Impact of Surgical Staging in Women with Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of surgical staging in the treatment and outcome of women with locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: Ninety-eight women with locally advanced cervical cancer treated between 1993 and 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. Survival probabilities were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and compared with the log-rank test. RESULTS: Of the 98 women treated over the 5-year period, 86 were surgically staged: 61 by a retroperitoneal approach, 18 by laparoscopy, and 7 by laparotomy. Median blood loss was 120 cc and median length of hospitalization was 3 days. Preoperative CT scans (n = 55), when compared with surgical findings, missed macroscopic nodal disease in 20% and microscopic disease in 15% and overcalled disease in 10% of cases. Lymph node metastases were found in 45/86 patients (52%): 12 microscopic and 33 macroscopic. The highest level of nodes found to be involved was pelvic in 23, common iliac nodes in 3, para-aortic nodes in 14, and scalene nodes in 5 cases. Of the 86 patients, 49 received pelvic radiation, 27 received extended field radiation, and 10 were identified for palliative treatment only (5 scalene node metastasis, 5 extensive intraperitoneal disease). For node-negative patients, 5-year survival was 74%; for microscopic nodal involvement it was 58%; and for macroscopic involvement it was 39% (P = 0.007). Five-year survival for women with para-aortic node involvement was 52%. Number of nodes involved was a significant prognostic variable (P = 0.008). Patients who received chemotherapy had a 5-year survival of 68% compared to 35% for those who did not (P = 0.06). Factors which did not affect survival included age, histology, type of surgery, stage, and type of radiation (pelvic vs extended). CONCLUSION: Surgical staging of women with locally advanced cervical cancer can be performed with acceptable morbidity and it provided more accurate information than CT scans and resulted in a modification of the standard pelvic radiation field for 43% of our patients. The information obtained from surgical staging allows better individualization of therapy, which may improve overall clinical outcome.     

根治性同步放化疗前淋巴结清扫在局部晚期宫颈癌诊疗中的意义

宫颈癌是威胁女性健康的第四大肿瘤,分期主要基于临床检查。2018年10月国际妇产科联盟(FIGO对宫颈癌分期进行了修改,强调了盆腔及腹主动脉旁淋巴结的转移情况。对于根治性同步放化疗的患者,淋巴结转移与放疗肿瘤控制率密切相关。由于腹主动脉旁淋巴结转移的情况决定了是否扩大放疗照射野,放疗对于较大的淋巴结控制效果不理想,因此在根治性放化疗前手术评估淋巴结情况、切除增大的淋巴结,有助于分期及减瘤,进行个体化的治疗。但手术分期为有创操作,存在相关风险,可能推迟放疗起始时间,缺乏前瞻性的随机对照研究,此治疗方式并未被广泛认可。综述根治性放化疗前手术清扫淋巴结分期的相关文献。     

Laparoscopic Debulking of Enlarged Pelvic Nodes during Surgical Para-aortic Staging in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study

Study ObjectiveTo evaluate laparoscopic pelvic lymph node debulking during extraperitoneal aortic lymphadenectomy in diagnosis, therapeutic planning, and prognosis of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer and enlarged lymph nodes on imaging before chemoradiotherapy.DesignRetrospective, multicenter, comparative cohort study.SettingThe study was carried out at 11 hospitals with specialized gynecologic oncology units in Spain.PatientsTotal of 381 women with locally advanced cervical cancer and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2018 stage IIIC 1r (radiologic) and higher who received primary treatment with chemoradiotherapy.InterventionsPatients underwent pelvic lymph node debulking and para-aortic lymphadenectomy (group 1), only para-aortic lymphadenectomy (group 2), or no lymph node surgical staging (group 3). On the basis of pelvic node histology, group 1 was subdivided as negative (group 1A) or positive (group 1B).Measurements and Main ResultsFalse positives and negatives of imaging tests, disease-free survival, overall survival, and postoperative complications were evaluated.In group 1, pelvic lymph node involvement was 43.3% (71 of 164), and aortic involvement was 24.4% (40 of 164). In group 2, aortic nodes were positive in 29.7% (33 of 111). Disease-free survival and overall survival were similar in the 3 groups (p = .95) and in groups 1A and 1B (p = .25). No differences were found between groups 1 and 2 in intraoperative (3.7% vs 2.7%, p = .744), early postoperative (8.0% vs 6.3%, p = .776), or late postoperative complications (6.1% vs 2.7%, p = .252). Fewer early and late complications were attributed to radiotherapy in group 1A than in the others (p = .022).ConclusionLaparoscopic pelvic lymph node debulking during para-aortic staging surgery in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer with suspicious nodes allows for the confirmation of metastatic lymph nodes without affecting survival or increasing surgical complications. This information improves the selection of patients requiring boost irradiation, thus avoiding overtreatment of patients with negative nodes.     

Pretreatment laparoscopic surgical staging in locally advanced cervical cancer: preliminary results in Korea

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of pretreatment laparoscopic surgical staging in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: Forty-four patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who underwent pretreatment laparoscopic surgical staging between October 2001 and April 2004 were reviewed. The pathological diagnosis after laparoscopic surgical staging was compared with results from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and surgical results with follow-up data were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean duration of surgery was 202.0 (range: 120-300) min and the mean number of harvested lymph nodes (LNs) was 38.7 (range: 20-75). Twenty (45.5%) patients had pelvic LN metastasis and 5 (11.4%) patients had pelvic and para-aortic LN metastasis. Region-specific findings of MRI resulted in sensitivity and positive predictive values of 55.9% and 48.7%, respectively, on a three-region analysis. When compared with MRI, laparoscopic surgical staging was superior in detecting microscopic LN metastasis. The time to commencing concurrent chemoradiotherapy after laparoscopic surgical staging was 8.6 +/- 3.3 (mean +/- SD) days. All the patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy as scheduled. There were three (6.8%) cases of minor postoperative complications, and no mortality occurred during the follow-up period. The 2-year disease-free survival rate of the current study was 89.7%, and three (6.8%) patients experienced recurrence after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic surgical staging in locally advanced cervical cancer is a feasible and safe pretreatment method, and can be used as a best guideline for individualized concurrent chemoradiotherapy.     

Lymphadenectomy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Study (LiLACS): Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing Surgical With Radiologic Staging in Patients With Stages IB2–IVA Cervical Cancer

Radiation treatment planning for women with locally advanced cervical cancer (stages IB2–IVA) is often based on positron emission tomography (PET). PET, however, has poor sensitivity in detecting metastases in aortocaval nodes. We have initiated a study with the objective of determining whether pre-therapeutic laparoscopic surgical staging followed by tailored chemoradiation improves survival as compared with PET/computed tomography (CT) radiologic staging alone followed by chemoradiation. This international, multicenter phase III trial will enroll 600 women with stages IB2–IVA cervical cancer and PET/CT findings showing fluorodeoxyglucose-avid pelvic nodes and fluorodeoxyglucose-negative para-aortic nodes. Eligible patients will be randomized to undergo either pelvic radiotherapy with chemotherapy (standard-of-care arm) or surgical staging via a minimally invasive extraperitoneal approach followed by tailored radiotherapy with chemotherapy (experimental arm). The primary end point is overall survival. Secondary end points are disease-free survival, short- and long-term morbidity with pre-therapeutic surgical staging, and determination of anatomic locations of metastatic para-aortic nodes in relationship to the inferior mesenteric artery. We believe this study will show that tailored chemoradiation after pre-therapeutic surgical staging improves survival as compared with chemoradiation based on PET/CT in women with stages IB2–IVA cervical cancer.     

