Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in Bulky Stage IB2 Cervical Cancer Patients: A Single Institution's Experience over 14 Years

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess various treatment options in stage IB2 cervical cancer patients. Methods: Between January 1995 and May 2007, 63 patients with stage IB2 were treated by radical hysterectomy (n = 28), primary concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT, n = 16) or radiation therapy (RT, n = 19). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between these treatment modalities. Results: The 3-year DFS of the surgical approach group was 67.5% compared to 70.3% of the primary RT/CCRT group (p = 0.603). The 5-year OS of all patients was 75.9%. The 5-year OS of the surgical approach group was 81.6% compared to 76.2% of the primary RT/CCRT group (p = 0.578). Twelve (42.8%) of 28 surgically treated patients had high-risk pathologic factors. Out of 20 premenopausal patients who underwent the surgical approach, ovarian preservation was possible in 13 patients without adjuvant CCRT. Of these 13 patients, 7 patients did not experience disease recurrence and continued normal ovarian function. Conclusion: Both radical hysterectomy and primary RT/CCRT are effective treatment options in IB2 cervical cancer. In addition, the surgical approach can be considered for preserving ovarian function in premenopausal IB2 cervical cancer patients. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel