Objective Radical trachelectomy is a valid alternative for the treatment of early-stage cervical cancer in young women who wish to preserve fertility potential. Recent data indicate that even less radical surgery could be performed in low-risk cases. The objective of our study was to evaluate the safety of simple vaginal trachelectomy and node assessment in patients with low-risk, early-stage cervical cancer (<2 cm).

Methods From May 2007 to July 2016, 35 women underwent a simple vaginal trachelectomy with laparoscopic sentinel lymph node mapping + pelvic node dissection. Data were collected prospectively in a computerized database. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier estimate were used for analysis.

Results Patients’ median age was 29 years, and 24 (69%) were nulliparous. Eight had stage IA1 with lymphovascular space invasion, 9 a stage IA2, and 18 a stage IB1. Nineteen (54%) had squamous histology, 13 (37%) had adenocarcinoma, and 3 had other histologic findings. The median operating room time was 148 minutes (90–240 minutes), and median blood loss was 50 mL (25–200 mL). On final pathology, lymph nodes were negative in all patients, except 2 cases with isolated tumor cells. Twenty-two patients (63%) had either no residual disease in the trachelectomy specimen (n = 15) or residual dysplasia only (n = 7). With a median follow-up of 42 months (1–100 months), 1 local recurrence occurred treated initially with chemoradiation and then a pelvic exenteration. The recurrence-free survival at 48 months is 96.7%. There were 25 pregnancies: 5 (20%) ended in the first trimester, 2 delivered prematurely at 34.4 and at 35 weeks, and all the others (18 [72%]) delivered at more than 36 weeks.

Conclusions Based on our experience, simple trachelectomy and nodes appear to be a safe fertility-preserving surgery in well-selected patients with small-volume cervical cancer. Obstetric outcome appears favorable.