Conservative surgery in early-stage cervical cancer: What percentage of patients may be eligible for conization and lymphadenectomy?

ObjectiveTo determine the proportion of young patients with early-stage invasive cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy who may have been eligible for fertility-sparing surgery consisting of cervical conization with pelvic lymph node dissection.MethodsWe retrospectively identified all patients with early-stage cervical cancer (stages IA1-IB1) who underwent a radical hysterectomy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1990 and 2009. We reviewed these patients' records to identify patients who were < 40 years who had not previously undergone tubal ligation and who would have been considered candidates for cold-knife conization with pelvic lymph node dissection—i.e., women with tumors smaller than 2 cm, low-risk histology (squamous, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous), and no lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI).ResultsA total of 507 patients with early-stage cervical cancer were identified who underwent radical hysterectomy during the review period. Of these women, 277 (55%) were 40 years or younger. Of these 277 patients, 75 (27%) had had a previous tubal ligation and 202 (73%) had not. Of these 202 patients potentially interested in fertility preserving surgery, 53 (26%) had favorable pathologic characteristics including low-risk histology, tumors ≤ 2 cm in size and no LVSI present. Of these 53 patients, none had parametrial involvement or positive lymph nodes.ConclusionAmong 202 women with age younger than 40 years and no previous tubal ligation who underwent radical hysterectomy, 53 (26%) may have been eligible for fertility-sparing surgery such as cold-knife conization with pelvic lymph node dissection.