Potential therapeutic role of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in node-positive endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the potential therapeutic role of para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) in high-risk patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: We studied two groups of patients with endometrial cancer who underwent operation at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) during the interval 1984 to 1993: (1) 137 patients at high risk for para-aortic lymph node involvement (myometrial invasion >50%, palpable positive pelvic nodes, or positive adnexae), excluding stage IV disease, and (2) 51 patients with positive nodes (pelvic or para-aortic), excluding stage IV disease. By our definition, PAL required removal of five or more para-aortic nodes. RESULTS: In both groups, no significant difference existed between patients who had PAL (PAL+) and those who did not (PAL-) in regard to clinical or pathologic variables, percentage irradiated, or surgical or radiation complications. Among the 137 high-risk patients, the 5-year progression-free survival was 62% and the 5-year overall survival was 71% for the PAL- group compared with 77 and 85%, respectively, for the PAL+ group (P = 0.12 and 0.06, respectively). For the 51 patients with positive nodes, the 5-year progression-free survival and 5-year overall survival for the PAL- group were 36 and 42% compared with 76 and 77% for the PAL+ group (P = 0.02 and 0.05, respectively). Lymph node recurrences were detected in 37% of the PAL- patients but in none of the PAL+ patients (P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis suggested that submission to PAL was a cogent predictor of progression-free survival (odds ratio = 0.25; P = 0.01) and overall survival (odds ratio = 0.23; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a potential therapeutic role for formal PAL in endometrial cancer.     

Resection of bulky positive lymph nodes in patients with cervical carcinoma

From January 1987 to April 1992, 34 patients had resection of bulky positive lymph nodes, detected either at the time of radical hysterectomy ( n = 23) or by computed tomographic (CT) scan of the pelvis and abdomen prior to radiation therapy for more advanced cervical cancer ( n = 11). Following nodal resection, 33 patients received pelvic external beam radiation, 28 received pelvic and para-aortic radiation, and 23 received four cycles of cisplatin chemotherapy. The median number of resected positive nodes was 4, with a range of 1–44. All macroscopic nodal metastases could be resected in each patient and morbidity was acceptably low. Positive nodes were confined to the pelvis in 17 patients, involved the common iliac group in nine patients, and involved the para-aortic area in eight patients. With a mean follow-up of 36 months, 23 patients (67.6%) were alive, of whom 20 were free of disease. For patients having a radical hysterectomy, actuarial 5-year survival was 80% for patients with disease involving pelvic and common iliac lymph nodes, and 48% for those with positive para-aortic nodes. Survival for patients with completely resected bulky pelvic and common iliac nodes was comparable to that for patients with micrometastases. This study suggests that every effort should be made to identify patients with cervical cancer who have bulky positive lymph node metastases, and to remove these nodes surgically prior to radiation therapy.     

Stadification ganglionnaire des cancers du col utérin avancé

Lymph node staging in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer is the most important prognostic factor and also leads to adjuvant treatment choice. Because of the lymphadenectomy associated morbidity and delay in the beginning of adjuvant therapy, noninvasive approaches were developed during the last decennia. Recently, positron emission tomography employing a glucose analogue (FDG-PET) has been shown to be more sensitive and more specific than magnetic resonance imaging or than computed tomography usually used in diagnosis of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastases. Even if recent studies have reported promising results, surgical pelvic and para-aortic staging remains actually the most accurate procedure for evaluating lymph node metastases. This procedure should be accomplished by transperitoneal or extraperitoneal laparoscopy, with the benefits of minimal morbidity, shorter length of hospital stay and no significant increase of complications comparing to laparotomy approach. Laparoscopy also allows an early start of adjuvant treatment, this delay constituting an important prognostic factor for patients with locally advanced cancer. However, the survival benefit of lymph node dissection is still controversial and should be proved in randomised studies.     

Para-aortic node biopsy in cervical and endometrial cancers: does it affect survival?

Two hundred ten patients with endometrial and cervical carcinoma had para-aortic node biopsies. Nineteen of the 210 patients (9.0%) had positive para-aortic nodes. These 19 patients received pelvic irradiation, and 18 patients received para-aortic irradiation. The incidence of para-aortic nodal involvement in cervical carcinoma was directly related to the stage of the disease. Eleven of the 12 patients with cervical carcinoma and positive para-aortic nodes received both pelvic and para-aortic irradiation. Three of these patients are alive without disease, resulting in a survival rate of 25%. These patients are surviving for 16, 30, and 41 months. The incidence of positive para-aortic nodes in endometrial adenocarcinoma was related to the uterine length and the histologic grade. The survival rate for patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma and positive para-aortic nodes in this study was 57.1%. Four patients have survived for 1, 30, 60, and 71 months. There were no surgical deaths or radiation therapy complications directly attributable to para-aortic biopsy or irradiation.     

