Minimally Invasive versus Open Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy in Patients with Cervical Cancer

This presentation, titled “Minimally Invasive vs Open Abdominal Hysterectomy in Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review of Postoperative and Intraoperative Complications and Survival Outcomes,” was presented at the 4th Edition of the Global Conference on Gynecology & Women’s Health (Gynec 2026), held in London in September 2026. The presentation examines the comparative safety and oncological outcomes of minimally invasive hysterectomy (laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches) versus open abdominal radical hysterectomy in women undergoing surgical management of cervical cancer. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, using searches of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Sixteen studies involving 24,096 patients were included. The review evaluated postoperative and intraoperative complications, operating time, estimated blood loss, overall survival and disease-free survival. Methodological quality was assessed using the RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE framework. The findings suggested that minimally invasive hysterectomy was associated with fewer postoperative complications and lower estimated blood loss, although operating times were longer. Oncological outcomes, including overall and disease-free survival, were comparable but marginally favoured open abdominal hysterectomy. Interpretation of the findings was limited by heterogeneity between studies, potential selection bias and the predominantly retrospective nature of the available evidence. This presentation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the optimal surgical approach for cervical cancer and the importance of balancing perioperative benefits against long-term oncological safety. It also discusses the implications for clinical practice and the need for further high-quality prospective research. Author: Nisha Bhavin ThankiInstitution: Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of LondonConference: 4th Edition of the Global Conference on Gynecology & Women’s Health (Gynec 2026)Location and date: London, September 2026