Analysis of multiple prognostic factors in patients with stage IB cervical cancer: age as a major determinant

To evaluate the prognostic importance of age in patients with Stage IB cervical cancer we reviewed the results of 131 patients treated between 1974 and 1985. Patients ranged in age from 25 to 87 (mean 48) and were followed for a median of 65 months. One hundred twenty-five patients had complete follow-up information for survival analysis. Patients were divided into two groups; Group A comprising 43 patients less than or equal to age 40 and Group B comprising 88 patients greater than age 40. Both Group A and Group B patients were comparable with respect to all covariables studied. The 5-year actuarial survival for the 125 patients studied was 80%, whereas that for Group A (42 patients) and Group B (83 patients) was 54% and 91%, respectively (p = .0001). The 5-year survival for 100 surgical patients was 79% and that for Group A (36 patients) and Group B (64 patients) was 53% and 90%, respectively (p = .0001). The 5-year survival for 25 patients treated with curative RT was 65% and that for Group A (six patients) and Group B (19 patients) was 42% and 90%, respectively (p = .005). Eighteen patients were treated with adjuvant RT following surgery and their 5-year survival was 69% with three out of nine Group A and nine out of nine Group B patients alive at 65 months (p = .004). In 18 patients with pelvic nodal involvement, the 5-year survival was 48% compared to 84% in patients with negative nodes (p = .007). The difference in survival at 5 years between Group A (nine patients) and Group B (nine patients) with positive nodes was 25% and 75%, respectively. Finally, there was an increase in both local and distant failure in Group A patients. Our data illustrate that age has a profound influence on survival in women with Stage IB cervical cancer independent of potentially confounding variables.