Benito Chiofalo

Feasibility and safety of robotic single-port surgical staging in epithelial ovarian cancer using the da Vinci SP platform: a preliminary experience

Minimally invasive surgery has transformed gynecologic procedures by reducing postoperative pain, accelerating recovery, and shortening hospital stays. The da Vinci SP system represents a significant advancement in single-port robotic surgery, offering articulated instruments and enhanced visualization. However, its role in staging epithelial ovarian cancer remains underexplored. We conducted a retrospective case series of patients who underwent surgical staging for epithelial ovarian cancer at the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute in Rome between September 2024 and March 2025 using the da Vinci SP system. Clinical, surgical, and postoperative data were collected, focusing on complication rates within 30 days. Seven patients were enrolled. No intraoperative conversions or complications were observed. The median hospital stay was 3 days, median blood loss was 10 mL, and the median lymph node yield was 7 (range; 5-19). No patients experienced Clavien-Dindo grade II or higher complications within 30 days. Single-port robotic staging using the da Vinci SP system appears to be a safe and feasible option for selected patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in apparently early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To evaluate the detection rate, sensitivity, and negative predictive value (NPV) of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in patients with apparently early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). A systematic search of multiple electronic databases was conducted from inception to October 31, 2025. Studies reporting detection rate, sensitivity, and NPV of SLN biopsy in apparently early-stage EOC, with completion pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy as reference standard, were included. Study selection, risk-of-bias assessment, and data extraction were independently performed by four reviewers. Pooled estimates with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models on a per-patient basis and by anatomical site. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I Fourteen studies comprising 365 patients were included. Most studies used indocyanine green injected into the infundibulopelvic ligament for para-aortic mapping and the utero-ovarian ligament for pelvic mapping. The pooled para-aortic detection rate was 79.9 % (95 %CI 66.1-91.4 %; I In apparently early-stage EOC, SLN biopsy shows acceptable para-aortic detection but limited pelvic detection. Nonetheless, sensitivity and NPV indicate high diagnostic accuracy. Further studies are needed to optimize pelvic mapping strategies and confirm these findings. At present, sentinel lymph node mapping in apparently early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer should be regarded as investigational and not as standard of care.

It is time to implement molecular classification in endometrial cancer

A huge effort has been done in redefining endometrial cancer (EC) risk classes in the last decade. However, known prognostic factors (FIGO staging and grading, biomolecular classification and ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classes stratification) are not able to predict outcomes and especially recurrences. Biomolecular classification has helped in re-classifying patients for a more appropriate adjuvant treatment and clinical studies suggest that currently used molecular classification improves the risk assessment of women with EC, however, it does not clearly explain differences in recurrence profiles. Furthermore, a lack of evidence appears in EC guidelines. Here, we summarize the main concepts why molecular classification is not enough in the management of endometrial cancer, by highlighting some promising innovative examples in scientific literature studies with a clinical potential significant impact.

Beyond Sentinel Lymph Node: Outcomes of Indocyanine Green-Guided Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Endometrial and Cervical Cancer

Background: The aim of our study was to compare the number of lymph nodes removed during indocyanine green (ICG)-guided laparoscopic/robotic pelvic lymphadenectomy with standard systematic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer (EC) and cervical cancer (CC). Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective comparative study (Clinical Trial ID: NCT04246580; updated on 31 January 2023). Women affected by EC and CC who underwent laparoscopic/robotic systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy, with (cases) or without (controls) the use of ICG tracer injection within the uterine cervix, were included in the study. Results: The two groups were homogeneous for age (p = 0.08), Body Mass Index, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages (p = 0.41 for EC; p = 0.17 for CC), median estimated blood loss (p = 0.76), median operative time (p = 0.59), and perioperative complications (p = 0.66). Nevertheless, the number of lymph nodes retrieved during surgery was significantly higher (p = 0.005) in the ICG group (n = 18) compared with controls (n = 16). Conclusions: The accurate and precise dissection achieved with the use of the ICG-guided procedure was associated with a higher number of lymph nodes removed in the case of systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy for EC and CC.

Risks factors for anastomotic leakage in advanced ovarian cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarise the available evidence on the pre- and intra-operative risk factors for anastomotic leakage (AL) after bowel resection and anastomosis for ovarian cancer (OC). We searched online databases from Pubmed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library from inception to October 2020. Pre- and intra-operative risk factors for AL were considered as the primary outcomes. Research heterogeneity and bias were evaluated by I The overall AL rate after OC surgery (median ± SD) was 5.3 ± 12% (277 AL on 5178 anastomoses). Thirteen non-randomised studies were included in the meta-analysis enrolling a total of 3274 patients. Pre albumin level ≤ 3 gr/dl, multiple bowel resections and primary cytoreductive surgery were associated with a significantly high risk of AL with a pooled OR of 5.29 (95% CI: 1.51-18.59), OR = 4.4 (95% CI: 1.19-16.66) and OR = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.05-2.77), respectively. Optimal cytoreduction, ASA score, ascites, and protective stoma were not associated with an increased risk of AL. Based on the best available evidence, preoperative albumin level <3 gr/dl, multiple bowel resections and primary cytoreductive surgery were associated with an increased risk for AL after bowel surgery for OC.

