endometrial cancer, risk groups, lymphadenectomy, surgical staging, work-up strategy, sentinel lymph node


Published online: Oct 09 2020

Abstract

Background: According to the European Society for Medical Oncology/ European Society of Gynaecological Oncology/European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESMO/ESGO/ESTRO) Consensus Conference, the role of preoperative risk groups (RGs) in endometrial cancer (EC) is to direct surgical nodal staging. We compared diagnostic accuracy and economic impact of three work-up strategies to identify RGs.

Methods: A retrospective multicentre study including patients with early-stage EC. The three different work-up strategies were as follows:
-Mondovì Hospital: transvaginal ultrasonography, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); frozen section examination of the uterus in case of imaging discordance. High-risk patients underwent abdominal computed tomography.
-Gemelli Hospital: transvaginal ultrasonography, MRI, One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) of sentinel lymph node (SLN); frozen section examination of the uterus in case of imaging discordance.
-Negrar Hospital: positron emission tomography (PET), frozen section examination of the uterus and of SLN.

For statistical purposes patients were assigned, preoperatively and postoperatively, to two groups: group A (high-risk) and group B (not high-risk).

Results: Three hundred eighty-five patients were included (93 Mondovì, 215 Gemelli, 77 Negrar). Endometrial biopsy errors led to 47.3% misclassifications. Test accuracy of Mondovì, Gemelli and Negrar strategies was 0.83 (95%CI 0.734-0.901), 0.95 (95%CI 0.909-0.975) and 0.94 (95%CI 0.866-0.985), respectively. Preoperative work-up mean cost per patient in group A was €514.5 at Mondovì, €868.5 at Gemelli, and €1212.8 at Negrar hospital (p-value < 0.001),  while in group B was €378.8 at Mondovì, €941.2 at Gemelli, and €1848.4 at Negrar hospital (p-value < 0.001).

Conclusions: In our study, work-up strategies with more relevant economic impact showed a better diagnostic accuracy. Upcoming guidelines should specify recommendations about the gold standard work-up strategy, including the role of SLN.