Early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma treated by surgical intent: the role of para-aortic lymph node dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Previous reports suggest that cervical adenocarcinomas have a unique pattern of spread and are more apt to metastasize to para-aortic lymph nodes. The purpose of this study was to further define the node of para-aortic lymph node dissection in early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma treated by surgical intent. METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained to perform a computerized search of the data of all women diagnosed with cervical adenocarcinoma between 1982 and 2000. Hospital charts were retrospectively reviewed. Follow-up was obtained from the tumor registry, medical records, and correspondence with health care providers. RESULTS: Three hundred (87%) of 345 early-stage (FIGO IA(1)-IIA) cervical adenocarcinoma patients were primarily treated by surgical intent. Two hundred seventy-six underwent pelvic and para-aortic node dissection (n = 69) or pelvic node dissection only (n = 207); 24 had no lymph node dissection. The median number of lymph nodes removed was 13 pelvic (range, 1-58) and 3 para-aortic (range, 1-17). Three (4%) of 69 patients had para-aortic nodal metastases. Each had either grossly evident para-aortic adenopathy (n = 2) or an adnexal metastasis. Thirty-six of 40 women developing recurrent disease had at least some component of pelvic recurrence; 4 had only extrapelvic disease. Three patients undergoing para-aortic node dissection developed an isolated extrapelvic recurrence despite originally negative para-aortic nodes (n = 2) or treatment by extended-field radiation for para-aortic metastases. One woman undergoing only pelvic node dissection had an isolated extrapelvic recurrence despite originally negative nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma primarily treated by surgical intent has a very low risk of para-aortic metastases. These were detected only when there was gross evidence of nodal or adnexal disease.     

Laparoscopic surgical staging of locally advanced cervix cancer (IB2 to IVA): initial experience

Introduction and objectives

Cervical cancer incidence worldwide is about 500,000 new cases per year with most of them being detected at a locally advanced stage. Many studies have shown the need to look for extra-pelvic disease when planning appropriate therapy. We performed surgical staging by laparoscopy in 43 cases of cervical cancer at stages IB2 to IVa and evaluated our initial results.

Materials and methods

Between February 2008 and May 2010, we selected 43 patients with histologically confirmed cervical cancer at stages IB2 to IVA with a Karnosfsky index > 70. We classified the tumors according to the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage and performed tomographic evaluations of the abdomen to select patients without signs of peritoneal or para-aortic tumor spread. We performed a laparoscopic evaluation of the peritoneal cavity and para-aortic lymph nodes by an extra-peritoneal route. We did not use tweezers or disposable energy seals.

Results

The mean surgical time was 130.8 min. The mean blood loss was 111.5 ml. There was no conversion to laparotomy for any case. We describe a case with peritoneal implants that was classified as IVB.We removed an average of 16.4 lymph nodes; nine cases had para-aortic lymph node metastases.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic surgical staging diagnosed 23.3% of cases with peritoneal spread of the tumor or extra-pelvic lymph node metastases. In this study, we could better define the lymph node status through laparoscopic surgical staging and could therefore recommend more suitable adjuvant therapy for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.     

Clinical use of laparoscopic ultrasonography in detecting nodal metastasis in advanced-stage cervical carcinoma

Objective

To assess the clinical use of a laparoscopic ultrasound scan (LUS) to identify pelvic and para-aortic node metastasis in patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer.

