Outcomes of High-Grade Cervical Dysplasia with Positive Margins and HPV Persistence after Cervical Conization.

The objective of this work is to assess the 5-year outcomes of patients undergoing conization for high-grade cervical lesions that simultaneously present as risk factors in the persistence of HPV infection and the positivity of surgical resection margins. This is a retrospective study evaluating patients undergoing conization for high-grade cervical lesions. All patients included had both positive surgical margins and experienced HPV persistence at 6 months. Associations were evaluated with Cox proportional hazard regression and summarized using hazard ratio (HR). The charts of 2966 patients undergoing conization were reviewed. Among the whole population, 163 (5.5%) patients met the inclusion criteria, being at high risk due to the presence of positive surgical margins and experiencing HPV persistence. Of 163 patients included, 17 (10.4%) patients developed a CIN2+ recurrence during the 5-year follow-up. Via univariate analyses, diagnosis of CIN3 instead of CIN2 (HR: 4.88 (95%CI: 1.10, 12.41); p = 0.035) and positive endocervical instead of ectocervical margins (HR: 6.44 (95%CI: 2.80, 9.65); p < 0.001) were associated with increased risk of persistence/recurrence. Via multivariate analyses, only positive endocervical instead of ectocervical margins (HR: 4.56 (95%CI: 1.23, 7.95); p = 0.021) were associated with worse outcomes. In this high-risk group, positive endocervical margins is the main risk factor predicting 5-year recurrence.

Cisplatin resistance can be curtailed by blunting Bnip3-mediated mitochondrial autophagy.

Cisplatin (CDDP) is commonly used to treat a multitude of tumors including sarcomas, ovarian and cervical cancers. Despite recent investigations allowed to improve chemotherapy effectiveness, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of CDDP resistance remain a major goal in cancer research. Here, we show that mitochondrial morphology and autophagy are altered in different CDDP resistant cancer cell lines. In CDDP resistant osteosarcoma and ovarian carcinoma, mitochondria are fragmented and closely juxtaposed to the endoplasmic reticulum; rates of mitophagy are also increased. Specifically, levels of the mitophagy receptor BNIP3 are higher both in resistant cells and in ovarian cancer patient samples resistant to platinum-based treatments. Genetic BNIP3 silencing or pharmacological inhibition of autophagosome formation re-sensitizes these cells to CDDP. Our study identifies inhibition of BNIP3-driven mitophagy as a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract CDDP resistance in ovarian carcinoma and osteosarcoma.

Development of a Nomogram Predicting the Risk of Persistence/Recurrence of Cervical Dysplasia.

Background: Cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence has a great impact on women's health and quality of life. In this study, we investigated whether a prognostic nomogram may improve risk assessment after primary conization. Methods: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study based on charts of consecutive patients undergoing conization between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. A nomogram assessing the importance of different variables was built. A cohort of patients treated between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2016 was used to validate the nomogram. Results: A total of 2966 patients undergoing primary conization were analyzed. The median (range) patient age was 40 (18-89) years. At 5-year of follow-up, 6% of patients (175/2966) had developed a persistent/recurrent cervical dysplasia. Median (range) recurrence-free survival was 18 (5-52) months. Diagnosis of CIN3, presence of HR-HPV types, positive endocervical margins, HPV persistence, and the omission of HPV vaccination after conization increased significantly and independently of the risk of developing cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence. A nomogram weighting the impact of all variables was built with a C-Index of 0.809. A dataset of 549 patients was used to validate the nomogram, with a C-index of 0.809. Conclusions: The present nomogram represents a useful tool for counseling women about their risk of persistence/recurrence after primary conization. HPV vaccination after conization is associated with a reduced risk of CIN2+.

High-risk HPV-positive and -negative high-grade cervical dysplasia: Analysis of 5-year outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of high-risk (HR) HPV-positive and -negative women affected by high-grade cervical dysplasia. METHODS: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study. Medical records of consecutive patients with high-grade cervical dysplasia undergoing conization between 2010 and 2014 were retrieved. All patients included had at least 5 years of follow-up. A propensity-score matching was adopted in order to reduce the presence of confounding factors between groups. Kaplan-Meir and Cox hazard models were used to estimate 5-year outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, data of 2966 women, affected by high-grade cervical dysplasia were reviewed. The study population included 1478 (85%) and 260 (15%) women affected by HR-HPV-positive and HR-HPV-negative high-grade cervical dysplasia. The prevalence of CIN2 and CIN3 among the HR-HPV-positive and -negative cohort was similar (p = 0.315). Patients with HR-HPV-positive high-grade cervical dysplasia were at higher risk of 5-year recurrence (after primary conization) that HR-HPV-negative patients (p < 0.001, log-rank test). Via multivariate analysis, HR-HPV-negative women were at low risk of recurrence (HR: 1.69 (95%CI: 1.05, 4.80); p = 0.018, Cox Hazard model). A propensity-score matched comparison was carried out in order to reduce biases that are related to the retrospective study design. In comparison to HR-HPV-negative patients, thosewith HR-HPV-positive CIN3 was associate with a 8-fold increase in the risk of recurrence (p < 0.001, log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: HR-HPV-negative high-grade cervical dysplasia is not uncommon, accounting for 15% of our study population. Those patients experience more favorable outcomes than patients with documented HR-HPV infection(s). Further prospective studies are needed to corroborate our data.

Assessing the Long-Term Role of Vaccination against HPV after Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP): A Propensity-Score Matched Comparison.

Background: Primary prevention through vaccination is a prophylactic approach aiming to reduce the risk of developing human papillomavirus (HPV)-related lesions. No mature and long-term data supported the adoption of vaccination in women undergoing conization. Methods: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study. Charts of consecutive patients undergoing conization between 2010 and 2014 were collected. All patients included had at least 5 years of follow-up. We compared outcomes of patients undergoing conization plus vaccination and conization alone. A propensity-score matching algorithm was applied in order to reduce allocation biases. The risk of developing recurrence was estimated using Kaplan-Meir and Cox hazard models. Results: Overall, charts of 1914 women were analyzed. The study group included 116 (6.1%) and 1798 (93.9%) women undergoing conization plus vaccination and conization alone, respectively. Five-year recurrence rate was 1.7% (n = 2) and 5.7% (n = 102) after conization plus vaccination and conization alone, respectively (p = 0.068). After the application of a propensity-score matching, we selected 100 patients undergoing conization plus vaccination and 200 patients undergoing conization alone. The crude number of recurrences was 2 (2%) and 11 (5.5%) for patients undergoing conization plus vaccination and conization alone, respectively (p = 0.231). Vaccination had no impact on persistent lesions (no negative examination between conization and new cervical dysplasia; p = 0.603), but reduced the risk of recurrent disease (patients who had at least one negative examination between conization and the diagnosis of recurrent cervical dysplasia; p = 0.031). Conclusions: Patients having vaccination experience a slightly lower risk of recurrence than women who had not, although not statistically significantly different. Further evidence is needed to assess the cost effectiveness of adopting vaccination in this setting.

Recurrence rate after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and laser Conization: A 5-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Conization aims to remove pre-neoplastic lesions of the uterine cervix. Several techniques for conization have been compared, but evidence regarding the most effective therapeutic option is scant. Here, we aimed to compare the recurrence rate following laser conization and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in patients with high-grade cervical dysplasia (HSIL/CIN2+). METHODS: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study. Medical records of consecutive patients with HSIL/CIN2+ undergoing conization between 2010 and 2014 were retrieved. A propensity-score matching (PSM) was applied in order to reduce allocation bias. The risk of developing recurrence was estimated using Kaplan-Meir and Cox hazard models. RESULTS: Overall, 2966 patients had conization over the study period, including 567 (20%) and 2399 (80%) patients having laser conization and LEEP, respectively. Looking at predictors of recurrence, diagnosis of CIN3 (HR:3.80 (95%CI:2.01,7.21); p < 0.001) and HPV persistence (HR:1.81 (95%CI:1.11,2.96); p < 0.001) correlated with an increased risk of recurrence. After applying a PSM we selected 500 patients undergoing laser conization and 1000 undergoing LEEP. Patients undergoing LEEP were at higher risk of having positive surgical margins in comparison to patients undergoing laser conization (11.2% vs. 4.2%). The risk of having persistence of HPV was similar between the two groups (15.0% vs. 11.6%;p = 0.256). Five-year recurrence rate was 8.1% and 4% after LEEP and laser conization, respectively (p = 0.023). HPV persistence was the only factor associated with [5-]year recurrence after both laser conization (p = 0.003) and LEEP (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HPV persistence is the only factor associated with an increased risk of recurrence after either laser conization or LEEP. Owing to the lack of data regarding obstetrical outcomes, we are not able to assess the best therapeutic option for women with cervical dysplasia.

