Adjuvant radiotherapy following radical hysterectomy for patients with stage IB and IIA cervical cancer

From 1971 through 1984, 320 women underwent radical hysterectomy as primary therapy of stage IB and IIA cervical cancer. Two hundred forty-eight patients (78%) were treated with surgery alone and 72 patients (22%) received adjuvant postoperative external-beam radiotherapy. Presence of lymph node metastasis, large lesion (greater than 4 cm in diameter), histologic grade, race (noncaucasian), and age (greater than 40 years) were significant poor prognostic factors for the entire group of patients. Patients treated with surgery alone had a better disease-free survival than those who received combination therapy (P less than 0.001). However, patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy had a higher incidence of lymphatic metastases, tumor involvement of the surgical margin, and large cervical lesions. Adjuvant pelvic radiation therapy did not improve the survival of patients with unilateral nodal metastases or those who had a large cervical lesion with free surgical margins and the absence of nodal involvement. Radiation therapy appears to reduce the incidence of pelvic recurrences. Unfortunately, 84% of patients who developed recurrent tumor after combination therapy had a component of distant failure. The incidence of severe gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract complications was not different in the two treatment groups. However, the incidence of lymphedema was increased in patients who received adjuvant radiation therapy. Although adjuvant radiation therapy appears to be tolerated without a significant increase in serious complications, the extent to which it may improve local control rates and survival in high-risk patients appears to be limited. In view of the high incidence of distant metastases in high-risk patients, consideration should be given to adjuvant systemic chemotherapy in addition to radiation therapy.     

Analysis of prognostic features in adenocarcinoma of the cervix

Uncertainties regarding the clinical behavior and management of women with primary adenocarcinoma of the cervix persist. A series of 162 patients was evaluated with emphasis on histopathology, clinical features, treatment, and survival. Sixty-seven patients underwent radical hysterectomy alone, 65 patients underwent radiation therapy alone, while the remainder were treated with combined surgery and radiotherapy. When compared to a matched series of squamous cell carcinoma patients, no statistical differences in survival could be demonstrated. Clinical stage (P less than 0.001) and lesion size (P less than 0.001) were the most important prognostic factors for the entire series. Patients with adenocarcinoma of varied histologic patterns were compared to patients with adenosquamous lesions and no statistical difference in survival could be demonstrated. Multivariate analysis of those women with Stage I adenocarcinoma of the cervix identified risk groups based on tumor grade, lesion size, and patient age. Patients in the low risk group had a 5-year survival of 89.5% while patients in the intermediate and high risk groups had 5-year survival rates of 68.4 and 37.3%, respectively. In patients with Stage I well-differentiated lesions survival was excellent, independent of lesion size.     

Prognostic difference of surgical treatment of exophytic versus barrel-shaped bulky cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor geography, defined as exophytic or barrel-shaped growth, in bulky (>4 cm) cervical cancer. METHODS: Four hundred women with cervical cancer, treated by primary radical hysterectomy between January 1984 and November 2000, were followed in a prospective cohort study. Clinical and pathology data were stored in a databank and the clinical protocol was unchanged during the study except for the amendment of additional indications of postoperative radiation in 1997. The assessment of tumor geography was based on pelvic examination at the time of tumor staging or radical hysterectomy or from the pathology report. Survival probabilities were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 45 years and the mean follow-up duration 48 months. Tumors were of squamous cell type in 291 patients (73%). Lymph node metastases were present in 91 patients (24%) and postoperative radiation was given in 179 patients (45%). In 291 patients, tumor diameter was <4 cm; in 58 patients, the tumor was defined as bulky exophytic and in 51 patients as bulky barrel shaped. There were no differences among these three groups in terms of operating time, blood loss during surgery or complications at 3 or 6 months postoperatively. Bulky exophytic tumors had an identical overall survival as compared to small-diameter (<4 cm) tumors. The overall survival (OS) of bulky barrel-shaped tumors was significantly worse (P < 10(-4)). The same was found for disease-free survival (DFS). CONCLUSION: Bulky exophytic cervical cancer has an identical surgical morbidity, overall and disease-free survival as compared to nonbulky (<4 cm) cervical cancer. In view of these identical characteristics, primary surgical treatment should be considered for patients with bulky exophytic cervical cancer.     

