Objectives Standard treatment for recurrent cervical cancer has not been established. To help improve management of the disease, this study presented clinicopathological features and identified prognostic factors in patients treated with secondary surgical resection and radiotherapy.

Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with recurrent cervical cancer confined to the pelvis during 2012 to 2017. This study only selected patients whose primary tumors were diagnosed at stage IIA2 or earlier, and received surgical resection for both primary and recurrent tumors. Their clinicopathological data were collected and analyzed. Cox regression models were applied to identify risk factors associated with post-recurrence survival.

Results A total of 54 patients with recurrent cervical cancer were included. Thirty seven (68.5%) of recurrences occurred with 2 years after the initial treatment and 17 (31.5%)of them had tumor size >4 cm. Recurrences were treated with radical surgery plus pelvic radiotherapy. In addition, part of patients received vaginal radiotherapy (31.5%), concurrent chemotherapy (76.0%) and consolidated chemotherapy (37.0%). Chemoradiotherapy were administrated to 44.4% patients < 4 weeks after secondary surgery. The 1-, 3- and 5- year post-recurrence survival rates were 88.5%, 72.0% and 62.3%, respectively. Interval between secondary surgery and chemoradiotherapy and size of recurrent tumors were significantly associated with post-recurrence survival.

Conclusions After surgical resection plus radiotherapy, patients with recurrent cervical cancer confined to the pelvis have relatively high post-recurrence survival. Earlier start of chemoraidotherapy after secondary surgery and smaller recurrent tumors are associated with better post-recurrence survival.