Cytoreductive Surgery for Heavily Pre-Treated, Platinum-Resistant Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma: A Two-Center Retrospective Experience.

Few retrospective studies have shown a benefit in selected patients affected by heavily pre-treated, platinum-resistant ovarian carcinomas (PROCs) who have undergone cytoreduction at relapse. However, the role of tertiary and quaternary cytoreductive surgery is not fully defined. Our aim was to evaluate survival and surgical morbidity and mortality after maximal cytoreduction in this setting. We evaluated all consecutive patients undergoing cytoreduction for platinum-resistance over an 8-year period (2010-2018) in two different centers. Fifty patients (median age 52.5 years, range 34-75) were included; the median number of previous chemotherapy lines was three (range 1-7) and the median number of previous surgeries was one (range 1-4). Completeness of cytoreduction (CC = 0) was achieved in 22 patients (44%). Rates of major operative morbidity and 30-day mortality were 38% and 8%, respectively. Median follow-up was 35 months. The absence of tumor residual (CC = 0) was associated with a significantly better overall survival (OS) compared to the CC > 0 subgroup (median OS 32.9 months (95% CI 21.6-44.2) vs. 4.8 months (95% CI n.a.-9.8), hazard ratio (HR) 4.21 (95% CI 2.07-8.60), p < 0.001). Optimal cytoreduction is feasible and associated with promising OS in selected, heavily pre-treated PROCs. Further prospective studies are required to better define the role of surgery in platinum-resistant disease.

Evaluation of surgical resection in advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer: laparoscopic assessment. A European Network of Gynaecological Oncology Trial (ENGOT) group survey.

OBJECTIVE: Laparoscopy is one of the diagnostic tools available for the complex clinical decision-making process in advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal carcinoma. This article presents the results of a survey conducted within the European Network of Gynaecological Oncology Trial (ENGOT) group aimed at reviewing the current patterns of practice at gynecologic oncology centers with regard to the evaluation of resection in advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal carcinoma. METHODS: A 24-item questionnaire was sent to the chair of the 20 cooperative groups that are currently part of the ENGOT group, and forwarded to the members within each group. RESULTS: A total of 142 questionnaires were returned. Only 39 respondents (27.5%) reported using some form of clinical (not operative) score for the evaluation of resection. The frequency of use of diagnostic laparoscopy to assess disease status and feasibility of resection was as follows: never, 21 centers (15%); only in select cases, 83 centers (58.5%); and routinely, 36 centers (25.4%). When laparoscopy was performed, 64% of users declared they made the decision to proceed with maximal effort cytoreductive surgery based on their personal/staff opinion, and 36% based on a laparoscopic score. To the question of whether laparoscopy should be considered the gold standard in the evaluation of resection, 71 respondents (50%) answered no, 66 respondents (46.5%) answered yes, whereas 5 respondents (3.5%) did not provide an answer. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that laparoscopy was routinely performed to assess feasibility of cytoreduction in only 25.4% of centers in Europe. However, it was commonly used to select patients and in a minority of centers it was never used . When laparoscopy was adopted, the treatment strategy was based on laparoscopic scores only in a minority of centers.

