Clinicopathological Disparities Between Superficial and Vanishing Endometrial Cancer

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to compare the clinicopathological characteristics and oncologic outcomes of patients with vanishing endometrial cancer (VEC) and superficial endometrial cancer (SEC). Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 130 patients diagnosed with stage IA endometrial cancer who underwent surgery at Başkent University School of Medicine from 2007 to 2023. Data including age, body mass index (BMI), histopathological type, lymphovascular space invasion, and survival outcomes were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Results: Among the 130 patients, 40 (30.8%) had VEC and 90 (69.2%) had SEC. The median age was 55 years, and the median follow-up was 74.5 months. The 5-year DFS and OS rates were 99.2% and 97.5%, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. Patients with VEC were younger and had a lower mean BMI compared to those with SEC. Rates of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia and hyperplasia were similar across the groups. Conclusion: VEC is a rare entity that requires surgical intervention, as a significant proportion of patients exhibit hyperplasia or EIN in surgical specimens. The comparable survival outcomes for VEC and SEC suggest that current management strategies can yield favorable prognoses for both, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring to avoid undertreatment of VEC cases.