Role of Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Intermediate-Risk Endometrial Cancer and Predictors of Nodal Positivity in Indian Patients

One of the most intense controversies in endometrial cancer revolves around the need for lymphadenectomy at the time staging. The study carried out to analyze the role of staging with pelvic lymphadenectomy in intermediate-risk stage I endometrial cancer—stage IA grade III and stage IB grades I and II. Review analysis of all the patients with stage I carcinoma endometrium intermediate risk treated at our institution between January 2006 and December 2014. All demographic data, tumor factors, adjuvant treatment, follow-up, and recurrence were recorded. Sixty-five were in intermediate-risk group, of which 21 were in low intermediate- and 44 in high intermediate-risk group, with 4 patients with positive pelvic node in each group. In patients with low intermediate-risk stage IA, grade III tumors, the nodal involvement was substantial even when the myometrial invasion was less than 50%. All grade 1 tumors did not have pelvic nodal metastasis. Overall percentage of pelvic nodal metastasis in our review of intermediate-risk carcinoma endometrium was 12%, with 19% in stage IA, grade III tumors, and 9% with stage IB, grade I and II tumors. A systematic lymphadenectomy should be done in patients with endometrial cancer who are at intermediate to high risk of lymph node metastases. The grade III histology is more likely to predict for nodal metastasis more than depth of myometrial invasion. It is recommended to stratify patients into risk groups to formulate guidelines for therapeutic lymphadenectomy.