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Editorial
June 11, 2020

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Gynecologic Cancers—A Cautionary Tale

Author Affiliations
  • 1Division Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
JAMA Oncol. 2020;6(7):991-993. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.1617

The introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for the treatment of patients with cancer more than 2 decades ago generated enthusiasm as well as considerable concerns regarding its effectiveness and safety.1 Subsequent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing laparoscopy with open surgery in colon and endometrial cancer reported fewer complications and shorter recovery times for laparoscopy vs open surgical procedures and no overall difference in survival between the 2 approaches.2-4 These trials provided reassuring evidence regarding the noninferiority of MIS to open procedures and were followed by a rapid adoption of MIS for the treatment of gynecologic cancers worldwide.

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