Background: To investigate the survival of cervical cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) in a minimally invasive gynecology center.
Methods: A consecutive series of patients undergoing first LRH for cervical cancer from May 2008 to December 2017 at a national laparoscopic training center was retrospectively analyzed. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between groups.
Results: In total, 1316 women with FIGO (2009) stage IA-IIB cervical cancer received LRH. Among them, 1114 (84.7%) were followed up for 3 months or longer; the median follow-up period was 48 months (range 3-144 months). In patients with stage IA, IB1 (≤ 2 cm), IB1 (> 2 cm), IB2, IIA1 and IIA2-IIB tumors, the 4-year PFS rates were 98.6, 94.5, 87.4, 65.6, 80.0 and 67.4%, respectively, and the 4-year OS rates were 98.6, 96.8, 91.1, 77.4, 85.6 and 76.2%, respectively. The 4-year PFS and OS were as high as 96.2 and 97.5%, respectively, in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of 2 cm or smaller in diameter. A stable high 4-year OS and PFS was achieved after completing 100 LRHs. In patients operated on by the same surgeon, an improvement in survival was observed after 40 LRHs.
Conclusion: Favorable oncologic outcomes can be achieved in patients with IA-IB1 cervical cancer after LRH in a center with a high surgery volume.
Keywords: Cervical cancer; Laparoscopy; Learning curve; Radical hysterectomy; Survival.
© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.