Biopsy of the scalene fat pad in carcinoma of the cervix uteri metastatic to the periaortic lymph nodes

Fifty-five patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri metastatic to high common iliac or periaortic lymph nodes underwent biopsy of the left scalene fat pad as part of a prospective clinical trial. Patients without metastasis to the scalene nodes were subsequently treated with extended field radiation therapy and were then eligible for a randomized trial of systemic chemotherapy. Only four patients were found to have micrometastases to the scalene fossa. This figure is appreciably lower than that reported in previous literature. While geographic failure continues to be a problem for this group of patients, routine use of left scalene fat pad biopsy before treatment is not recommended.     

Pretreatment scalene node biopsy in cervical carcinoma

To evaluate incidence of scalene node metastases from carcinoma of the cervix, 20 patients had scalene fat-pad node biopsy. All cases were staged according to FIGO criteria and abdominal lymph nodes were studied by CT and lymphangiography. Scalene node metastases were found in 2 patients with clinically suspicious node and pelvic and paraaortic nodes involvement. Seven patients had sinus histiocytosis in scalene node biopsy and this seems related to a more favourable prognosis. From this study it appears that scalene node biopsy is not a routine procedure and should be performed in all patients with palpable supraclavicular masses or when paraortic nodes are involved.     

Chemotherapy in advanced primary and recurrent cervical carcinoma

Chemotherapy in carcinoma of the cervix continues to be a therapeutic challenge. The diversified treatment programs from one institution and the factors affecting response are analyzed. It is concluded that until more active regimens are available, chemotherapy in advanced and recurrent cervical carcinoma should be confined to patients with good prognostic factors.     

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.     

Evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in vulvar,endometrial and cervical cancers

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies are a sensitive tool in evaluating lymph nodes for multiple cancers, and in some diseases they decrease morbidity in both the short- and long-term. SLN detection in gynecologic malignancies has been studied extensively over the past decade. We review the current literature on SLN dissection in vulvar, endometrial and cervical cancers. Large, well-designed trials in each of the three types of cancer have demonstrated high sensitivity and low false-negative rates when SLN biopsy is performed in the correct patients and with an appropriate technical approach. In all of these cases the addition of ultra-staging to conventional pathology yields increased detection of micrometastatic disease. Biopsy of the sentinel nodes is feasible and safe in early vulvar malignancies, with multiple studies describing low recurrence rates in those women who have with negative SLNs. There does not appear to be a survival benefit to lymphadenectomy over SLN biopsy and quality of life is improved in women undergoing SLN biopsy. Optimal treatment strategies for women with positive nodal biopsies, particularly in cases with micrometastatic disease, remain unclear. Multiple large studies investigating the utility of SLN biopsy in endometrial malignancy have found that sentinel nodal status is a reliable predictor of metastases in women with low-risk disease. Prospective studies are ongoing and suggest sentinel nodal detection may soon become widely accepted as an alternative standard of care for select cases of endometrial cancer. In cervical cancer, SLN biopsy is accurate for diagnosing metastatic disease in early stage tumors (≤ 2 cm diameter or stage ≤ IB2) where the risk of metastasis is low. It is unknown if women who undergo SLN biopsy alone will have different survival outcomes than women who undergo complete lymphadenectomy in these cases. In a specific population of women with vulvar cancer, SLN dissection is an effective and safe alternative to complete dissection. It can be offered as an alternative management strategy in these women. In women who do undergo SLN biopsy, it is associated with improved quality of life. Promising evidence supporting the utility of SLN dissection in endometrial and cervical cancer continues to emerge, and it may soon become a reasonable option for select patients. However, continued research and refinement of appropriate patient selection and long-term follow-up are necessary.     

HPV 16 DNA occurrence in lymph nodes of patients with cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the occurrence of DNA HPV 16 presence in lymph nodes of 25 patients undergoing abdominal operation for cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of HPV 16 DNA was detected during the preoperative diagnosis procedure by the PCR method. RESULTS: According to the histopathological examination, metastases in the lymph nodes were present in material from two patients. It was confirmed HPV 16 DNA was detected with PCP. We found also 6 patients with HPV 16 DNA in their lymph nodes without histological confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: We consider PCR detection of HPV DNA as a simple and useful support of pathology diagnosis.     

Bleomycin-adriamycin-cisplatin combination chemotherapy in the treatment of primary advanced and recurrent cervical carcinoma

A chemotherapeutic combination of bleomycin-adriamycin-cisplatin has been used to treat 21 consecutive patients with primary advanced or recurrent cervical carcinomas. Four complete (19.0%) and four partial remissions were recorded. The responding patients had significantly longer survival levels compared with the remaining 13 with stable disease. No patient had progressive disease during treatment. The median survival of the complete series was 9.2 months. The objective response rate was 14.3% for tumors within previously irradiated pelvic tissues but 100% (75.0% complete remissions) for distant metastases. Anemia, anorexia, and progressive weakness were troublesome side effects, however, and they seriously limited the clinical usefulness of this bleomycin-adriamycin-cisplatin regimen in the treatment of primary advanced and recurrent cervical carcinomas.     

