title: Microinvasive carcinoma of the cervix. Analysis of prognostic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Superficially invasive neoplasias of the uterine cervix are a matter of controversy in terms of their definition, prognostic factors and selection of treatment to minimize the risk of recurrences. We reviewed our treatment to determine whether any factors affect this risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was conducted on 59 patients seen at our service, 22 of them with early stromal invasion (IA1) and 37 with microinvasive carcinoma (IA2) according to FIGO criteria (1995). Ten patients were submitted to conization as definitive treatment, although for three of them treatment was complemented with Wertheim-Meigs surgery due to recurrence in the remaining cervix. The other 49 patients were submitted to total abdominal hysterectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four patients underwent diagnostic or therapeutic conization, and 14 of them presented involvement of the endocervical margin. Seven patients presented recurrence with involvement of the endocervical margin in five. The age of recurrence ranged from 40 to 70 years, with a mean of 52.3 years, as opposed to a general mean of 42.3 (p<0.05). Angiolymphatic invasion was positively correlated to recurrence and death (p<0.01) as well as depth of invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the presence of a cone with an involved endocervical margin represents a high risk of recurrence and that this condition occurs in older patients who are prone to present more extensive lesions. Thus, age should be regarded as an important risk factor. Angiolymphatic invasion and depth of invasion have a poor prognosis in terms of recurrence and death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Marana
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Matthes
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Carrara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bighetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D019092:Conization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery