title: Prognostic factors in advanced stage squamous cell cancer of the cervix.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was undertaken to review prognostic factors for advanced squamous cell cancer of the cervix.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinicopathologic review of patients diagnosed with advanced stage squamous cell cancer of the cervix was performed at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 1970-1985.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had squamous cell disease and were divided according to the following stages: Stage IIIa (4), Stage IIIb (113), Stage IVa (32), and Stage IVb (26). The cumulative 5-year survival was as follows: Stage IIIa (50%), Stage IIIb (37%), Stage IVa (14%), and Stage IVb (4%). Prognostic features for Stage IIIb disease showed that the intravenous pyelogram status significantly predicted cumulative 5-year survival (P = 0.00001). When the intravenous pyelogram was normal, 47% survived. When ureteral obstruction was present without renal failure, 29% survived, and when renal failure occurred, all patients were dead of disease by 16 months. The lymph node status significantly influenced cumulative 5-year survival (P = 0.004). When lymph nodes were negative, 47% survived. When three or fewer were positive, 44% survived. When more than three were positive, 11% survived. When pelvic lymph nodes were positive and paraaortic node status was determined, 25% survived when paraaortic lymph nodes were negative, while 8% survived when these were positive (P = 0.06). Factors that did not influence 5-year survival included one or both sidewall involvement (P = 0.77), tumor grade (P = 0.23), diabetes (P = 0.92), hypertension (P = 0.85), and obesity (P = 0.47). The diagnosis of Stage IVa disease was made by the presence of fistula at initial presentation (n = 8), cystoscopy (n = 21), and sigmoidoscopy (n = 1). One patient developed a treatment-related vesicovaginal fistula when bladder involvement was diagnosed by cystoscopy. All 18 patients who presented with renal failure (Stage IIIb, 9; Stage IVa, 9) were analyzed as a group, and only 1 patient survived. The median survival in 15 patients who underwent nephrostomy was 8 months, range 1-36 months. Ten of 15 patients (66%) were dead of disease within 1 year. Three patients refused renal bypass, and these three patients died at 1, 2, and 3 months, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced stage disease represents a significant challenge, and when ureteral obstruction or renal failure is present, the prognosis is markedly decreased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*