Pelvic exenteration, University of Michigan: 100 patients at 5 years

One hundred patients undergoing pelvic exenteration (total 69, anterior 13, posterior 18) at the University of Michigan Medical Center from 1964-1984 are reported. All patients were followed for at least 5 years or until time of death. The overall cumulative survival was 66% at 3 years and 61% at 5 years. The age of the patients ranged from 21-74 years (median 53). The type of pelvic neoplasm included squamous cell of the cervix, 57; adenocarcinoma of the cervix, nine; squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, 12; squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina, eight; vaginal sarcoma, four; adenocarcinoma of the vagina, one; adenocarcinoma of the endometrium, four; uterine sarcoma, four; and adenocarcinoma of the ovary, one. The cumulative 5-year survival was significantly related to the presence of metastatic disease to the regional lymph nodes (8% 3-year and 0% 5-year survival), time interval from primary diagnosis to exenteration (within 1 year 44%, 1-10 years 60%, and over 10 years 95%), and cell type (squamous cell 68%, sarcoma 62%, and adenocarcinoma 26%). Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (N = 57) had a cumulative 5-year survival of 73%, compared with nine patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix, who had a 22% 5-year survival. No significant difference in survival existed for the type of exenteration, original stage of squamous cell cervical carcinoma, size of recurrent squamous cell lesion, or age of the patient. Early or late complications occurred in 49 patients. Two patients died in the postoperative period. Small-bowel obstruction was the most common complication seen in this series.