Nerve-sparing surgery in current gynecologic oncology

Nerve-sparing surgery is currently a very important topic in gynecologic oncology. In this review, it is shown that radical hysterectomy is not the only operation where the nerve-sparing technique can be used. Most surgical procedures in modern gynecologic oncology should spare the autonomic nerve structures. The review includes recently published articles precisely describing the nerve-sparing techniques in paraaortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy, and the modern approach to radical nerve-sparing hysterectomy. It has been shown in the literature that the quality of life of patients is directly dependent on the operation technique and its extension. As mentioned above, the nerve-sparing technique needs to be used not only in surgical procedures for cervical cancer, but more extensively also for endometrial and ovarian cancers. Modern techniques demonstrate that such an operation can be suitable both for the radicality and improved quality of life. Results of such operations are comparable to the old – not nerve-sparing techniques – both in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival. Nerve-sparing surgery in gynecologic oncology is our future. Better quality of life and greater patient satisfaction should be our goals. Studies are needed for better examination and comparison of the presented systematic nerve-sparing operations of lymphadenectomy in ovarian and endometrial cancers, and also combined with nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy.