[Pelvic recurrence of cervical cancer: the prognostic relationship to the retreatment modalities]

To investigate the prognostic factors in relation to retreatment modalities in patients with recurrent cervical carcinoma.

According to initial therapy, 194 patients with recurrence were grouped as: (1) surgery, 22 cases; (2) surgery and radiotherapy, 24 cases, and (3) radiotherapy alone, 148 cases. Factors such as clinical stage, sites of recurrence, time of diagnosis of recurrence after initial therapy and modalities of retreatment were analyzed.

There were 19 cases alloted to stage I, 51 cases to stage II (IIa 23 and IIb 28) and 124 cases to stage III (IIIa 21 and IIIb 103); histopathologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma in 181 cases and adenocarcinoma 13 cases. Central recurrences were found in 91 cases and lateral or pelvic recurrences in 103 cases. Time of diagnosis of recurrence within 2 years from initial treatments was shown in 118 patients and above 2 years in 76 patients. In 147 of the 194 patients retreated, those of the group 1 obtained a median survival rate of 24 months, which was significantly longer than that of group 2, and group 3. The sites of recurrence did not significantly affect the survival.

Radiotherapy remains the treatment of choice for patients with pelvic recurrence after surgery. Previously irradiated patients retreated for recurrence by radiotherapy and (or) chemotherapy had lower response rates. The optimal therapy for these patients should be comprehensive managements including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.