Para-aortic lymph node evaluation in cervical cancer: the impact of staging upon treatment decisions and outcome |
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| Authors: | Petereit Hartenbach & Thomas |
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| Institution: | Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison Wisconsin USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison Wisconsin USA; University of Toronto, Toronto-Sunnybrook, Regional Cancer Center, Toronto, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Petereit DG, Hartenbach EM, Thomas GM. Para-aortic lymph node evaluation in cervical cancer: the impact of staging upon treatment decisions and outcome. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8 :353–364.
This article reviews both surgical and nonsurgical staging options for cervical cancer and determines the ultimate impact of these staging pathways. Surgical staging is the most sensitive method for detecting para-aortic lymph node metastases; however, a negative lymphangiogram precludes surgical staging since it is a highly sensitive and specific radiographic study. CT and MRI are not as sensitive for detecting para-aortic disease, therefore a false negative study would ultimately result in the loss of about 4 stage IIB and 5 stage IIIB patients out of 100. Judicious use of existing staging options will enhance the ultimate benefit to individual patients, rather than surgically staging all patients prior to radiotherapy. |
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| Keywords: | cervical cancer para-aortic lymph nodes radiation surgical staging |
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