Clinical aspects and prognosis of pelvic recurrence of cervical carcinoma

Objective: To identify which patients with locally recurrent cervical carcinoma are potentially curable. Method: A total of 664 stage IB-IVA patients were examined following surgery or radiotherapy. Result: Among the 664 patients, 193 (29%) developed recurrence. Sixty-seven (35%) of these recurrences were located in the pelvis atone. Among these 67 recurrences, 24 (35%) were central recurrences and the remaining 43 (65%) were pelvic side-watt recurrences. Of the 24 patients with central recurrences, 8 were salvaged. Of these 8 patients, 3 underwent pelvic exenteration, and 5 received optimal radiotherapy. The recurrent tumor in these 5 survivors who received radiotherapy had consisted of a small (< 2 cm) tumor. All 43 patients with pelvic watt recurrence developed progressive disease. Conclusion: The following patients are potentially curable: patients with a resectabie, centrally located tumor who are candidates for pelvic exenteration, and patients with a small central recurrence for whom complete radiation therapy is feasible. (c) 2005 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.