A less radical treatment option to the fertility-sparing radical trachelectomy in patients with stage I cervical cancer

Gynecol Oncol. 2008 Nov;111(2 Suppl):S116-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2008.07.021. Epub 2008 Aug 23.

Abstract

The purpose of the two pilot studies was to determine the feasibility and safety of using less-radical fertility-preserving surgery: laparoscopic lymphadenectomy with sentinel lymph node identification (SLNI) followed by a large cone or simple trachelectomy (LAP-I protocol) and the LAP-III protocol, which includes neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). LAP-I: Forty women underwent laparoscopic SLNI, frozen-section analysis, and a complete pelvic lymphadenectomy as the first step of treatment. Seven days after final histopathological processing of dissected nodes, a large cone or simple vaginal trachelectomy was performed in patients with negative nodes. Nine women had a tumor larger than 20 mm, prompting the administration of three cycles of NAC before surgery. LAP-I: Six frozen sections were positive (15%). In these cases, a type III Wertheim was immediately performed. There were no false-negative SLNs. There was one central recurrence, but after chemoradiation therapy, there was no evidence of the disease 62 months post-treatment. Twenty-four of 32 women whose reproductive ability had been maintained tried to conceive. Of these 24 women, 17 became pregnant (71% pregnancy rate). Eleven mothers gave birth to 12 children (1 at 24 weeks, 1 at 34 weeks, 1 at 36 weeks, and 9 between 37 and 39 weeks). LAP-III: Nine patients were included. In 7 of these 9 women, reproductive ability was maintained, with 3 women becoming pregnant (1 full term and 2 ongoing). SLNI improves safety in fertility-sparing surgery. Large cone or simple trachelectomy combined with laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy can be a feasible method that yields a high, successful pregnancy rate. NAC followed by fertility-sparing surgery is an experimental alternative treatment for larger tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Female
  • Fertility*
  • Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Humans
  • Lymph Node Excision
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Pilot Projects
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / surgery*