title: Detection and significance of parametrial micrometastases in early-stage cervical cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parametrial metastases are rare in women with small, node-negative cervical tumors. We examined the incidence of micrometastases in women with pathologically negative parametria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with IA-IB cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy and had no evidence of parametrial metastases were examined. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using a cytokeratin antibody was performed in parametrial sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 46 patients, a parametrial micrometastasis was identified in 1 (2.2%). Micrometastases were seen in 5% of women with lymphvascular space invasion (LVSI) and in 0 (0%) patients without LVSI (p=0.43). The patient with a parametrial micrometastasis experienced recurrence and died from her disease. In a previous report, we defined patients with tumors <2 cm, negative pelvic lymph nodes, and no LVSI as being at low-risk for parametrial disease. There were no micrometastases in this group of women in the current series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parametrial micrometastases are uncommon in early-stage cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: Xuming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010388:Pelvis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery