Laparoscopic staging of endometrial cancer: Does it have any impact on survival?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether laporoscopic approach to endometrial cancer is associated with survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 158 patients with endometrial cancer underwent staging surgery at a tertiary referral center, 30 of whom underwent laparoscopy, whereas the remainder received treatment with a conventional approach. Survival between groups was analyzed. RESULTS: The comparison of the groups revealed similar disease-free survival (p=0.791). Histology, cervical, adnexal and serosal involvement were found to be significantly correlated with recurrence in the laparoscopically staged group, whereas CA 125, histology, tumor grade, tumor diameter, cervical involvement, degree of myometrial invasion, adnexal and serosal involvement, and pelvic metastasis were significanly correlated with recurrence in the conventionally managed group. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic approach to endometrial cancer, along with its widely accepted postoperative advantages, has similar disease-free survival but different variables affect recurrence rates.