Introduction/Background This study investigated the prognostic value of lymph node characteristics for prediction of tumor recurrence in patients with early-stage cervical cancer.

Methodology The medical records of 270 consecutive patients who were performed radical hysterectomy with pelvic and/or para-aortic lymphadenectomy for the treatment of early-stage cervical cancer were reviewed. Lymph node characteristics were included lymph node counts, node-positive counts, lymph node ratio, extent of lymphadenectomy, and node-positive bilaterality.

Results Among the 270 patients, node-positive were 52 (19%) and node-negative were 218 (81%). In node-negative group, all of lymph node characteristics were not associated with tumor recurrence. In node-positive group, lymph node counts (hazard ratio [HR], 0.476; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07–3.17; p=0.4423), node-positive counts (HR, 2.805; 95% CI, 0.80–9.87; p=0.1081), extent of lymphadenectomy (HR, 1.850; 95% CI, 0.58–5.94; p=0.3012), and node-positive bilaterality (HR, 2.196; 95% CI, 0.65–7.39; p=0.2043) did not predict tumor recurrence. Only lymph node ratio was an independent prognostic factor for prediction of tumor recurrence (HR, 6.379; 95% CI, 1.98–20.52; p=0.0019) in the node-positive group.

Conclusion Lymph node ratio may be a prognostic biomarker for the prediction of disease recurrence in patients with node-positive early-stage cervical cancer.

Disclosure Nothing to disclose.