title: Prognostic factors and relapse patterns in early-stage cervical carcinoma after brachytherapy and radical hysterectomy.
abstract: Patients with cervical carcinoma FIGO stage IB and IIA (n = 167) treated with brachytherapy, radical hysterectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy at the University Hospital of Uppsala were evaluated, and a multivariate analysis was performed to reveal clinical and histopathological variables of predictive value of recurrence. The 5-year survival rate was 90%. Nineteen patients developed recurrent disease (11%), 15 of whom died. Patient age, clinical stage, type, and histologic grade of tumor did not indicate an increased risk of recurrence. However, multiparity (3 children or more; relative risk, RR = 4.6), lymph node metastases (RR = 6.4), tumor size (RR = 5.1), and residual carcinoma in the hysterectomy specimen (RR = 3.4) were important predictive indicators of recurrence. The median interval from initial treatment to the diagnosis of recurrence was 15 months. The majority of recurrences occurred during the first 2 years after treatment (74%) and most of them had symptoms (84%). Only three patients with recurrence were diagnosed within our surveillance program. The data suggest that surveillance for recurrence can be made more cost efficient with a more individualized follow-up during the first 2 years after treatment, concentrating on the patients with high-risk factors such as large tumors, residual carcinoma after irradiation therapy, and/or lymph node metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gerdin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cnattingius
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pettersson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001918:Brachytherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*