Laparoscopy in gynaecological cancer

The use of laparoscopy in the management of gynaecological malignancies has significantly increased over the last 5 years. Patients with cervical, vaginal, endometrial and ovarian cancer can be managed laparoscopically either for staging or for treating. The feasibility of procedures through the laparoscope (such as hysterectomies, bilateral oophorectomies, pelvic and para aortic lymphadenectomies, omentectomies, colostomies, bowel resections, oophoropexies, radical hysterectomies and ovarian cancer debulking) has been demonstrated by skilled gynaecologists. Many of these procedures have been heralded as avant garde 'surgical standards' without appropriate evaluation of efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency. Larger series of patients have now replaced case reports to try to answer the numerous unanswered questions regarding the value of these procedures. Several prospective trials were begun to compare laparotomy and laparoscopy. If the results of these trials confirm the hope, laparoscopic management of gynaecological malignancies will leave the limited club of specialists to become a widely used technique. But the patients will benefit from laparoscopic procedures only when in the hands of well-trained surgeons.