title: Conservative surgery for recurrent or persistent carcinoma of the cervix following irradiation: is exenteration always necessary?
abstract: Between 1960 and 1988, 47 patients had conservative surgery for postradiation recurrent or persistent cervical carcinoma. Forty-two patients with nonmetastatic disease and available follow-up information were divided into 3 groups based on the extent of disease and type of surgical procedure. Group 1 contained 13 patients with smaller tumors prior to radiation (FIGO Ib and IIa), and recurrent or persistent disease confined to the cervix and/or vaginal vault. Group 2 consisted of 20 patients presenting with more advanced disease than those in Group 1, at the time of either radiation or surgery. Surgical resection of disease was accomplished in both Groups 1 and 2 by either radical vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy. The 8 patients in Group 3 required extended Wertheim operations to encompass locally advanced disease involving the bladder base and/or parametrium. One patient could not be categorized. The 5-year estimated relapse-free survivals for each group were 84, 49, and 25%, respectively. The relapse-free survival of Group 1 was significantly better (P = 0.003) than that of Group 3. Major complications occurred in 4 patients belonging to Group 1 (31%), 10 in Group 2 (50%), and 6 (including two treatment-related deaths) in Group 3 (75%). The most common complication was fistula formation in 11 patients (26%). Radical hysterectomy can be offered as an alternative to exenteration in carefully selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prichard
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kocha
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kirk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010385:Pelvic Exenteration; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*