STELLA Trial: Transperitoneal vs. Extraperitoneal Approach for Laparoscopic Staging of Endometrial/Ovarian Cancer

STELLA Trial: Staging of Endometrial and Ovarian Cancer Comparing the Transperitoneal vs. Extraperitoneal Approach for Laparoscopic Lymphadenectomy of Aortic Nodes

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the extraperitoneal approach is better than the transperitoneal approach for laparoscopic aortic lymphadenectomy for the surgical staging of endometrial or ovarian cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of endometrial cancer confirmed by histopathological analysis (endometrial biopsy) requiring surgical staging according to FIGO (the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) recommendations
• Diagnosis of ovarian cancer confirmed by histopathological analysis after an initial cystectomy or oophorectomy without suspicion of neoplasia thus requiring additional surgical staging according to FIGO recommendations

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of advanced endometrial cancer based on findings on imaging techniques (CT, MRI and/or PET)
• Diagnosis of advanced endometrial or ovarian cancer based on intraoperative findings (e.g. peritoneal carcinomatosis at initial laparoscopy)
• Patients who underwent previous aortic lymphadenectomy
• Patients who received previous pelvic and/or aortic radiotherapy