Article
Prognostic impact of micrometasases in pelvic lymph nodes in patients with carcinoma of the cervix uteri
Search Medline for
Authors
Published: | March 20, 2006 |
---|
Outline
Text
Metastatic disease in pelvic lymph nodes is one of the major risk factors in carcinomas of the uterine cervix (CX). Contrary to breast cancer nothing is known about the prognostic impact of micrometasases (i.e. metastatic deposits < 0.2cm = pN1mic).
Pelvic lymph nodes of 266 surgically treated CX FIGO-stage IB to IIB were re-examined histologically with detailed measurement of metastatic deposits in pelvic nodes. Recurrence free and overall survival was correlated to pelvic lymph node status (pN0 vs. pN1mic vs. pN1 = metastasis > 0.2cm).
29.7% of all patients represented with pelvic lymph node involvement. 22.1% of these patients showed micrometastases (pN1mic). Patients with pN1mic represented a reduced recurrence free and overall survival compared to those without metastatic disaease (p<0.0001). There was significance when patients with pN1mich were compered to patients with macrometasases (pN1) in pelvic lymph nodes.
The results suggest that metatstatic deposits in pelvic lymph nodes are represent an important risk factor for reduced RFS and OS in cervical cancer patients, and all lymph nodes, especially resulting from sentinel lymph node procedure should be examined very careful histologically.