Methods

After examination under general anesthesia and cystoscopy, LUS was used to examine the pelvic nodes of patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer. Abnormal nodes were excised before definitive treatment to confirm the nodal status. Patients without abnormal para-aortic nodes on preoperative computer tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in the past 3 years were surgically staged via laparoscopic extraperitoneal aortic node sampling, and the findings were correlated with LUS findings. The predictive values of abnormal pelvic nodes on LUS for pelvic and aortic node metastasis were determined.

Results

A total of 119 advanced-stage cervical cancer patients underwent LUS of pelvic nodes. Abnormal pelvic nodes were found in 62 (52.1%) patients, and metastasis was confirmed by histology in 38 (31.9%) patients. Three patients had micro-metastasis in para-aortic nodes, and all of these patients had abnormal pelvic lymph nodes on LUS.

Conclusion

Abnormal pelvic nodes are commonly found on LUS in patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer, and selective excision biopsy is needed to confirm pelvic node metastasis. Surgical staging of aortic nodes might be considered for patients with abnormal pelvic nodes on LUS.     

盆腹腔淋巴取样术在子宫内膜癌手术中的临床意义

目的探讨盆腹腔淋巴取样术在子宫内膜癌的临床意义。方法分析2000年1月-2007年12月上海同济大学附属第一妇婴保健院手术治疗的213例子宫内膜癌患者,其中,86例行盆腹腔淋巴取样术,127例行淋巴结切除术。手术方式根据手术切除淋巴结的情况分为两组。①取样组：淋巴取样术,筋膜外全子宫双附件切除/次广泛子宫切除术＋盆腔/腹主动脉旁淋巴结取样术86例;②切除组：次广泛/广泛子宫切除术＋盆腔淋巴结切除/腹主动脉旁淋巴结切除术127例。结果取样组：切除淋巴结中位数18枚,淋巴结的转移10例。切除组：切除淋巴结中位数32枚,淋巴结转移11例。5年生存率分别为94.2%和94.5%。取样组无病发症发生,淋巴结切除组中有9例,分别是1例术中大出血（〉2000ml）,淋巴囊肿感染6例,淋巴漏2例。结论在子宫内膜癌中淋巴结取样术可准确了解淋巴结的转移情况,适宜手术分期,并不影响生存率,是避免过度手术减少并发症发生的有效方法。     

Outcomes of abandoned radical hysterectomy in patients with stages IB–IIA cervical cancer found to have positive nodes during the operation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of stages IB-IIA cervical cancer patients whose radical hysterectomy (RH) was abandoned for positive pelvic nodes detected during the operation compared with those found to have positive nodes after the operation. Among 242 patients with planned RH and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL) for stages IB-IIA cervical cancer, 23 (9.5%) had grossly positive nodes. RH was abandoned, and complete pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed. Of these 23 patients, 22 received adjuvant chemoradiation, and the remaining 1 received adjuvant radiation. Four patients with positive para-aortic nodes were additionally treated with extended-field irradiation. When compared with 35 patients whose positive nodes were detected after the operation, there were significant differences regarding number of positive nodes and number of patients receiving extended-field irradiation. Complications in both groups were not significantly different, but the 2-year disease-free survival was significantly lower in the abandoned RH group compared with that of the RHPL group (58.5% versus 93.5%, P= 0.01). In conclusion, the survival of stages IB-IIA cervical cancer patients whose RH was abandoned for grossly positive pelvic nodes was significantly worse than that of patients whose node metastasis was identified after the operation. This is because the abandoned RH group had worse prognostic factors.     

The prognostic value of pretreatment 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography scan in women with cervical cancer

