Cervical invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, and ovarian metastasis as predictors of lymph node metastasis and poor outcome on stages I to III endometrial cancers: a single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine pathological factors that increase the risk of LNM and indicate poor survival of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer and treated with surgical staging. METHOD: Between January 2010 and November 2018, we enrolled 874 eligible patients who received staging surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The roles of prognostic risk factors, such as age, histological subtype, tumor grade, myometrial infiltration, tumor diameter, cervical infiltration, lymphopoiesis space invasion (LVSI), CA125, and ascites, were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify the predictors of LNM. Kaplan–Meier and COX regression models were utilized to study the overall survival. RESULTS: Multivariable regression analysis confirmed cervical stromal invasion (OR 3.412, 95% CI 1.631–7.141; P < 0.01), LVSI (OR 2.542, 95% CI 1.061–6.004; P = 0.04) and ovarian metastasis (OR 6.236, 95% CI 1.561–24.904; P = 0.01) as significant predictors of nodal dissemination. Furthermore, pathological pattern (P = 0.03), myometrial invasion (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.139–6.40; P = 0.01), and lymph node metastasis (OR 9.675, 95% CI 3.708–25.245; P < 0.01) were independent predictors of decreased overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical invasion, lymphopoiesis space invasion, and ovarian metastasis significantly convey the risk of LNM. Pathological type, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis are all important predictors of survival and should be scheduled for completion when possible in the surgical staging procedure.