Surgical Management of Early Cervical Cancer: When Is Laparoscopic Appropriate?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This paper reviews the recent literature data on minimally invasive surgical approach to early cervical cancer compared to abdominal approach, with the aim of evaluate the oncological outcomes and the appropriateness of current indications. RECENT FINDINGS: A recent multicenter randomized controlled trial and a concurrent large epidemiological study, contrary to the previous retrospective data, showed that minimally invasive surgery is associated with significantly poorer survival than the open approach. Open surgery is to be considered the standard of care for early cervical cancer as implemented in the current guidelines, and the patients must be carefully counseled if minimally invasive surgery is offered. Minimally invasive surgery can be considered safe only for sentinel lymph node mapping in a fertility-sparing setting and could be considered after preoperative conization and for small tumors, adopting preventive surgical maneuvers and in reference centers. However, prospective evidences about the suggested indications are not yet available.

Targeting the Formyl Peptide Receptor type 1 to prevent the adhesion of ovarian cancer cells onto mesothelium and subsequent invasion.

BACKGROUND: The biological behavior of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is unique since EOC cells metastasize early to the peritoneum. Thereby, new anti-target agents designed to block trans-coelomic dissemination of EOC cells may be useful as anti-metastatic drugs. The Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (uPAR) is overexpressed in EOC tissues, and its truncated forms released in sera and/or ascitic fluid are associated with poor prognosis and unfavorable clinical outcome. We documented that uPAR triggers intra-abdominal dissemination of EOC cells through the interaction of its 84-95 sequence with the Formyl Peptide Receptor type 1 (FPR1), even as short linear peptide Ser-Arg-Ser-Arg-Tyr (SRSRY). While the pro-metastatic role of uPAR is well documented, little information regarding the expression and role of FPR1 in EOC is currently available. METHODS: Expression levels of uPAR and FPR1 in EOC cells and tissues were assessed by immunofluorescence, Western blot, or immunohystochemistry. Cell adhesion to extra-cellular matrix proteins and mesothelium as well as mesothelium invasion kinetics by EOC cells were monitored using the xCELLigence technology or assessed by measuring cell-associated fluorescence. Cell internalization of FPR1 was identified on multiple z-series by confocal microscopy. Data from in vitro assays were analysed by one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Dunnett t-test for multiple comparisons. Tissue microarray data were analyzed with the Pearson's Chi-square (χ2) test. RESULTS: Co-expression of uPAR and FPR1 by SKOV-3 and primary EOC cells confers a marked adhesion to vitronectin. The extent of cell adhesion decreases to basal level by pre-exposure to anti-uPAR84-95 Abs, or to the RI-3 peptide, blocking the uPAR84-95/FPR1 interaction. Furthermore, EOC cells exposed to RI-3 or desensitized with an excess of SRSRY, fail to adhere also to mesothelial cell monolayers, losing the ability to cross them. Finally, primary and metastatic EOC tissues express a high level of FPR1. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings identify for the first time FPR1 as a potential biomarker of aggressive EOC and suggests that inhibitors of the uPAR84-95/FPR1 crosstalk may be useful for the treatment of metastatic EOC.

Application of the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) to patients conservatively treated: Outcomes from an institutional series.

OBJECTIVE: To test the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) and determine the frequency of specific/prognostic molecular alterations within a cohort of endometrial cancer (EC) women conservatively treated by combined hysteroscopic resection and progestin therapy. STUDY DESIGN: We used blocks of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from the primary tumors of patients enrolled into the ECCo trial (EudraCT 2010-018581-23) between 2007 and 2016. In order to assign EC resectoscopic specimens to one of four ProMisE subgroups, testing involved sequential assessment of i) immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2; ii) sequencing for POLE/POLD1 exonuclease domain mutations (EDMs); iii) p53 IHC. RESULTS: Molecular analysis methods were used in 25 patients (stage IA, G1-2 endometrioid EC), of whom 15 (60%) represented fully evaluable cases. Seven cases (46.7%) had abnormal MMR IHC, POLE/POLD1 EDMs were found in 3 cases (20%), and abnormal p53 IHC in 1 case (6.6%). Three patients (20%) had more than one molecular feature. Among 10 (40%) 'unclassifiable' patients, six failures in achieving complete molecular categorization were due to the low tumor volume. Molecular classification of the 15 fully evaluable cases yielded the following ProMisE subtypes: 7 (46.7%) MMR IHC abnormal, 1 (6.6%) POLE EDM, 0 (0%) p53 IHC abnormal, 7 (46.7%) p53 IHC wild-type. CONCLUSIONS: Although larger series are needed to further assess the feasibility of a molecular categorization in a fertility-sparing setting, data presented are promising. In women with early stage low-volume disease, operative hysteroscopy could be advantageous to provide samples allowing complete genetic risk assessment.

