Management of Radiographically Positive Pelvic and/or Para-aortic Lymph Nodes During Primary Chemoradiation Therapy for Cervix Cancer

Abstract

Advanced imaging in the initial workup of cervix cancer has become standard of care and has led to the need for complex decision making regarding optimal management of locoregional nodal metastases. 1 National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Cervical cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. 2021;1:1-90. Google Scholar When treating a patient with cervix cancer using primary radiation therapy (RT) or chemoradiation therapy (CRT), radiation oncologists must decide on the total radiation therapy dose and fractionation for radiographically positive pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph nodes. It is evident that nodal involvement negatively affects disease-free survival and risk of developing distant metastases; thus, the updated International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 cervix cancer staging system includes lymph node status. 2 MacDonald KO Chen J Dodson M et al. Prognostic significance of histology and positive lymph node involvement following radical hysterectomy in carcinoma of the cervix. Am J Clin Oncol. 2009; 32: 411-416 Crossref PubMed Scopus (77) Google Scholar , 3 Kidd EA Siegel BA Dehdashti F et al. Lymph node staging by positron emission tomography in cervical cancer: Relationship to prognosis. J Clin Oncol. 2010; 28: 2108-2113 Crossref PubMed Scopus (241) Google Scholar , 4 Bhatla N Berek JS Fredes MC et al. Revised FIGO staging for carcinoma of the cervix. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2019; 145: 129-135 Crossref PubMed Scopus (413) Google Scholar This article will first summarize the available data regarding RT dose for positive nodes and then discuss the treatment typically used at our institutions.