Percutaneous nephrostomy in patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer

Thirteen percutaneous nephrostomies were performed in 10 patients with advanced (no = 4) (group A) or recurrent (no = 6) (group B) cervical cancer. Urinary diversion was unilateral in 7 patients and bilateral in 3 patients. The catheter was kept in place for 4 months in mean (range: 1-7 months). A normalization of renal function was achieved in 4 out of 4 patients of group A, and in 3 out of 6 patients of group B. Of the 4 patients of group A, who afterwards underwent antineoplastic integrated treatments, 2 patients are currently alive with no evidence of disease after 48 and 20 months from the diagnosis, respectively, while the other 2 died of disease after 10 and 14 months, respectively. Of the 6 patients of group B, 5 patients died within 7 months, while another patient is currently undergoing chemotherapy. The present data seem to confirm that percutaneous nephrostomy can be of clinical benefit for patients with advanced cervical cancer, having a chance of prolonged palliation or cure. Conversely, this technique seems to be of little use for patients with recurrent disease, for whom no effective salvage therapy is generally available.