Consequences of inadvertent, suboptimal primary surgery in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

OBJECTIVES: Invasive cervical cancer that is discovered only after simple hysterectomy remains a problem. Little is known about the best management of this group since there are no relevant outcome studies. This study aimed to quantify the benefits of guideline-based treatment by comparing outcome data in patients treated by inappropriate simple hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy with data in patients treated with primary radical surgery, radiotherapy, or radiochemotherapy. METHODS: Records of 288 patients who had undergone radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy or simple hysterectomy were extracted and divided into three groups-radical hysterectomy alone (n = 89), radical hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy (n = 119), and simple hysterectomy with adjuvant radiotherapy (n = 80). Disease-free and overall survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. RESULTS: There was a trend towards better overall survival in the radical hysterectomy group. Disease-free survival was significantly better in patients treated by radical hysterectomy, followed by simple hysterectomy plus radiotherapy, and then radical hysterectomy plus radiotherapy (P(log rank DFS) < 0.002). When the two radical surgery groups were combined and compared with the suboptimally treated group, no significant differences were seen for overall survival. CONCLUSION: Postoperative radiotherapy is a good treatment for patients with cervical cancer who have undergone suboptimal simple hysterectomy. Appropriate selection criteria for further surgery remain to be defined.     

Prognostic significance of cervical lesion size and pelvic node metastases in cervical carcinoma.

There were 289 radical hysterectomies performed at Roswell Park Memorial Institute for Stage IB, IIA, and recurrent cervical cancer from 1957 to 1967. The prognostic significance of cervical lesion size, pelvic node metastases, and type of radical hysterectomy have been evaluated. Excellent 5-year survival rates for women with Stage IB cervical carcinoma were associated with cervical lesions measuring less than 3 cm and resected pelvic lymph nodes which did not contain metastatic cancer. In addition, 31% of women with recurrent cervical cancer treated by radical hysterectomy survived 5 years without recurrence.     

Survival of women with surgical stage II endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report survival and determine prognostic factors and results of therapy in women with surgical stage II endometrial cancer. METHODS: Forty-eight consecutive women with surgical stage II endometrial cancer treated at the University of Vermont between March 1984 and March 1998 were reviewed. Patients' characteristics, surgical procedure, postoperative treatment and its complications, and tumor recurrence and its treatment were recorded. In addition, a formal review of their pathological material for confirmation of the diagnosis was performed. RESULTS: The median duration of follow-up was 6.2 years. Three patients (6.3%) had tumor recurrence and two (4.2%) died of their disease. The estimated 5-year overall survival and disease-free survivals were 92.1% (SE = 5.5%, 95% confidence interval: 81.3, 100%) and 89.9% (SE = 5.8%, 95% confidence interval: 78.5%, 100%), respectively. None of the patients treated by total abdominal hysterectomy followed by both whole pelvic and vaginal cuff radiation therapy (the main line of treatment for patients in whom cervical involvement was diagnosed following hysterectomy, n = 20) or by radical hysterectomy (the main line of treatment for patients in whom cervical involvement was known before hysterectomy, n = 11) had tumor recurrence. Three of 17 (17.6%) patients treated with total abdominal hysterectomy followed by either whole pelvic (n = 13) or vaginal cuff (n = 4) radiation therapy had tumor recurrence. The difference between those two groups was statistically significant (0/31 versus 3/17, P = 0.02). There was no difference in survival among women with stage IIA and IIB or women who underwent radical abdominal hysterectomy and those who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with postoperative pelvic and vaginal cuff radiation. Morbidity secondary to therapy was mild. Age, depth of myometrial invasion, tumor histology, and grade were not significantly related to recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Survival of women with surgical stage II endometrial cancer is excellent especially among those treated with total abdominal hysterectomy followed by both pelvic and vaginal cuff radiotherapy or by radical abdominal hysterectomy.     