子宫颈癌盆腔淋巴结转移相关因素分析

目的探讨子宫颈癌盆腔淋巴结转移的分布规律及相关高危因素,为指导宫颈癌的个体化治疗提供依据。方法对471例行根治性手术的ⅠA～ⅡB期宫颈癌患者的临床病理资料进行回顾性分析,对淋巴结转移的高危因素采用卡方检验或多元Logistic回归分析。结果 471例宫颈癌患者盆腔淋巴结转移率为19.10%,其中以闭孔淋巴结转移率最高。临床分期、SCCAg>4μg/L、深肌层浸润、宫旁浸润(P<0.05)是影响宫颈癌淋巴结转移的独立危险因素。结论在宫颈癌各组淋巴结转移中,闭孔淋巴结是最易受累的部位。结合临床病理因素,研究影响宫颈癌患者淋巴结转移的相关高危因素,可以为其个体化治疗提供依据。     

Sentinel lymph nodes in early stage cervical cancer

OBJECTIVES: Lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor in cervical cancer. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedures have been purported to reduce peri- and postoperative morbidity and operative time. METHODS: All patients with surgically managed clinical FIGO stage IA/B1 cervical cancer underwent SLN followed by pelvic lymphadenectomy with technetium+/-lymphazurin from April 2004 to April 2006. 0.1-0.2 mci of filtered sulfur colloid technetium was injected submucosally into 4 quadrants of the exocervix. Lymphazurin (4cc) was only used if technetium was unsuccessful in identifying bilateral sentinel lymph nodes. Serial microsections at 5 microm intervals were performed and stained intraoperatively. Complete pelvic node dissections were performed in all patients. RESULTS: Forty-two patients underwent SLN, prior to full pelvic lymphadenectomy. Thirty-nine patients were included for the purposes of this study. The incidence in detecting at least one sentinel node was 98% per patient, and 85% per side. Identification of bilateral sentinel lymph nodes was successful in 28 cases (72%). The median number of SLN/side was 2. Three patients were found to have metastatic tumor to lymph nodes. No false negatives were identified. No adverse effects were noted. CONCLUSIONS: SLN biopsy in cervical cancer is feasible to do, with a low false negative rate. We believe SLN should be evaluated per side and not per patient, that a pelvic lymphadenectomy is otherwise required. By following this protocol, the false negative rate can be minimized. The combined reported FN rate in the literature is 1.8%. If our definition is applied, the majority of reported false negative SLN is not actual false negatives.     

Radical hysterectomy for cervical carcinoma in pregnant women--a case of decidua mimicking metastatic carcinoma in pelvic lymph nodes

Intraoperative histology is commonly used to guide the treatment of women with carcinoma of the cervix. We present a case where frozen section of the pelvic lymph nodes from a pregnant woman was suggestive of metastatic cervical carcinoma but final histology showed only decidual change.     

Positive lymph nodes in vulvar squamous carcinoma

Retrospective evaluation of 52 patients with positive lymph nodes at the time of curative primary surgery for invasive squamous carcinoma of the vulva reveals that those patients with three or less unilaterally positive groin nodes have an excellent prognosis. When more than three groin nodes are positive, or when bilateral groin nodes are present, there is a significant decrease in survival and a significant increase in positive pelvic node metastases. No cases of positive deep pelvic nodes were noted when the groin nodes were negative. Primary involvement of the clitoris followed a stepwise spread to the groin nodes and then to the deep pelvic nodes with no evidence of primary metastases to the deep pelvic nodes without groin node involvement.     

The outcome of the patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma in terms of lymph node metastasis and treatment

Of the 908 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for invasive cervical cancer from 1973 to 1983, 139 (or 15.30%) had recurrences. The recurrent rate in the 175 patients with positive pelvic lymph nodes was 32.6%, compared with a 11.2% in the 733 patients with negative nodes (P less than 0.001). This suggests that cervical cancer patients with negative nodes acquire better prognosis after surgical treatments. Not only is recurrence much less frequent in patients with negative nodes, but also the outcome of treatments is significantly in favor of such patients: (A) 51 recurrent patients refused further treatments owing to personal reasons. None survived over 3 years; (B) The survival rate is far higher for treated patients formerly with negative nodes. Sixty of the 82 patients achieved a 5-year survival of 17.74% compared with a 2-year survival of 21.64% only in 28 patients with positive nodes. This suggests that our treatments on patients with recurrent cervical cancer are more effective when the patients have previously had negative nodes, and that refusal of treatment results in quick death.     

Predictive value of HPV DNA in lymph nodes in surgically treated cervical carcinoma patients--a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: High-risk types of HPV are etiological factors in cervical cancer. Lymph node involvement in cervical cancer patients reduces 5-year survival rates by 25-60%. However, the influence on survival of HPV DNA positivity in histopathologically negative lymph nodes remains unresolved. METHODS: The study included 116 of 148 patients who underwent Piver type III radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy and who showed HPV DNA positivity in the primary lesion. Lymph node tissues were tested for the presence of HPV DNA, using a PCR technique. RESULTS: We found the presence of HPV DNA sequences in lymph nodes dissected intraoperatively in 81 (69.83%) cases. In analysis, we compared patients from 3 groups: HPV- and metastatic-negative (LN HPV-M-); HPV-positive metastatic-negative (LN HPV+M-); and metastatic-positive (LN M+). We discovered that survival in groups LN M+ and LN HPV+M- did not differ statistically (p=0.37). However, the survival periods in these two groups differed when compared with LN HPV-M- patients (p<0.001). Using Cox's proportional hazards model, we found that the presence of lymph node HPV DNA, and FIGO stage, and primary lesion volume were independent parameters correlating with survival and mortality risk. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the presence of HPV DNA in lymph nodes is an early sign of metastasis and should be treated as such in prognostic outlook and planning the therapeutic strategy.