Conservative surgery in early-stage cervical cancer: what percentage of patients may be eligible for conization and lymphadenectomy?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of young patients with early-stage invasive cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy who may have been eligible for fertility-sparing surgery consisting of cervical conization with pelvic lymph node dissection.

METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients with early-stage cervical cancer (stages IA1-IB1) who underwent a radical hysterectomy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1990 and 2009. We reviewed these patients' records to identify patients who were <40 years who had not previously undergone tubal ligation and who would have been considered candidates for cold-knife conization with pelvic lymph node dissection-i.e., women with tumors smaller than 2 cm, low-risk histology (squamous, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous), and no lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI).

RESULTS: A total of 507 patients with early-stage cervical cancer were identified who underwent radical hysterectomy during the review period. Of these women, 277 (55%) were 40 years or younger. Of these 277 patients, 75 (27%) had had a previous tubal ligation and 202 (73%) had not. Of these 202 patients potentially interested in fertility preserving surgery, 53 (26%) had favorable pathologic characteristics including low-risk histology, tumors ≤2 cm in size and no LVSI present. Of these 53 patients, none had parametrial involvement or positive lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION: Among 202 women with age younger than 40 years and no previous tubal ligation who underwent radical hysterectomy, 53 (26%) may have been eligible for fertility-sparing surgery such as cold-knife conization with pelvic lymph node dissection.