title: Laparoscopic surgery vs laparotomy for early stage endometrial cancer: long-term data of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to compare the long-term safety and efficacy of laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy approaches to early stage endometrial cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective long-term extension study of a randomized controlled study that included 84 patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer (laparoscopic surgery group, 40 women; laparotomy group, 38 women). Safety and efficacy data were evaluated and analyzed by the intention-to-treat principle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a follow-up period of 78 months (interquartile range, 7; range, 19-84 months) and 79 months (interquartile range, 6; range, 22-84 months) for laparoscopic surgery and laparotomy groups, respectively, no difference in the cumulative recurrence rates (8/40 [20.0%] and 7/38 [18.4%]; P = .860) and deaths (7/40 [17.5%] and 6/38 [15.8%] patients; P = .839) was detected between groups. No significant differences in overall (P = .535) and disease-free (P = .512) survival were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The laparoscopic surgery approach to early stage endometrial cancer is as safe and effective a procedure as the laparotomy approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zullo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palomba
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falbo
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mocciaro
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tartaglia
authors.forename: Piersandro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tagliaferri
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastrantonio
mesh_terms: D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000401:mortality*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000401:mortality*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors