Surgical Oncology

LEOPARD: low nodal metastasis in early-stage endometrioid ovarian carcinoma supports selective lymph node sampling

Large multinational cohort of 721 centrally reviewed ENOC cases found nodal metastases in 2.6% of presumed early-stage cases. No nodal metastases occurred in pelvic-confined, grade 1 tumors (0/171), supporting omission of LNS in this subgroup. When LNS was performed, systematic lymph node sampling detected more metastases than sampling alone (5.3% vs 1.6%). Grade, stage, and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy independently predicted prognosis, suggesting tailored, type-specific management. 1

Chinese qualitative study: seven themes shape cancer trial participation decisions

Multistage qualitative analysis of 11 interviews and 219 screened online comments identified seven core themes affecting trial willingness. Key drivers included treatment expectations, financial burden, uncertain efficacy, control-group concerns, limited knowledge, misconceptions, and physician trust. LLM-assisted analyses aligned with investigator-led findings and highlighted regional and family-involved decision factors. Findings support patient-centered, culturally tailored recruitment and clearer communication about risks, benefits, and costs. 2

Perioperative transfusion independently associates with worse survival after colorectal cancer resection

Retrospective cohort of 1777 CRC resections found 41.0% received perioperative blood transfusion; after propensity matching, transfusion linked to poorer OS (HR 1.44). Massive-volume transfusion (>4 units) carried the worst prognosis and independent risk (HR 1.61). No independent survival association was seen with preoperative inflammatory markers or transfusion timing/type in supplementary analyses. Authors recommend restrictive transfusion strategies but acknowledge observational design cannot prove causality. 3