Pattern of failure and long-term morbidity in patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy for cervical cancer

The objective of this study was to assess treatment outcomes in a large case series of cervical cancer patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy in a single center. Case notes of women referred to the Christie Hospital during 1985-1997 for postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for cervical cancer were reviewed. Of 478 women eligible for analysis, 282 (58.9%) underwent radical hysterectomy and 196 (41.1%) had nonradical hysterectomy. The disease-specific 5-year survival for the study population is 70.1%, with a 5-year risk of developing any recurrence of 30.5% and a 5-year grade 3 morbidity rate of 3.9%. Survival was significantly higher, ie, 80.9% vs 62.7% (P = 0.0001) and recurrence was significantly lower, ie, 18.6% vs 38.8% (P < 0.00005) in the group of women who had adjuvant radiotherapy following a nonradical hysterectomy compared with radical surgery. Thirty percent of women having "radical" surgery had positive resection margins and required postoperative adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy. Women with node-positive disease, who received adjuvant radiotherapy, had a high rate of distant metastases. These women would receive chemoradiotherapy now as primary treatment because of the risk of developing distant metastases. If, despite staging investigations, surgery reveals node-positive disease, then these women should receive adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Survival was better in women who had nonradical surgery due to smaller volume disease when cancers were unsuspected and hence will have been cured by surgery alone. Multidisciplinary team working, as recommended by national guidelines from 1999, should allow better patient selection for treatment.     

The evolution of a treatment program for adenocarcinoma of the endometrium.

Previous studies at the University of Minnesota suggest that overall survival rates after treatment for adenocarcinoma of the endometrium are related to increased surgical applicability, that vaginal recurrence is frequently related to cervical involvement, and that virtually all women can safely undergo abdominal hysterectomy and radical irradiation therapy. In this program a simple abdominal hysterectomy was applied to as many women with this disease as possible. High-risk patients also received preoprative or postoperative irradiation. This program increased the survival rate for all stages from 58% to 69.7%. The survival rate among women with Stage I high-risk disease treated with supplementary irradiation was significantly lower when compared to that among women with low-risk disease who were treated by surgery alone. No vaginal recurrences were observed in either group and 98.4% were operated upon. The survival rate of women with Stage II disease treated with irradiation and surgery improved significantly. The rate of vaginal recurrence was 2.2%.     

子宫颈腺癌184例临床及预后分析

目的 了解宫颈腺癌影响预后的相关因素。方法 １８４例宫颈腺癌中,Ⅰ,Ⅱ期行广泛全子宫切除,盆髂淋巴结清扫术,部分病例加术前后装放疗２－３次;凡盆腔淋巴结转移者,术后补充盆野外照射治疗 肿瘤侵犯宫颈深肌层者行宫颈残端野放疗。部分病例辅以ＣＡＰ及ＣＢＰ盆腔动脉灌注化疗２－４疗程。Ⅲ,Ⅳ期则多行全量放疗加动脉插管放疗。     

Radical hysterectomy with adjuvant radiotherapy versus definitive radiotherapy alone for FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the treatment outcomes and adverse effects of radical hysterectomy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy with definitive radiotherapy alone in patients with FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer patients who were treated between April 1996 and December 2009. During the study period, 95 patients were treated with radical hysterectomy, all of which received adjuvant radiotherapy (surgery-based group). In addition, 94 patients received definitive radiotherapy alone (RT-based group). The recurrence rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related complications were compared between the two groups.

Results

Radical hysterectomy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy resulted in comparable recurrence (44.2% versus 41.5%, p = 0.77), PFS (log-rank, p = 0.57), and OS rates (log-rank, p = 0.41) to definitive radiotherapy alone. The frequencies of acute grade 3–4 toxicities were similar between the two groups (24.2% versus 24.5%, p = 1.0), whereas the frequencies of grade 3–4 late toxicities were significantly higher in the surgery-based group than in the RT-based group (24.1% versus 10.6%, p = 0.048). Cox multivariate analyses demonstrated that treatment with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy was associated with an increased risk of grade 3–4 late toxicities, although the statistical significance of the difference was marginal (odds ratio 2.41, 95%CI 0.97–5.99, p = 0.059).

Conclusions

Definitive radiotherapy was found to be a safer approach than radical hysterectomy followed by postoperative radiotherapy with less treatment-related complications and comparable survival outcomes in patients with FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer.     

Postoperative radiotherapy in stage IB squamous cell cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate postoperative whole pelvic radiation for high-risk patients with FIGO Stage IB cervical cancer. METHODS: One hundred and forty-eight patients with Stage IB squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. The low-risk group included patients without unfavorable prognostic factors who were treated only by surgery. The high-risk group included women with pelvic node metastases, with positive or close surgical margins, clinical tumor size > 4.0 cm, depth of stromal invasion > 1/3 the cervical wall, grade 3 tumor and presence of lymphovascular space involvement. High-risk patients received whole pelvic radiotherapy between two and four weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Seventy patients (47.3%) were low risk and 78 patients (52.7%) were high risk. Locoregional recurrences were diagnosed in nine cases (12.8%) in the surgery group and in 11 patients (14.1%) assigned to radiotherapy. The incidence of distant metastases was 2.8% in the surgery group and 6.4% in the surgery and radiotherapy group. Overall survival at five years was 88.6% in the low-risk group and 84.7% in the high-risk group. CONCLUSION: Five-year overall survival, locoregional and distant metastases were similar in the low-risk and high-risk groups of patients, thus emphasizing the value of whole pelvic radiation in patients with unfavorable prognostic factors in Stage IB cervical cancer.     

Results on the treatment of uterine cervix cancer: ten years experience

The aim of the study is to present our experience in the treatment of uterine cervix cancer over the last decade. This is a retrospective study of 90 patients with cervical cancer treated in a University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 1993 to 2002. After the disease was histologically confirmed and staged the patients were treated according to stage with surgery (S) radiotherapy (RT), RT alone or Chemoradiaton (C-RT). The course of the disease and follow-up was traced from patient notes and after a structured telephone questionnaire. Mean age of patients was 48 +/- 14.3 years (29-84). Nine of 90 patients (10%) were lost to follow-up. FIGO (1994) staging was I in 50% of patients, II in 33.5%, III in 13.5% and IV in 3%. The size of tumor was < or = 4 cm in 75%. Of the tumors 87% were of squamous histology and 13% adenocarcinomas. Patients were treated with cone biopsy (5.5%), type I hysterectomy pelvic RT (10%), radical (type II-III) hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy +/- radiotherapy (41%), RT alone in 38% and C-RT in 5.5%. Incidence of complications after surgery was 19.5% and after RT 12.5%. Mean follow-up was 41 +/- 19 months (6-110). Five-year survival in Stage I was 84%, Stage II 64% and Stage III 40%. A single patient with Stage IV disease is alive with disease after two years. In conclusion uterine cervical cancer has improved survival because of early diagnosis. Treatment should be individualized according to the status of disease. Surgery and RT had similar rates of complications.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by vaginal radical trachelectomy in bulky stage IB1 cervical cancer: case report

BACKGROUND: We present 3 young women with bulky stage IB1 cervical cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by laparoscopic pelvic node dissection and vaginal radical trachelectomy. CASES: In the last year, we have treated 3 young women with large cervical lesions who wished to preserve fertility with induction chemotherapy followed by fertility-sparing surgery. They all had lesions measuring 3 to 4 cm and felt to be too big to safely undergo a radical trachelectomy. Three cycles of platinum-based combination chemotherapy were given and were well tolerated. The 3 patients had a significant clinical response to chemotherapy. A complete pathological response was confirmed by the absence of residual invasive cancer in the three trachelectomy specimens. There has been no recurrence so far and no pregnancy yet. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by a fertility-sparing surgery may become a valuable option for young women with bulky stage IB1 cervical cancer who wish to preserve their fertility potential.     

