Sentinel Node Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer

(ENDO-3 Trial)

Recruiting at 29 trial locations

Overseen By Grace Ngiam

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Phase 3

Sponsor: Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer

Disqualifiers: Extrauterine disease, Enlarged lymph nodes, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Pivotal Trial (Near Approval) This treatment is in the last trial phase before FDA approval

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

760 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a new method for treating endometrial cancer, the most common type of gynecological cancer. The researchers compare the traditional removal of lymph nodes with a new technique called sentinel node biopsy (also known as sentinel lymph node biopsy or SLNB), which uses a special dye to identify cancer spread more precisely. The aim is to determine if this new method is as safe and effective but with fewer side effects, such as swelling (lymphedema). Women diagnosed with early-stage endometrial cancer, where the disease hasn't spread beyond the uterus, might be suitable for this trial. As a Phase 3 trial, this treatment is in the final step before FDA approval, offering participants a chance to contribute to potentially groundbreaking advancements in cancer care.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that the Sentinel Node Biopsy is safe for endometrial cancer patients?

Research has shown that sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is generally safe for individuals with endometrial cancer. Studies have found that SNB is becoming a common procedure due to its cost-effectiveness and patient tolerance. One study highlighted its safety, noting its successful use in treating endometrial cancer.

Patients have reported that SNB may cause less swelling from lymph fluid buildup (lymphedema) compared to more invasive procedures, suggesting it might have fewer side effects. While every procedure carries risks, these findings indicate that SNB appears to be safe. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatment?

Researchers are excited about Sentinel Node Biopsy (SNB) for endometrial cancer because it offers a more targeted approach compared to the standard care involving extensive lymph node removal. Unlike traditional methods, SNB uses Indocyanine Green (ICG) and sometimes Methylene Blue Dye to precisely identify sentinel lymph nodes, potentially reducing surgical complications and preserving more healthy tissue. This technique is less invasive, which could lead to quicker recovery times and fewer side effects for patients. By focusing only on the most relevant lymph nodes, SNB aims to maintain the effectiveness of cancer staging while minimizing the impact on patients.

What evidence suggests that Sentinel Node Biopsy is effective for endometrial cancer?

Studies have shown that sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is becoming a common procedure for endometrial cancer. It checks if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes with less harm than traditional methods. Instead of removing all lymph nodes, SNB uses a special dye to identify the first few lymph nodes where cancer might spread. This reduces the risk of complications like lymphedema, which is swelling caused by lymph fluid buildup. Research indicates that SNB is cost-effective and provides reliable information about the cancer’s status. Patients experience fewer problems with swelling and a quicker return to normal activities compared to more invasive techniques. In this trial, one group will undergo Total Laparoscopic/Robotic Hysterectomy, Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (TH BSO) with SNB, making it a promising option for those needing surgery for endometrial cancer. ^{1 3 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Andreas Obermair, Prof

Principal Investigator

Director, Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer Research

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for women over 18 with early-stage endometrial cancer, confirmed by tissue analysis. They should be physically able to undergo laparoscopic or robotic surgery and have no signs of cancer outside the uterus. Women under 45 wishing to keep their ovaries can join if they have a specific low-grade tumor with limited invasion.

Inclusion Criteria

My doctor approves me for surgery using a robot or through small cuts.

I am fully active or can carry out light work.

Negative (serum or urine) pregnancy test ≤ 30 days of surgery in pre-menopausal women and women < 2 years after the onset of menopause.

Exclusion Criteria

Estimated life expectancy of less than 6 months

Patient compliance and geographic proximity that do not allow adequate follow-up

Patients with allergy to Indocyanine Green (ICG)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Surgery

Participants undergo Total Laparoscopic/Robotic Hysterectomy, Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy with or without Sentinel Node Biopsy

At time of surgery

Recovery and Initial Follow-up

Participants are monitored for recovery, adverse events, and return to usual activities

12 months

Regular follow-up visits as per institutional guidelines

Long-term Follow-up

Participants are monitored for disease-free survival and recurrence

4.5 years

3 monthly visits for the first 3 years, then 6 monthly until 4.5 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Sentinel Node Biopsy

Trial Overview The study compares traditional surgical removal of reproductive organs in endometrial cancer patients with and without sentinel node biopsy (SNB), which uses dye to identify key lymph nodes for removal. The aim is to see if SNB can replace more extensive surgery without compromising patient outcomes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: TH BSO with SNB Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Total Laparoscopic/Robotic Hysterectomy, Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (TH BSO) with Sentinel Node Biopsy (SNB) using Indocyanine Green (ICG)+/- Methylene Blue Dye (+/- omentectomy in high risk cell types) Note: If participants (≤45 years of age), have Grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC) with myometrial invasion \<50% (by MRI) and wish to retain their ovaries a BSO may be omitted.

