Survival after curative pelvic exenteration for primary or recurrent cervical cancer: a retrospective multicentric study of 167 patients.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the survival of patients who underwent pelvic exenteration (PE) with curative intent for primary persistent or recurrent cervical cancer.


METHODS
We retrospectively investigated 167 consecutive patients, referred to the gynecological oncology units of 4 centers in Germany or Italy, who underwent PE. Data regarding surgery, histology, and oncologic outcomes were collected and statistically evaluated. Survival was determined from the day of exenteration until last follow-up or death.


RESULTS
The median age was 51 years. Twenty-seven patients (16.2%) underwent PE owing to advanced primary tumors (group A), 34 patients (20.4%) underwent PE owing to persistent cancer after chemotherapy or chemoradiation (group B), and 106 patients (63.4%) underwent PE owing to recurrence (group C). The prevalent histologic type was squamous cell cancer. A complete tumor resection (R0), was achieved in 121 patients (72.5%). Forty-nine patients (29.3%) had pelvic lymph node metastases and 44 patients (26.3%) had pelvic sidewall involvement. Overall survival at the end of the study was 40.7%. The cumulative 5-year overall survival for the entire cohort was 38%. Resection margins, pelvic lymph node state, and sidewall involvement were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Pelvic exenteration is a valid therapeutic option for patients with locally advanced primary persistent or recurrent cervical cancer, with a long-term survival in 40% of the patients.
*Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Campus Mitte (CCM) and Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF), Charitè University Berlin, Berlin, Germany; †Gynecologic Oncology Unit, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ‡Department of Radiooncology, Campus Mitte (CCM) and Campus Virchow (CVK), Charitè University Berlin, Berlin, Germany; §Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy; ∥Università di Milano, Fondazione Policlinico Milano, Milan, Italy; and ¶Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy.
Vito
V
Chiantera
Martina
M
Rossi
Pierandrea
P
De Iaco
Christardt
C
Koehler
Simone
S
Marnitz
Gabriella
G
Ferrandina
Francesco
F
Legge
Fabio
F
Parazzini
Giovanni
G
Scambia
Achim
A
Schneider
Giuseppe Filiberto
GF
Vercellino
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010385:Pelvic Exenteration / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult