[Does adenocarcinoma of uterine cervix have a worse prognosis than squamous carcinoma?].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the influence of histology on the outcome of patients with cervix carcinoma, treated with radiotherapy and radical surgery.


METHODS
Clinical, histological, therapeutical and outcome data of 360 patients with stage IB-II cervix carcinoma patients (45 adenocarcinomas and 315 squamous cell carcinoma) managed between 1985 and 1998 were collected from the database of the Institut Gustave-Roussy.


RESULTS
The incidence of adenocarcinomas slightly increased during the study period (P =0.07). Histological grade was higher for squamous cell carcinoma than for adenocarcinoma (P =0.08). Adenocarcinomas were smaller than squamous cell carcinoma (P =0.06). With only 38% of sterilized hysterectomy specimen vs 52% for squamous cell carcinomas (P =0.07), adenocarcinoma seemed to be less radiosensitive. With a median follow-up of 67 months, histological type did not influence survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates that radiosensitivity is different between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and that surgery may compensate the low radiosensitivity of adenocarcinoma.
Recoules-Arche
A
A
Service de chirurgie oncologique-gynécologique, institut Gustave-Roussy, 39 rue Camille-Desmoulins, 94805 Villejuif, France.
Rouzier
R
R
Rey
A
A
Villefranque
V
V
Haie-Meder
C
C
Pautier
P
P
Pomel
C
C
Lhommé
C
C
Duvillard
P
P
Castaigne
D
D
Morice
P
P
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery