Lymph node involvement in deep infiltrating intestinal endometriosis: does it really mean anything?

Study Objective: To review our data for any correlation between the severity of endometriosis and lymph node involvement. Design: Observational study with control (Canadian Task Force classification III). Setting: Public medical center. Patients: All women who underwent laparoscopic segmental rectal resection for endometriosis at our institution (Sacro Cuore Negrar Hospital) between 2000 and 2010. Interventions: We retrospectively included 140 cases of colorectal surgery for intestinal endometriosis performed between 2004 and 2010 in our institution. Based on histopathological analysis of specimens, we divided our population into 2 groups: 70 patients with lymph node involvement and 70 patients without lymph node involvement. Measurements and Main Results: No statistical correlation was found between the positivity of lymph nodes and the rate of intestinal stenosis, the histopathological specimen infiltration rate and depth and the intestinal recurrence rate. Only a poor correlation was found with preoperative CA-125 serous levels. Conclusion: The presence of lymph nodes involvement in intestinal resection specimens does not modify the natural history of the disease. The reason of its presence still has to be determined.