Survival outcomes of minimally invasive surgery for early-staged cervical cancer: A retrospective study from a single surgeon in a single center

• Published in: Asian journal of surgery Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 320 - 325
• Main Authors: Li, Jinjin, Ouyang, Xiping, Gong, Xue, Li, Pujun, Xiao, Lin, Chang, Xiaoxia, Tang, Junying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Elsevier Taiwan LLC 01.01.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Early-stage cervical cancer; Female; Humans; Hysterectomy; Minimally invasive surgery; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - epidemiology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; One surgeon; Retrospective Studies; Surgeons; Survival outcomes; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - surgery; Survival outcomes; Minimally invasive surgery; One surgeon; Early-stage cervical cancer
• ISSN: 1015-9584; 0219-3108
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2021.05.037

Recent studies have shown that minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is associated with a higher recurrence rate in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. In this study, we aim to report the survival outcomes of patients with early-stage cervical cancer who received MIS, performed in a single center by the same surgeon. Eligible participants included patients with early-stage cervical cancer in stage IA1 with lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI+), IA2, and IB1. The surgeries were carried out by a single surgeon and survival outcomes of the 137 patients were evaluated retrospectively. The median follow-up time for the 137 patients was 53 (25–94) months, with the five-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of 96.4% and the five-year overall survival (OS) rate of 96.8%. Among them, six (4.38%) patients relapsed and four (2.92%) of whom died. The five-year DFS rate was significantly higher in patients with tumor≤2 cm in size than in those with tumor >2 cm (P = 0.013), however, with no significant difference in the five-year OS rate (P = 0.219). According to the existing literature and the results of this study, for MIS, the proficiency levels of a surgeon may be associated with survival outcomes of cancer patients. Tumor size may also be an important factor affecting survival outcomes of cervical cancer patients. •Greater experience levels of a surgeon may result in better disease-free survival rates of early-stage cervical cancer patients.•Tumor size may also be an important factor affecting the survival outcomes of patients with cervical cancer.•Implementation of the tumour-free principle is important in minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer.