The potential for de-escalation radical surgery in women with stage IB2 cervical cancer (FIGO 2018): a multi-institutional experience of 63,926 cases over a 14-year period in China.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the long-term survival outcomes, recurrence patterns and morbidity of type B and type C radical hysterectomy (RH) for stage IB2 cervical cancer (FIGO 2018).

METHODS

Based on FOUR-C database, patients who underwent type B or C RH in 47 hospitals from 2004 to 2018 were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare 5-year overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), recurrence patterns and morbidity between the two groups after propensity score matching (PSM).

RESULTS

A total of 1308 patients were enrolled in this study, 840 and 468 patients underwent type B and type C. There was no difference in 5-year survival outcomes between groups type B and type C, either before or after matching (OS: unmatched 95.6% vs. 93.3%, matched 95.6 vs. 93.0%, P>0.05; RFS: unmatched: 90.5% vs. 90.1%, matched: 91.2% vs. 89.7%, P>0.05). Type B group had a shorter operative time, less blood loss, earlier recovery of intestinal function, eariler removal of catheter and shorter hospitalization (P<0.01). Intraoperative complications were similar (0.1% vs. 0.2%, P>0.05), but postoperative complications occurred more frequently in the type C group (8.3% vs. 12.1%, P < 0.05), especially lymphocysts and urinary retention. The surgical dissection does not appear to influence tumor recurrences significantly (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For cervical cancer patients with stage IB2, type B RH demonstrated comparable long-term oncological outcomes and recurrence patterns to type C RH, while being associated with fewer intra-and postoperative complications. Type B RH is a feasible and appropriate surgical option, but the conclusions need to be confirmed by prospective studies.