Is frozen section analysis of pelvic lymph nodes accurate in locally advanced cervical cancer patients administered preoperative chemoradiation?
OBJECTIVE
No thorough investigation of the diagnostic performance of frozen section analysis in predicting the final status of lymph nodes after exposure to concomitant chemoradiation (CT/RT) has been performed until now. The aim of the study was to analyze the accuracy of pelvic lymph node frozen section examination in a large, consecutive series of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients undergoing preoperative CT/RT.


METHODS
A total of 123 consecutive LACC patients underwent preoperative CT/RT followed by radical hysterectomy according to Piver classification, with bilateral systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy. If pelvic nodes were intraoperatively defined as positive for tumor metastasis, para-aortic lymphadenectomy up to inferior mesenteric artery was carried out. The diagnostic performance of frozen section examination of pelvic lymph nodes was assessed by calculating the negative predictive value (NPV), the positive predictive value (PPV), specificity, sensitivity, and overall accuracy.


RESULTS
A total of 1647 and 4345 pelvic lymph nodes were analyzed by frozen section examination and at final diagnosis, respectively. Lymph node metastases were found in 11 cases (8.9%) at frozen section examination, and in 14 cases (11.4%) at definitive histological diagnosis. We found 7 incorrect diagnoses at frozen section examination, represented by 5 false negative and 2 false positive cases. Specificity, sensitivity, overall accuracy, NPV, and PPV were 98.2%, 64.3%, 94.3%, 95.5% and 81.8%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative chemoradiation does not impair the role of frozen section analysis in predicting the pelvic lymph node involvement in LACC patients.
Ferrandina
Gabriella
G
Department of Oncology, Catholic University, Campobasso, Contrada Tappino, Campobasso, Italy. gabriella.ferrandina@libero.it
Fanfani
Francesco
F
Ludovisi
Manuela
M
Fagotti
Anna
A
Carbone
Arnaldo
A
Zannoni
Gianfranco
G
Guerriero
Massimiliano
M
Petrillo
Marco
M
Scambia
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011300:Preoperative Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*
D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D007069:Ifosfamide