Evaluating the significance of location of lymph node metastasis and extranodal disease in women with stage IIIC endometrial cancer

Abstract Objective To determine the prognostic significance of location of lymph node metastasis and extranodal disease for women with stage IIIC endometrial cancer. Methods Data were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 1988 and 2005. Statistical analysis used Chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards model. Results A total of 2559 women were identified; 1453 stage IIIC1, and with 906 stage IIIC2 tumors. Compared to stage IIIC1; more stage IIIC2 patients demonstrated high-risk factors such as grade III disease (p 0.05) among node positive patients found to have positive peritoneal cytology (44.0%), adnexal/serosal metastasis (42.9%), and vaginal/parametrial involvement (41.8%); it differed individually in all three categories from those with nodal metastasis alone (67.0%, p Conclusion(s) Location of lymph node metastasis is prognostic in patients with nodal disease alone, and not in those with extranodal disease. Extranodal disease is associated with a poor prognosis and should be regarded in conjunction with location of lymph node metastasis for risk-stratification in stage IIIC endometrial cancer.