Radical hysterectomy after radiotherapy for recurrent or persistent cervical cancer

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of radical hysterectomy after radiotherapy (RH-AR) for recurrent or persistent cervical cancer.

The present retrospective study included patients who underwent RH-AR for recurrent or persistent cervical cancer at Osaka University Hospital, Japan, between May 1, 2010 and September 30, 2016. Patient characteristics, intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, and surgical outcomes were investigated to identify patients at increased risk of recurrence or severe surgical adverse events.

There were 31 patients scheduled for treatment with RH-AR; one hysterectomy procedure was aborted. No intraoperative adverse events or treatment-related deaths occurred, and 8 (27%) patients experienced severe postoperative adverse events. After a median 34 months of follow-up, 13 (43%) patients had developed recurrent disease, predominantly at distant sites. The estimated 3-year overall survival rate was 53.8%. Positive surgical margins, nodal metastasis, parametrial invasion, and no adjuvant treatment after RH-AR were found to be predictors of increased risk of recurrence. No predictors of severe surgical adverse events were identified.

RH-AR was a safe, curative treatment for patients with recurrent or persistent cervical cancer. However, considering the significant risk of surgical adverse events, RH-AR should only be performed for a select group of patients.