Safety of less aggressive surgery for stage IA1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

AimTo determine the risk of extracervical disease in patients with stage IA1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed of 169 patients who had stage IA1 cervical cancer after conization at Seoul National University Hospital between 1997 and 2007. ResultsDuring the study period, 18 patients had conization as a definite treatment and 151 underwent subsequent surgery ranging from simple hysterectomy to radical hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy. Of the 151 patients who underwent subsequent surgery following conization, 35 (23.3%) patients underwent a simple hysterectomy, 20 (13.1%) a simple hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy and 96 (63.6%) radical surgery with lymphadenectomy. No parametrial involvement or lymph node metastasis was noted in any of the patients who underwent parametrial resection and/or lymphadenectomy. Of the 62 patients who had negative resection margins in conization specimens, only one presented with residual tumor in subsequent surgery. One recurrence of the disease was identified in the total sample (169 patients) with a median follow-up time of 99months. ConclusionThe risk of extracervical disease following conization is negligible, even for patients with positive resection margins in conization specimens. A more conservative and less aggressive approach may be possible for this patient subset.