Article Text

Download PDFPDF

Survey on the Management of Early Cervical Cancer Among Members of the GCIG
  1. Rhona Lindsay, MRCOG*,
  2. Jim Paul, BSc,
  3. Nadeem Siddiqui, PhD*,
  4. Jonathan Davis, FRCOG* and
  5. David K. Gaffney, PhD
  1. *Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Princess Royal Maternity, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK;
  2. Department of Biostatistics, Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit Scotland, The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Level 0, Glasgow, UK; and
  3. Huntsman Cancer Institute, 1950 Circle of Hope Rd. Salt Lake City, UT, USA 84112.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Rhona Lindsay, Ward 56B, Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK. E-mail: rhona.lindsay@nhs.net.

Abstract

Objective To establish the different imaging and treatment options offered to patients with early cervical cancer by members of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup.

Methods A questionnaire was developed and disseminated electronically to members of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup and was completed online.

Results One hundred sixty-two members viewed the questionnaire; 88 members started it; however, only 64 members fully completed it. Most (89.9%) of respondents used the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics classification system when staging cervical cancer, using adjuncts to clinical staging: 33 respondents (37.5%) advocated computed tomography, 61 respondents (69.3%) advocated magnetic resonance imaging, 26 respondents (29.6%) positron emission tomography–computed tomography, and 36 respondents (40.9%) advocated staging lymphadenectomy, with 69.4% (50) performing lymphadenectomies laparoscopically. The external iliac nodal group was the nodal group that was consistently part of the lymphadenectomy with other nodal groups variably removed depending on the stage. All centers offered fertility-conserving surgery in stage IA1 cervical cancer and most up to and including stage IB1 with no lymphovascular space invasion. The fertility-conserving procedures performed varied among respondents: 20.3% (15 respondents) abdominal radical trachelectomy, 47.35 (35 respondents) radical vaginal trachelectomy, 58.1% (43 respondents) trachelectomy, 97.3% (72 respondents) cone biopsy, and 67.6% (50 respondents) large loop excision of the transformation zone. When fertility conservation was not desired, there was variation in the surgical techniques offered. Chemotherapy was used to downstage tumors preoperatively in 16.4% (11) before fertility-conserving surgery and 50.8% (34) before radical surgery.

Conclusions There are wide variations in the use of preoperative imaging, when pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes are removed, and as to which surgical procedure should be offered in the management of cervical cancer both when fertility conservation is and is not an issue.

  • Cervix cancer
  • Fertility conservation
  • Trachelectomy
  • LLETZ
  • Lymphadenectomy

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Footnotes

  • The authors declare no conflicts of interest.