Pelvic exenteration in clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and cervix.

Pelvic exenteration was performed in 29 of 527 cases of vaginal and cervical clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA). Exenteration was the initial therapy in 21 cases (1 stage I, 15 stage II, 3 stage III, 1 stage IV, and 1 unknown stage) and was undertaken in 8 cases for central failure after primary radiotherapy. Of the 78 patients with stage II vaginal CCA, the 9 treated with primary exenteration were compared with the 69 who had other modalities of therapy; no significant difference in the survival experience was noted between the two groups. Among the 96 patients with stage II cervical CCA the survival experience was less favorable for those who underwent primary exenteration (n = 5) than for those who were treated with other varieties of therapy (n = 91). Of the 34 patients with central treatment failure, 8 had exenteration and 26 had other forms of therapy. The overall 5- and 8-year actuarial survival rates for the exenteration group (100 and 60%) do not differ significantly from those for the nonexenteration group (71 and 56%). Primary exenteration was used more frequently in the 1970s but has been predominantly reserved for the treatment of recurrent disease during the past decade. Survival statistics after exenteration for central failure are more favorable in cases of vaginal and cervical CCA than in cases of cervical squamous carcinoma.