The incidence of port-site metastases in gynecologic cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of port-site metastases in patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures for gynecologic cancers.


METHODS
The charts of patients treated by laparoscopy for diagnosis, treatment, or staging of gynecologic cancers by the academic faculty attending physicians were studied from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 2001. No patient without a histological or cytological diagnosis of cancer from the index procedure were included. Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Eighty-three patients were identified accounting for 87 procedures. Types of cancer treated included endometrial (39), ovarian (29), and cervical (14). Twenty procedures were performed for recurrence of ovarian or peritoneal cancer, and ascites was present in 10 cases. Port-site metastases occurred in 2 patients accounting for 8 sites. Five sites were diagnosed in a single patient 13 days after a second-look laparoscopy for stage IIIB ovarian cancer, and 3 sites were diagnosed in a patient 46 days after an interval laparoscopy for stage IIIC primary peritoneal cancer. Ascites was present in both patients. The overall incidences of port-site metastases per procedure and per port placed were 2.3% (2/87) and 2.4% (8/330), respectively. In patients with a recurrence of ovarian or peritoneal cancer, no port-site metastases (0/16) occurred in the absence of ascites, whereas 50% (2/4) of patients with ascites developed port-site metastases (P < .035).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall incidence of port-site metastases in gynecologic cancers in our study was 2.3%. The risk of port-site metastases is highest (5%) in patients with recurrence of ovarian or primary peritoneal malignancies undergoing procedures in the presence of ascites.
Nagarsheth
Nimesh P
NP
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York 10029, USA. nimesh.nagarsheth@mssm.edu
Rahaman
Jamal
J
Cohen
Carmel J
CJ
Gretz
Herb
H
Nezhat
Farr
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*