Prospective multicenter study evaluating the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) and negative positron emission tomography with computerized tomography (PET-CT) in the para-aortic area undergoing laparoscopic para-aortic (PA) lymphadenectomy before chemoradiation therapy.

Abstract

5083 Background: In three comprehensive cancer centers, patients with LACC were systematically staged using conventional and PET-CT imaging before chemoradiotherapy. If patients had no uptake in the PA area, laparoscopic extraperitoneal PA surgery was then performed to define radiation field limits more accurately. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic impact of this management. Methods: A prospective multicenter series of 237 patients treated from 2004 to 2011 for LACC with a negative PET-CT of the PA area and undergoing laparoscopic PA lymphadenectomy. Radiation fields were extended to PA area when PA nodes were involved. Chemoradiotherapy modalities were homogeneous between Institutions. Patients with a poor prognosis histologic subtype, peritoneal carcinomatosis or ovarian metastasis were excluded. Results: Clinical stages were IB2 (n=79), IIA (n=10), IIB (n=120), III (n=23), IVA (n=5). The histologic types were squamous carcinoma (n=197), adenocarcinoma (n=34) and others (n=6). Twenty-nine (11%) patients had nodal involvement (false negative PET-CT results): 16 with PA nodal metastasis measuring > 5 mm and 13 < 5 mm. With a median follow-up of 18 (range, 0-67) months, disease-free survival (DFS) at 2 years in patients without and with PA involvement was respectively 76% (68%-83%) and 61% (37%-80%)(p=.007). DFS at 2 years in patients without PA involvement or with PA metastasis measuring < or > 5 mm was respectively 76% (68%-83%), 89% (57%-98%) and 38% (14%-68%)(p=.0006). Conclusions: This is the largest series of patients reported undergoing such strategy. We obtained a similar survival rate for patients with PA nodal metastasis < 5 mm and patients without PA lymph node involvement suggesting that this strategy is highly efficient in such patients. Conversely, the survival of patients with PA nodal involvement > 5 mm remained poor, despite no extrapelvic disease at PET-CT imaging in this subgroup. Other treatment modalities should be evaluated for these patients.