Comparison of Sentinel Lymph Node Applications in Endometrial Cancer Cases Performed With Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (V-NOTES) and Conventional Laparoscopy

Endometrial cancer is a common cancer in women, and surgery is usually the first step in treatment. During surgery, doctors often check nearby lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread. A newer method called sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping allows doctors to examine only the first few lymph nodes most likely to contain cancer. This can reduce the need for removing many lymph nodes and may lower the risk of complications.

Minimally invasive surgery is commonly performed using small abdominal incisions (laparoscopy). A newer technique, called vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES), allows the surgery to be performed through the vagina without any cuts on the abdomen. This approach may lead to less pain, quicker recovery, and no visible scars.

This study will compare these two surgical methods-laparoscopy and vNOTES-in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer. Researchers will look at how safe and effective each method is, how patients recover after surgery, and how well the sentinel lymph node procedure works with each technique. The study will also examine how quickly surgeons become experienced with the newer vNOTES method.

The goal of this research is to determine whether vNOTES can be a safe and effective alternative to standard laparoscopic surgery, while offering potential benefits for patients.