Conservative surgery in cervical cancer: report of two radical abdominal trachelectomies and literature review.

AIM

Radical trachelectomy or removal of the cervix and uterine ligaments with uterus and ovary preservation is done in primary stages of cervical cancer in women who wish to preserve their fertility.

CASES

The first case had cervical cancer in situ with lymphovascular involvement, while the second case had papillary serous adenocarcinoma, Stage Ib1 (lesion < 4 cm and limited to the cervix) diagnosed during pregnancy, who underwent surgery two months following labor. Radical trachelectomy and total pelvic lymphadenectomy to preserve the uterus were done without any intra- or postoperative complications. Both patients had regular postoperative menstruation, but in the second case, the disease relapsed in the vaginal cuff and the patient was a candidate for radical hysterectomy and radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Radical trachelectomy as a new technique to preserve fertility in early stages of cervical cancer seems to be less effective in adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma due to a worse prognosis.