Cervical carcinoma in the T1b stage. Therapy, complications and prognosis

Records of 256 patients with carcinoma of the cervix uteri stage T1b from the years 1965-1979 were reviewed retrospectively. By screening programs only 21% were detected. Most of the neoplasms were squamous cell carcinoma (81%). The majority of the patients was treated surgically most frequently by radical hysterectomy (Wertheim-Meigs). If the carcinoma was poorly differentiated and/or lymphonodi were positive postoperative radiotherapy was added. Thus only 43 patients had no radiotherapy. 5 year survival rate could be studied in 151 patients. 89% survived 5 years or more following primary treatment. Older women (over 40 years old) showed a better prognosis than those below 40. Patients treated by radiotherapy alone survived 5 years in 88 per cent. Patients treated by radical hysterectomy had a five year survival rate of 94.6%. No difference in prognosis was observed, if radiotherapy was added. There was no significant difference in the frequency of severe complications in both kinds of treatment. The rate of recurrencies was 9.4 per cent.     

Surgical pathologic factors in patients with early-stage cervical carcinoma treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection: association with administration of adjuvant radiotherapy and effect on survival

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: To identify surgical pathologic factors that best correlate with administration of adjuvant radiotherapy and best predict survival in early-stage cervical carcinoma treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (RHND). METHODS: Data from the files of 126 patients with cervical carcinoma treated by RHND at the Soroka Medical Center from 1962 through 2005 were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of the patients received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. In a univariate analysis, each of the following factors: positive pelvic lymph nodes, lower uterine segment involvement, lymph vascular space involvement, penetration > or = 50% of the cervical wall, grade 2+3, parametrial and/or paracervical involvement, vaginal margin involvement, non-squamous histologic type, tumor size > or = 3 cm and Stage IB2 + IIA was significantly associated with administration of radiotherapy. In a multivariate analysis, positiviy of pelvic lymph nodes was persistently the most significant factor associated with administration of radiotherapy. The 5-year survival rate was 82.6% overall. In a univariate analysis, a significant worsening in survival was demonstrated with positivity of pelvic lymph nodes and positivity of lymph vascular space involvement. In a "better fit" model of multivariate analysis, pelvic lymph node status was the strongest and the only significant predictor of survival. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with early-stage cervical carcinoma treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection, pelvic lymph node status is the strongest factor affecting administration of adjuvant radiotherapy and the most significant predictor of survival.     

A prospective trail comparing hysterectomy, hysterectomy plus vaginal radium, and uterine radium plus hysterectomy in stage I endometrial carcinoma.

From 1958 to 1967, a prospective randomized trial was conducted in 189 women with stage I, group I endometrial adenocarcinoma, comparing treatment by hysterectomy alone, preoperative uterine radium followed by hysterectomy, and hysterectomy and postoperative vaginal radium. All women have been followed for a minimum of 10 years. The actual survival rate at 5 years for all patients was 94.5% and at 10 years, 92.6%, with no statistical significance among the 3 treatment groups. Ther was also no statistical significance in survival rate in relation to size of uterine or myometrial invasion. There was a statistically significant difference in survival between grade I and grade III lesions (P less than 0.01) and between grade II and grade III lesions (P less than 0.05).     

Invasive cervical cancer treated initially by standard hysterectomy

Ninety-two patients with invasive cervical cancer initially treated by standard hysterectomy were evaluated for features related to survival. The cell type included squamous cell (64) and adenocarcinoma (28). Posthysterectomy therapy included radiation therapy (78), pelvic lymphadenectomy (3), and radical parametrectomy (1). Hysterectomy was initially performed for the following indications: invasive lesion missed on cone biopsy, 17; hemorrhage at cone biopsy, 2; bleeding, 16; abnormal cytology, 13; presumed endometrial cancer, 9; known cancer, 7; pelvic relaxation, 5; planned therapy, 3; fibroids, 3; adnexal mass, 2; chronic discharge, 1; pyometra, 1; postpartum endometritis, 1. The cumulative 5-year survival for all patients was 68%, for squamous cell 80%, and for adenocarcinoma 41% (P = 0.0001). On postoperative evaluation 84 patients had presumed Stage I and 7 had parametrial involvement (Stage II). Patients with Stage I disease were then examined separately by cell type. Fifty-seven patients with squamous cell disease had cumulative 5-year survival of 85%. Radiation therapy in the immediate postoperative period produced a survival of 88%, compared to observation only with a 69% survival (P = .10). Patients with squamous cell disease and more than 50% cervical invasion had a 75% survival compared to a 96% survival for those with less than 50% (P = .02). The presence of disease at the surgical margins, grade, age, and increase in radiation therapy did not influence survival. Twenty-seven patients with presumed Stage I adenocarcinoma had a cumulative 5-year survival rate of 42%. Survival was significantly influenced by tumor grade (P = .018) and the amount of postoperative radiation therapy (P = .03), while age, amount of residual tumor, and presence of tumor at surgical margins did not influence survival. Patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma treated by standard hysterectomy and postoperative radiation therapy have a prognosis similar to those treated initially by either radical surgery or radiation therapy. Patients with adenocarcinoma appear to have a significantly decreased survival when compared to patients with squamous cell disease and their prognosis is related to tumor grade and the amount of postoperative pelvic radiation.     

