Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the operative feasibility and survival for patients with stage IB2 cervical cancer who undergo laparoscopic radical vaginal hysterectomy (LRVH) compared with those with stage IB1 cervical cancer.
Methods: We identified 90 patients who were eligible to participate in the study through retrospective analysis of medical records from March 2003 to June 2010. Patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer were divided into two groups by a cutoff value of 2 cm for tumor size. Data regarding surgicopathologic risk factors, surgical outcomes, and survival rates were compared among three groups (two with stage IB1 and one with stage IB2).
Results: The tumor size was ≤2 cm in 27 patients, 2-4 cm in 30, and >4 cm in 33. The number of intermediate and high-risk factors was significantly lower in patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer (≤2 cm) than in those with stage IB2. Surgical outcomes (mean operating time, estimated blood loss, number of harvested lymph nodes, and sites of metastatic lymph nodes) did not show any significant difference among the three groups. The rates of intraoperative complications also did not differ among the three groups (P = 0.833). The estimated 5-year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were not significantly different among the three groups (P = 0.253 and 0.525, respectively).
Conclusions: LRVH for stage IB2 cervical cancer can be performed with similar safety and survival rates compared to stage IB1 cervical cancer. Overall, LRVH is feasible for the treatment of stage IB2 cervical cancer.