Use and benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy for stage I endometrial cancer among medicare beneficiaries.

Purpose: Laparoscopic hysterectomy is associated with shorter hospital stays, less postoperative pain, and earlier resumption of activity. We analyzed predictors of access to laparoscopy and compared the outcomes of laparoscopic and open hysterectomy for stage I endometrial cancer.

Methods: Using the SEER-Medicare database we examined women 65 years of age with stage I endometrial cancer who underwent hysterectomy between 1997 and 2005. The associations of patient, tumor, and physician-related factors with use of laparoscopic hysterectomy were analyzed. Surgical quality, morbidity, and survival were compared.

Results: We identified 8,545 patients, including 8,018 (93.8%) who underwent abdominal hysterectomy and 527 (6.2%) who had a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Performance of laparoscopic hysterectomy increased from 3.9% in 1997 to 8.5% in 2005. More recent year of diagnosis, younger age, white race, fewer comorbidities, higher socioeconomic status, lower tumor grade and stage, and residence in a metropolitan area were associated with use of laparoscopy (P < .05 for each). Physician characteristics associated with performance of laparoscopy included training in the United States, specialization in gynecologic oncology, academic practice, and later year of graduation (P < .05 for all). Surgical site complications (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.71) and medical complications (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.95) were less common in patients who underwent laparoscopy. The route of hysterectomy had no effect on cancer-specific survival (OR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.38 to 1.44).

Conclusion: Despite the fact that laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer results in fewer complications, uptake has been slow.