Risk factors for lymphatic complications following lymphadenectomy in patients with cervical cancer

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of lymphatic complications following pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLA) in patients with cervical cancer.

A retrospective study of 169 cervical cancer patients was conducted. Lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) was diagnosed using the International Society of Lymphology guidelines, and pelvic lymphocele (PL) was evaluated using trans-vaginal ultrasonography and computed tomography.

The median patient age was 46 years (range: 22-74) and median body mass index was 21.7 kg/m2 (range: 15.7-37.1). The median number of lymph nodes (LNs) removed was 27 (range: 22-74); 94 (55.6%) patients underwent circumflex iliac node (CIN) dissection; 39 (23.1%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy; and 81 (47.9%) patients received adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. There were 28 (16.6%) and 32 (18.9%) occurrences of LEL and PL, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the number of LNs removed (odds ratio [OR]: 3.37; 95% CI: 1.43-8.54; P = 0.0053) and CIN removal (OR: 3.92; 95% CI: 1.55-11.4; P = 0.0033) were independent risk factors for LEL; however, no risk factors were significantly associated with PL.

Our results demonstrated that CIN removal and the number of LNs removed were significant risk factors for LEL in patients with cervical cancer. However, we did not identify any significant risk factors for PL in this study. We instead speculate that LN dissection itself causes PL. We suggest that establishment of comprehensive PLA without CIN dissection, or use of the sentinel lymph node concept, will prevent the occurrence of lymphatic complications in cervical cancer patients.