Group II: TH BSO without retroperitoneal node dissection Active Control 1 Intervention

Total Laparoscopic/Robotic Hysterectomy, Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (TH BSO) without retroperitoneal node dissection (+/- omentectomy in high risk cell types) Note: If participants (≤45 years of age), have Grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC) with myometrial invasion \<50% (by MRI) and wish to retain their ovaries a BSO may be omitted.

Sentinel Node Biopsy is already approved in European Union, United States, Canada for the following indications:

Approved in European Union as Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for:

• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Melanoma

Approved in United States as Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for:

• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Melanoma
• Penile cancer

Approved in Canada as Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for:

• Endometrial cancer
• Breast cancer
• Melanoma

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer

Lead Sponsor

Trials

17

Recruited

5,100+

The University of Queensland

Collaborator

Trials

149

Recruited

71,700+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 88 patients with intermediate- and high-risk endometrial cancer, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) demonstrated a high detection rate of 96.6%, allowing for effective identification of nodal metastases, particularly low volume metastasis (LVM).

The results suggest that SLNB can potentially replace full lymphadenectomy in intermediate-risk patients due to its high sensitivity (90%) and negative predictive value (97.5%), while for high-risk patients, full lymph node dissection may still be necessary.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Avoiding Full Lymphadenectomies in Intermediate- and High-Risk Endometrial Cancer by Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Implementation. Pineda, VG., Zapardiel, I., Gracia, M., et al.[2022]

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping shows high detection rates and diagnostic accuracy in high-grade endometrial cancer, similar to its effectiveness in low-grade cases, based on current literature.

Current studies indicate that SLN mapping does not lead to inferior survival outcomes compared to traditional lymphadenectomy, although more prospective studies are needed to assess long-term results.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Node Biopsy in High-Grade Uterine Cancers. How, JA., Frumovitz, M., Stewart, KI., et al.[2023]

In a study of 90 patients with early-stage endometrial cancer, those who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) reported significantly better quality of life (QoL) outcomes compared to those who had more invasive lymphadenectomy (LND), particularly in physical status and symptom management.

The SLNB group experienced less impact on sleep quality, pain, and dyspnoea, and also reported better sexual quality of life, indicating that SLNB is a beneficial surgical approach that enhances overall patient well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sentinel Lymph Node Impact on the Quality of Life of Patients with Endometrial Cancer. García-Pineda, V., Hernández, A., Garrido-Mallach, S., et al.[2023]

The ENDO-3 trial is a phase III randomized non-inferiority study involving 760 women with stage 1 endometrial cancer, comparing the outcomes of sentinel node biopsy versus no retroperitoneal node dissection, focusing on surgical recovery and disease-free survival.

The primary goal is to determine if sentinel node biopsy does not negatively impact recovery or increase morbidity compared to no-node dissection, with results expected by December 2024.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A phase III randomized clinical trial comparing sentinel node biopsy with no retroperitoneal node dissection in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer - ENDO-3: ANZGOG trial 1911/2020. Obermair, A., Nicklin, J., Gebski, V., et al.[2022]

This study aims to determine if sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy without systematic lymphadenectomy negatively affects oncological outcomes in endometrial cancer, focusing on 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival over a 5-year period.

The trial will involve 178 participants and assess not only survival rates but also the impact on morbidity, lower limb lymphedema, and quality of life, with results expected by 2027.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sentinel lymph node mapping versus sentinel lymph node mapping with systematic lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomized trial (ALICE trial). Baiocchi, G., Andrade, CEMC., Ribeiro, R., et al.[2022]

In a prospective study involving 10 patients with endometrial cancer, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was successfully performed, allowing for the identification of sentinel lymph nodes in 8 out of 10 patients, demonstrating the technique's feasibility.

The results showed that SLNB accurately reflected the pathological status of the patients, with only one case of tumor metastasis found in the sentinel lymph nodes, indicating that this method is practical and safe for staging endometrial cancer.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sentinel node identification and intraoperative lymphatic mapping. First results of a pilot study in patients with endometrial cancer. Fersis, N., Gruber, I., Relakis, K., et al.[2020]

In a study of 69 patients with early-stage endometrial cancer, the sentinel node (SLN) mapping algorithm demonstrated a 100% sensitivity in detecting node positivity, significantly outperforming SLN mapping alone, which had a sensitivity of only 77.8%.

The SLN mapping algorithm was particularly effective in identifying positive nodes in high-risk endometrial cancer subtypes, where SLN mapping alone had a high false-negative rate of 42.9%, highlighting the importance of following the algorithm for accurate staging and treatment planning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A prospective evaluation of the sentinel node mapping algorithm in endometrial cancer and correlation of its performance against endometrial cancer risk subtypes. Rajanbabu, A., Agarwal, R.[2018]

In a study of 301 patients with early-stage endometrial carcinoma, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was found to have similar oncological outcomes in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival compared to complete lymph node dissection, indicating its effectiveness as a less invasive option.