Patterns of recurrence in FIGO stage IB1-IB2 cervical cancer: Comparison between minimally invasive and abdominal radical hysterectomy

Aim of our study was to evaluate whether the different laparotomic (ARH) or minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) approaches (MIS) in FIGO stage IB1-IB2 cervical cancer, present different patterns of recurrence of the disease. The secondary endpoint of the study was the evaluation of the variables most involved with the risk of relapse and therefore lower DFS and OS. The study enrolled patients with definitive histological diagnosis of squamous or adenocarcinoma stage IB1-IB2 cervical cancer who underwent minimally invasive or abdominal radical hysterectomy from 2001 to 2018. The study enrolled 360 patients and 59 patients (16.4 %) reported a disease relapse. The data showed that ARH group was not associated with different recurrence patterns than MIS group (p = 0.14). Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference regarding DFS (p = 0.52) and OS (p = 0.29) between the ARH group and the MIS group. MIS, in FIGO stage IB1-IB2 cervical cancer, is not associated with different relapse patterns compared to ARH, nor with a higher risk of distance metastasis and finally, without significant difference in term of DFS and OS. More studies are needed to determine the factors that modify the site of relapse.

Contribution of Preserving the Superior Left Colic Artery to the Vascularization of the Descending Colon Prior to Colorectal Anastomosis During Left-Sided or Rectal Resections for Colorectal or Ovarian Cancer. (Revascularisation Colique)

Colorectal cancers and ovarian cancers are respectively the 2nd and 5th cause of cancer mortality in France. Surgical resection is a crucial step in the therapeutic management of colorectal cancers. For advanced ovarian cancers, the objective of cytoreductive surgery is to obtain complete macroscopic resection with no visible residual disease. One or more digestive resections are often required to achieve this goal of complete surgery (usually a modified posterior pelvic exenteration with colorectal resection). A ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery at its origin is classically performed in left colectomies and rectal resection for colorectal cancers. This allows the resection of the colorectal segment with a complete mesocolic lymphadenectomy until the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery and a good mobilization of the descending colon to allow its anastomosis to the underlying rectal stump. This ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery at its origin is also frequently performed in cases of modified posterior pelvic exenteration for ovarian cancer. Recently, several studies suggest that arterial ligation of the inferior mesenteric artery could be performed below the emergence of the left colic artery. Its preservation requiring a meticulous vascular dissection would allow a better vascularization of the descending colon and of the colorectal anastomosis without affecting the carcinologic quality of the resection and the number of resected lymph-nodes. Indeed, the most feared complication during colorectal anastomosis is the anastomotic leakage whose rates are on average 15% in rectal cancer with low anastomosis and 6% in ovarian cancers. Verifying the adequate vascularization of the descending colon before performing the colorectal anastomosis is a crucial step in reducing the risk of postoperative fistula. However, quantifying this vascularization is challenging, and several techniques can be used to assess it. The gold standard technique involves measuring arterial pressure using a catheter inserted into the marginal artery of the descending colon. Other non-invasive techniques also use Doppler studies to calculate pressure in the marginal artery or assess oxygen saturation using a sterile sensor. Studies have shown that the use of indocyanine green in colorectal surgery, particularly to evaluate perfusion before the creation of an anastomosis, significantly reduces the rate of anastomotic leakage. Indocyanine green is a fluorescent dye that, after intravenous injection, binds to plasma proteins and allows tissue perfusion to be visualized using a fluorescence system. The objective of this project is to show that the preservation of the left colic artery is possible and allows a better vascularization of the descending colon before colorectal anastomosis.

Evaluation of Indocyanine Green-guided Systematic Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Endometrial and Cervical Cancer

The lymph nodes involvement is one of the most important prognostic factors in endometrial (EC) and cervical cancer (CC). Indeed, the lymph node involvement in cancer patients modifies the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and plays a pivotal role in the choice of the adjuvant therapy. Since the modern imaging techniques are not yet able to accurately detect lymph nodes metastasis, pelvic systematic lymphadenectomy has still an important role and it still represents the gold standard in EC and CC. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, which is a standard practice in breast cancer and melanoma, is often used in some early stage gynaecological cancers such as EC and CC. Indocyanine green (ICG) is the most used tracer for the detection of SLN in gynaecological cancer, especially in laparoendoscopic setting. ICG allows a complete visualization of the lymphatic drainage and, for this reason, it may be used even in systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy to guide the surgeon during the procedure. Several studies have demonstrated an advantage of the ICG-guided lymphadenectomy in other types of cancers, showing a higher number of lymph nodes removed with this technique when compared to standard lymphadenectomy (without ICG). To date, there is no published study about ICG-guided systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy in EC and CC. In this scenario, the aim of this study will be to compare systematic ICG-guided pelvic lymphadenectomy and standard lymphadenectomy in EC and CC.