There is substantial risk that prognosis determined with routine clinical staging for cervical cancer may be inaccurate. This is primarily due to understaging due to the lack of detection of nodal disease. This is particularly true for para-aortic nodal metastases. Treatment based on such staging may also be inadequate for the same reason. Positron emission tomography (PET) has been demonstrated to be useful in the staging of cervical cancer and superior to either computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of nodal disease. Our objective was to determine the prognostic value of pretreatment 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) PET scan in women with cervical cancer. We reviewed the records of 56 women with cervical cancer who underwent FDG PET scan prior to treatment. The primary outcome was the effect of abnormal FDG uptake consistent with metastatic nodal disease on 20-month disease-free survival. The pretreatment PET scan demonstrated abnormal FDG uptake in the pelvic nodes alone in 14 (25%) women, in pelvic and para-aortic nodes in 10 (17.9%), and in neither pelvic nor para-aortic nodes in 32 (57.1%). Women with positive pelvic nodes by PET as well as women with positive para-aortic nodes had significantly poorer 20-month disease-free survival compared to women with negative nodes (P= 0.0003 and P= 0.0017, respectively). We conclude that pretreatment FDG PET scan revealing abnormal FDG uptake consistent with nodal disease is a robust predictor of disease recurrence and may alter the therapeutic management of some patients.     

Residual pelvic lymph node involvement after concomitant chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: Concomitant chemoradiation (and brachytherapy) has become the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancers (FIGO stage IB2 to IVA). Adjuvant surgery is optional. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of residual positive pelvic lymph nodes after chemoradiation. METHODS: From February 1988 to August 2004, 113 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer have been treated by chemoradiation followed by an adjuvant surgery with a pelvic lymphadenectomy performed (study group). A para-aortic lymphadenectomy had also been performed in 85 of them. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 48.4 years (27-74). FIGO stage was: IB2 in 17.7% (20/113), II in 44.2% (50/113), III in 21.2% (24/113) and IVA in 16.8% of the patients (19/113). The mean number of removed nodes was 11.5 (median 11) in pelvic, and 7.5 (median 7) in para-aortic basins. A pelvic lymph node involvement was present in 15.9% (18/113) of the patients after chemoradiation. In 11 patients, only one node was positive. 11.7% (10/85) of the patients had a para-aortic lymph node involvement. A residual pelvic lymph node disease has been observed in 6.3% (4/63) of the cases with no residual cervical disease (or microscopic) versus 26.5% (13/49) of the cases with macroscopic residual cervical tumor (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our experience shows that a pelvic lymph node involvement persists in about 16% of the patients after chemoradiation. We can make the assumption that performing a pelvic lymphadenectomy along with the removal of the primary tumor after chemoradiation could reduce the rate of latero-pelvic recurrences, whatever the para-aortic lymph node status.     

Surgical staging of cervical cancer

Noninvasive radiologic methods to detect paraaortic lymph node metastases are reliable when combined with FNA of enlarged lymph nodes. However, the sensitivity is low, and undetected microscopic metastases leads to treatment failure. These patients with paraaortic lymph node metastasis are not treated with extended-field radiation, and they all die within 3 years. The CT scanning is probably the best diagnostic method to evaluate cervical cancer, because it can assess the primary tumor, the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, liver parenchyma, and retroperitoneum. It also permits the guidance of FNA and the arrangement of radiation ports. Surgical staging provides the direct assessment of the peritoneal cavity and the retroperitoneal spaces. Metastatic tumor, including enlarged lymph nodes, can be resected, but this is of dubious benefit. The operative morbidity is acceptable, with fewer intestinal complications when the extraperitoneal approach is used, and long-term morbidity is minimal when appropriate paraaortic radiation doses are employed (less than 5,000 cGy). Surgical staging has provided data on the frequency of paraaortic lymph node metastasis by stage of cervical cancer, and thus, treatment strategies can be better developed. Extended-field radiation results in 5-year survival rates of 20-25% in patients with microscopic paraaortic lymph node metastasis, patients who would not survive without the treatment. However, surgical staging has produced only a modest boost in survival rates, because of the high rate of pelvic and systemic failure. When extended-field radiation is used prophylactically or in patients with probable lymph node metastasis seen on radiographic studies, survival rates are similar to patients irradiated after surgical staging finds paraaortic lymph node disease. As our ability to predict, and detect nonsurgically, positive paraaortic node disease improves, extended radiation (or other adjuvant therapy) could be used more frequently without operation in patients who are at high risk for metastatic disease. In a study by Haie et al, prophylactic paraaortic radiation was given to patients at high risk for paraaortic metastasis. In patients with a high probability of local disease control, paraaortic radiation significantly reduced the incidence of paraaortic and distant metastases. Patients with known paraaortic lymph node metastases frequently have occult systemic metastases. In these same patients, pelvic failure is also common. Thus, until effective systemic therapies emerge, a marked improvement in survival is unlikely in patients who have paraaortic lymph node metastasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Upper margin of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in cervical cancer