Artificial intelligence estimates the impact of human papillomavirus types in influencing the risk of cervical dysplasia recurrence: progress toward a more personalized approach.

The objective of this study was to determine whether the pretreatment human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype might predict the risk of cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive 5104 women who underwent the HPV-DNA test were matched with retrospective data of women undergoing either follow-up or medical/surgical treatment(s) for genital HPV-related infection(s). Artificial neuronal network (ANN) analysis was used in order to weight the importance of different HPV genotypes in predicting cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence. ANN simulates a biological neuronal system from both the structural and functional points of view: like neurons, ANN acquires knowledge through a learning-phase process and allows weighting the importance of covariates, thus establishing how much a variable influences a multifactor phenomenon. Overall, 5104 women were tested for HPV. Among them, 1273 (25%) patients underwent treatment for HPV-related disorders. LASER conization and cervical vaporization were performed in 807 (59%) and 386 (30%) patients, respectively, and secondary cervical conization in 45 (5.5%). ANN technology showed that the most important genotypes predicting cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence were HPV-16 (normalized importance: 100%), HPV-59 (normalized importance: 51.2%), HPV-52 (normalized importance: 47.7%), HPV-18 (normalized importance: 32.8%) and HPV-45 (normalized importance: 30.2%). The pretreatment diagnosis of all of those genotypes, except HPV-45, correlated with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence; the pretreatment diagnosis was also arrived at using standard univariate and multivariable models (P<0.01). Pretreatment positivity for HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-52 and HPV-59 might correlate with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence after treatment. These data might be helpful during patients' counseling and to implement new vaccination programs.

Predicting Factors for High-Grade Cervical Dysplasia in Women With Low-Grade Cervical Cytology and Nonvisible Squamocolumnar Junction.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of developing high-grade cervical dysplasia among women with low-grade cervical cytology and nonvisible squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) at colposcopic examination. METHODS: Data of consecutive women with low-grade intraepithelial lesion(≤LSIL) undergoing colposcopic examination, which was unsatisfactory (due to the lack of the visualization of the entire SCJ), were retrospectively reviewed. The risk of developing high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox models. RESULTS: Data of 86 women were retrieved. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 36.3 (13.4) years. A total of 71 (82.5%) patients had high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) at the time of diagnosis. Among the 63 patients undergoing repetition of HPV testing, 15 (24%) and 48 (76%) women had positive and negative tests for HR-HPV at 12 months, respectively. We observed that 5 (33%) of 15 patients with HPV persistence developed CIN2+, while only 1 (2%) patient of 48 patients without HPV persistence developed CIN2+ (odds ratio [OR]: 23.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.46-223.7; P < .001). The length of HR-HPV persistence correlated with an increased risk of developing CIN2+ ( P < .001; P for trend). High-risk HPV persistence is the only factor predicting for CIN2+ (hazard ratio: 3.19; 95% CI: 1.55-6.57; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk HPV persistence predicts the risk of developing CIN2+ in patients with unsatisfactory colposcopic examination. Further studies are warranted in order to implement the use of HPV testing in patients with unsatisfactory colposcopy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery for unresectable stage IVB Serous endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE:: To test the safety and effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery in unresectable stage IVB serous endometrial cancer. METHODS:: Data of consecutive stage IVB serous endometrial cancer are reviewed. Patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus interval debulking surgery were propensity matched with patients undergoing primary surgery followed by adjuvant treatment. RESULTS:: Thirty-four patients were diagnosed with a stage IVB endometrial cancer. Fifteen (44.1%) patients had neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery; while 19 (55.8%) patients had primary cytoreduction. Among this latter group, 15 (78.9%) patients were selected, using a propensity-matched algorithm. Results of propensity-matching baseline characteristics of patients included were similar between groups. Patients having neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus interval debulking surgery had shorter length of hospital stay (4 [1.40] vs 6 [2.5] days; p=0.011) compared with patients in the control group. Moreover, patients in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group experienced a trend toward shorter operative time (127 [62] vs 177.6 [84.5] minutes; p=0.072) and lower transfusion rate than patients in the control group (6.6% vs 33.3%; p=0.067). Cytoreduction rate was similar between groups (p=0.962). No difference in postoperative morbidity was recorded. Median disease-free survival was 12.0 vs 15.3 months in the experimental vs control group (p=0.663; log-rank test). Median overall survival was 16.7 vs 18.0 months in the experimental vs control group (p=0.349; log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS:: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy might be a valuable treatment modality for patients with unresectable stage IVB serous endometrial cancer. Innovative treatments are warranted in this cluster of patients.