Identifying local tumor variables for operable node-negative, margin-free patients with bulky cervical carcinoma of FIGO stage IB, IIA and IIB without adjuvant therapies

PURPOSE: To identify local risk factors for FIGO IB, IIA and IIB bulky cervical squamous cell carcinoma (tumor size > or = 4 cm) patients with node-negative, margin-free tumors treated by radical hysterectomy, pelvic lymph node and para-aortic lymph node dissections without adjuvant therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients were recruited between 1976 and 1989 because they all declined any postoperative adjuvant therapy. The pathology reports showed that all the specimen margins were free from cancer cells with no para-aortic or pelvic lymph node metastases. The survival interval was calculated starting from the time of surgical intervention to the time of death or the end of this study in the year 2000. RESULT: Tumor variables including cell differentiation, depth of stromal invasion, parametrial invasion, vaginal invasion, uterine body invasion, age, and FIGO stage were analyzed. Only vaginal invasion showed statistical significance for decreasing patient disease-free survival in both univariate and multivariate analyses with p values of 0.003 and 0.002, respectively. CONCLUSION: For node-negative and margin-free patients with bulky cervical squamous cell carcinoma with operable stage IB and IIB, surgical intervention alone could suffice when no vaginal invasion is noted plus an 85% survival rate could be achieved. A prospective pilot study should be initiated although this study showed an excellent survival rate which is perhaps due to the limited number of cases.     

Radical hysterectomy alone or combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of early stage bulky cervical carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early-stage bulky cervical carcinoma treated with conventional surgery or radiotherapy has a higher rate of recurrence compared to smaller tumors at the same stage. Whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to radical hysterectomy can improve survival in early-stage bulky cervical carcinoma remains unclear. This study was designed to answer this question. METHODS: Fifty-eight women with early-stage bulky cervical cancer were included in this retrospective study. Thirty-one had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical hysterectomy, and the other 27 patients underwent surgery alone. The chemotherapeutic regimen was a combination of cisplatin, vincristine, and bleomycin with a 10-day interval for two to three courses. RESULTS: The age, parity, and tumor diameter before treatment in the two groups were similar. The mean tumor diameter was significantly decreased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (4.6 +/- 0.8 vs 3.4 +/- 1.5 cm, P = 0.003). Patients without neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly higher incidence of parametrial invasion (14/27 vs 7/31, P = 0.022). More involved lymph nodes were found during surgery in patients without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (23.1 +/- 10.5 vs 17.4 +/- 7.1, P = 0.024), but the incidence of lymph node metastasis was not different between the two groups (18/31 vs 17/27, P = 0.71). The response rate of primary tumor to chemotherapy was 48.4% (15/31). No significant differences in clinical and pathologic parameters were found between responders and non-responders. Deep stromal invasion (> or = 3/4 thickness of cervical stroma) was the only independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in the 58 patients and in the 31 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Neither neoadjuvant chemotherapy nor the response to it was an independent prognostic factor for DFS or OS. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy could reduce the incidence of local invasion for bulky early-stage cervical carcinoma but did not improve the DFS or OS in our patients. Without further randomized study of the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, this treatment should be chosen carefully.