Data collection
Parameters were extracted from the institutional medical records. The
clinical, surgical, histopathological and follow-up data collected from
medical records included: age at diagnosis, body mass index (BMI, in
kg/m2), history of abdominal surgery, ASA
classification (American Society of Anaesthesiologists), FIGO stage
(2009), type of procedure, tumour histology and size, lymph vascular
space invasion (LVSI), nodal count and status, parametrial involvement,
vaginal involvement, positive resection margins, adjuvant or adjusted
treatment (the latter due to intraoperative finding of positive lymph
nodes), disease recurrence, time and sites of recurrence and survival
information. Disease recurrence was defined as the local and/or distant
(outside the inner pelvis) presence of malignant tissue originating from
the primary tumour, determined clinically, radiographically and/or
histopathologically. Death records were verified using the municipal
Personal Records Database.
Oncological follow-up was performed for a total of five years according
to national guidelines consisting of ambulant visits to a gynaecological
oncologist at intermissions of three months (first year), four months
(second year) and six months up to five years of follow-up.