The SLN biopsy group experienced significantly shorter surgical durations, suggesting that this method may reduce surgical risks and recovery time without compromising cancer treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of oncological outcomes between sentinel lymph node biopsy and complete lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. Makroum, AA., Lee, YJ., Lee, JY., et al.[2023]

In a study of 6,414 women with early-stage endometrial cancer, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy was found to significantly increase the likelihood of detecting micrometastasis compared to traditional lymphadenectomy, particularly in T1a and T1b disease.

The results indicated a 90% higher chance of identifying micrometastasis in T1a cases and a 68% higher chance in T1b cases when using SLN biopsy, suggesting that this method may enhance the detection of cancer spread in early-stage endometrial cancer.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Association between sentinel lymph node biopsy and micrometastasis in endometrial cancer. Matsuo, K., Klar, M., Khetan, VU., et al.[2022]

A study involving 108 patients and 126 gynecologists found that both groups generally preferred sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer, with patients showing a mean preference score of 4.29.

Key factors influencing patient preferences included the potential for survival gain, travel time to the hospital, and the risk of complications from subsequent radiotherapy, highlighting the importance of these factors in patient counseling regarding SLN mapping.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patients' and gynecologists' views on sentinel lymph node mapping in low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer: a Dutch vignette study. Aarts, JWM., Burg, LC., Kasius, JC., et al.[2021]

In a study of 74 patients with endometrial cancer, sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping was successfully achieved in 62.1% of cases, with detection rates improving significantly from 50% to 84.6% after the first 30 cases, indicating that surgeon experience plays a crucial role in the success of this technique.

The use of methylene blue dye resulted in a higher detection rate (74.3%) compared to patent blue dye (52.3%), and factors such as high body mass index (BMI) and lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) were associated with lower success rates in SLN mapping.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Robotic blue-dye sentinel lymph node detection for endometrial cancer - Factors predicting successful mapping. Eitan, R., Sabah, G., Krissi, H., et al.[2015]

The sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy demonstrated a high sensitivity of 93.7% for detecting nodal disease in a study of 892 patients with early-stage endometrial adenocarcinoma, indicating its effectiveness in clinical settings.

Patients with macrometastases had significantly lower overall and disease-free survival rates compared to those with negative nodes or low-volume disease, highlighting the importance of accurate staging for tailoring adjuvant treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Accuracy and Survival Outcomes after National Implementation of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stage Endometrial Cancer. Cabrera, S., Gómez-Hidalgo, NR., García-Pineda, V., et al.[2023]

In a study of 108 endometrial cancer patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery with sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping, the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was an impressive 95.4%, indicating strong long-term outcomes for this approach.

The study also reported a low rate of treatment complications, with the most common being peripheral neuropathy (9.3%), suggesting that SLN mapping is a safe alternative to traditional lymphadenectomy in managing endometrial cancer.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Long-term outcome in endometrial cancer patients after robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery with sentinel lymph node mapping". Jebens Nordskar, N., Hagen, B., V Vesterfjell, E., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11430083/

Sentinel Lymph Node Assessment in Endometrial Cancer Sentinel lymph node assessment is becoming a standard of care procedure in patients with surgically treatable endometrial cancer due to its cost-effectiveness.

2. ejgo.org ejgo.org/DOIx.php?id=10.3802/jgo.2024.35.e29

Sentinel node mapping in endometrial cancer Sentinel node mapping aims to achieve data regarding nodal status without increasing morbidity. Sentinel node mapping is the removal of first ( ...

3. gynecologiconcology-online.net gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(24)00157-4/abstract

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in high-risk endometrial cancer Patient-reported outcomes after surgery for endometrial carcinoma: prevalence of lower-extremity lymphedema after sentinel lymph node mapping versus ...

4. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/24/4240

The Cost-Effectiveness of Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping ... This study examined the cost-effectiveness of sentinel lymph node mapping versus routine pelvic lymphadenectomy for assessing lymph nodes in patients with high ...

5. sgo.org sgo.org/resources/the-role-of-sentinel-lymph-node-mapping-in-endometrial-cancer/

The Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Endometrial ... According to a survey of SGO members, 28.6% of respondents performed SLN mapping, 16.7% with the exclusion of pelvic lymphadenectomy, and 54% of ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048891X25017712

Outcomes of sentinel lymph node mapping algorithm for ... Investigate the utilization and oncologic outcomes of sentinel lymph node algorithm for patients with locally advanced endometrial cancer ( ...

7. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1584447/full

Long-term outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer ... Objective: This study aimed to assess the prognosis of endometrial cancer (EC) patients after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or lymph ...