Potential impact of introducing a nonavalent HPV vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: To test the theoretical utility of incorporating nonavalent vaccination against HPV into a clinical setting. METHODS: The present retrospective study included data from consecutive patients who underwent HPV-DNA testing between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2015. Changes in the prevalence of different HPV types were assessed during three periods (T1, 1998-2003; T2, 2004-2009; and T3, 2010-2015) using XY analysis. RESULTS: The study included a total of 13 665 patients. Overall, 1361, 5130, and 7174 patients were included in the T1, T2, and T3 periods, respectively. The quadrivalent vaccine would have potentially protected against HPV in 71.5% (973/1361), 46.5% (2385/5130), and 26.5% (1901/7174) of patients in T1, T2, and T3, respectively (P<0.001 for trend). The nonavalent vaccine could have protected against HPV in 92.5% (1259/1361), 72.3% (3709/5130), and 58.1% (4168/7174) of patients in T1, T2, and T3, respectively (P<0.001 for trend). The proportion of patients with genital dysplasia grade 2+ who did not have infections with HPV genotypes covered by the quadrivalent or nonavalent vaccines increased across the three periods (P<0.001 for trend). For all study periods, the protection provided by the nonavalent vaccine would have been superior to the quadrivalent vaccine (χ2 test P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The introduction of a nonavalent vaccine could improve protection against HPV infections and HPV-related genital dysplasia.

Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Is a Trimodality Treatment a Safe and Effective Approach?

BACKGROUND: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard of care for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Pre-treatment lymph nodes (LN) assessment may have an important therapeutic role. CRT followed by adjuvant chemotherapy increased progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Our study evaluated the feasibility and the effectiveness of a trimodality strategy in patients with LACC and positive LN. METHODS: Consecutive patients with LACC treated at the National Cancer Institute of Milan were enrolled. All patients underwent pelvic and para-aortic extraperitoneal laparoscopic lymphadenectomy to assess the nodal status. After surgery, patients received radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy according to the stage of disease. RESULTS: Between April 2012 and October 2013, 19 cervical cancer patients were enrolled. Overall, 10 (52.6%) patients presented with positive LN: 6 in the pelvic area and 4 both in the pelvic and para-aortic area. No perioperative major complications occurred. The most common surgical-related adverse events were bleeding (26%), respiratory distress (5%), infection (5%) and the development of lymphoceles (25%). Overall, 15 (78.9%) complete responses and 2 (10.5%) partial responses were registered. After a median follow-up of 43.3 months, 89.5% of patients were alive at the last visit, and 3-year PFS was 63%. CONCLUSIONS: Trimodality treatment appears feasible, well tolerated and promising in terms of oncologic outcome.