Patients with early stage cervical cancer routinely undergo pelvic lymphadenectomy. A para-aortic lymphadenectomy is only performed in the setting of grossly enlarged lymph nodes. In patients with locally advanced disease, a para-aortic lymphadenectomy is indicated particularly when pelvic nodes are suspicious for disease on preoperative imaging. There is no consensus about the extent of para-aortic lymph node dissection in these patients. We reviewed relevant literature to determine the extension of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in patients with cervical cancer in order to establish whether lymph node dissection up to the inferior mesenteric artery or higher to the level of renal vessels should be performed. We performed a systematic search (PubMed; up to June 2011) to review systematic complete para-aortic lymphadenectomy. According to our search, eight women (1.09%) had isolated para-aortic node metastases, of which two had only lymph node metastases above the inferior mesenteric artery.     

Usefulness of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography to detect para-aortic lymph nodal metastasis in advanced cervical cancer with negative computed tomography findings

OBJECTIVE: In advanced cervical cancer, it has been reported that progression-free survival is significantly related to para-aortic lymph node metastasis. Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used for clinical staging, but its sensitivity for lymph nodal metastasis is low. Therefore, this prospective study was undertaken to evaluate (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in detecting para-aortic lymph nodal metastasis in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma when CT findings were negative. METHODS: Fifty women with advanced cervical cancer confined to the pelvis with negative abdominal CT findings were included in this study. After 10 mCi of FDG was administered intravenously, the abdomens were scanned by PET. Para-aortic lymph node metastases were diagnosed as present or absent according to a standardized staging procedure. RESULTS: Retroperitoneal surgical exploration revealed 14 patients with para-aortic lymph nodal metastasis. Two patients had false-negative FDG-PET findings and the other two patients had false-positive FDG-PET findings. CONCLUSION: Overall, FDG-PET imaging had a sensitivity of 85.7%, a specificity of 94.4%, and an accuracy of 92%. When abdominal CT findings are negative, the use of FDG-PET can accurately detect para-aortic lymph nodal metastatis in patients with advanced cervical cancer.     

Ⅱb~Ⅲ期宫颈癌264例疗效及预后因素分析

目的探讨Ⅱb~Ⅲ期宫颈癌患者的疗效及预后相关因素。方法分析2007年3月至2008年10月辽宁省肿瘤医院收治的264例宫颈癌患者的临床资料。结果 264例患者的中位随访时间75个月,2、5年总生存率(overall survival,OS)分别为77.7%、65.5%。2、5年肿瘤特异性生存率(disease-specific survival,DSS)分别为78.1%、66.5%。2、5年无病生存率(disease-free survival,DFS)分别为72.7%、64.2%。单因素分析显示,影响OS、DSS、DFS的因素有临床分期(Ⅱb期与Ⅲ期,P0.01),肿瘤大小(4 cm、4~6 cm、6 cm,P0.01)、病理类型(鳞癌与腺癌,P0.01)、阴道受侵范围(无、上1/3、中1/3、下1/3,P0.01)、淋巴结情况(盆腔腹主阴性、仅盆腔阳性、盆腔腹主阳性、未做CT,P0.01)、最低血红蛋白(110 g/L、95~110 g/L、75~95 g/L、52~75 g/L,P0.01)。入院血红蛋白是DFS的影响因素。多因素分析显示,临床分期、病理类型、淋巴结情况、治疗方式、最低血红蛋白为宫颈癌OS、DSS和DFS的独立预后因素。结论Ⅲ期、腺癌、淋巴结阳性、单纯放疗以及最低血红蛋白75 g/L的宫颈癌患者预后不良。