Is postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) a viable option in high-risk early-stage cervical cancer after upfront or downstaged radical surgery? A comparative study.

Abstract

Radical surgery for cervical cancer has inherent benefits, and as upfront or post neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), is extendable to locally advanced cancer cervix (LACC), with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for high-risk factors. Objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness and survival between non-PORT and PORT in high-risk early stages. Radical hysterectomies conducted between January 2014 and December 2017 were evaluated and followed till December 2019. Clinical, surgical-pathologic characteristics, and oncological outcomes were compared between non-PORT and PORT groups. A similar comparison was made between alive and dead patients within each group. The impact of PORT was assessed. Of 178 radical surgeries, early-LACC constituted 70%. Most (37%) of the patients belonged to stage 1b2, while stage 2b formed 5%. Mean age of patients was 46.5 years; 69% were below 50 years of age. Abnormal bleeding (41%) was the predominant symptom, followed by postcoital (20%) and postmenopausal bleeding (12%). Upfront surgeries formed 70.2%, and the average waiting period was 1.93 months (range: 1-10 months). PORT patients were 97 (54.5%) in number and the remaining formed the non-PORT group. Mean follow-up was 34 months, with 118 (66%) alive patients. Significant adverse prognostic factors were tumors >4 cm (44.4% patients), positive margins (10%), lymphatic vascular space invasion (LVSI; 42%), malignant nodes (33%), multiple metastatic nodes averaging seven (range: 3-11), and delayed (>6 months) presentation, but not deep stromal invasion (77% patients) and positive parametrium (8.4% patients). PORT overcame the adverse effects of tumors >4 cm, multiple metastatic nodes, positive margins, and LVSI. Total recurrences (25%) were balanced for both groups, but recurrences within 2 years were significantly more for PORT. Two-year overall survival (78%) and recurrence-free survival (72%), median overall survival (21 months), and median recurrence-free interval (19 months) were significantly better for PORT, with the complication rates being similar. PORT had significantly better oncological outcomes compared to non-PORT. Multimodal management is worthwhile.