Radical hysterectomy case volume and cervical cancer treatment in the era of COVID-19: A multi-site analysis of National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

OBJECTIVE: To compare radical hysterectomy case volume, cancer stage, and biopsy-to-treatment time of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed before and after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In a multi-institution retrospective cohort study conducted at 6 large, geographically diverse National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, patients treated for newly diagnosed invasive cervical cancer were classified into 2 temporal cohorts based on date of first gynecologic oncology encounter: (1) Pre-Pandemic: 3/1/2018-2/28/2020; (2) Pandemic & Recovery: 4/1/2020-12/31/2021. The primary outcome was total monthly radical hysterectomy case volume. Secondary outcomes were stage at diagnosis and diagnosis-to-treatment time. Statistical analyses used chi-squared and two sample t-tests. RESULTS: Between 3/1/2018-12/31/2021, 561 patients were diagnosed with cervical cancer. The Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic & Recovery cohorts had similar age, race, ethnicity, smoking status, and Body Mass Index (BMI). During Pandemic & Recovery, the mean monthly radical hysterectomy case volume decreased from 7[SD 2.8] to 5[SD 2.0] (p = 0.001), the proportion of patients diagnosed with Stage I disease dropped from 278/561 (49.5%) to 155/381 (40.7%), and diagnosis of stage II-IV disease increased from 281/561 (50.1%) to 224/381 (58.8%). Primary surgical management was less frequent (38.3% Pandemic & Recovery versus 46.7% Pre-Pandemic, p = 0.013) and fewer surgically-treated patients received surgery within 6 weeks of diagnosis (27.4% versus 38.9%; p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Lower radical hysterectomy case volume, a shift to higher cervical cancer stage, and delay in surgical therapy were observed across the United States following the COVID-19 outbreak. Decreased surgical volume may result from lower detection of early-stage disease or other factors.

The best postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with early stage cervical adenosquamous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cervical adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) was previously thought to be a subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma, but recent studies have found that the clinical features of the two diseases are different. Moreover, the pathological characteristics, survival, prognosis, and optimal ASC therapy remain unknown. This study aims to retrospectively analyze the postoperative survival of patients with early-stage ASC and to evaluate their condition after treatment with postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and prophylactic irradiation of the para-aortic lymphatic drainage area. METHODS: This study enrolled 131 patients with pathologically confirmed ASC screened from 3502 patients with confirmed stage I-II cervical cancer diagnosis who had completed surgical treatments in our hospital. Among the 131 enrolled patients, 75 patients received CCRT, 33 patients received chemotherapy (CT), and 23 patients did not receive adjuvant treatment (named surgery alone (S alone). Of the 75 patients CCRT, 43 patients received prophylactic irradiation of the para-aortic lymphatic drainage area. The efficacy of the postoperative treatments of patients among groups (CCRT, CT, and S alone) was compared. RESULTS: The median follow-up time, age, and overall survival (OS) were 76 months, 43 years, and 74 months, respectively. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 82% and 71.4%, respectively. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 64 months. Cox regression analysis showed that postoperative adjuvant treatment modalities and positive lymph node metastases were associated with OS and DFS. Patients who received CCRT treatment had higher OS and DFS than those with CT and S alone. Prophylactic irradiation of the para-aortic lymphatic drainage area did not improve the OS and DFS of patients with CCRT treatment. However, further subgroup analysis suggested that it might improve survival rates in patients who had positive pelvic lymph nodes as confirmed by postoperative pathology. CONCLUSION: Postoperative CCRT improved the survival rates in patients with early-stage ASC. The value of prophylactic irradiation of the para-aortic lymphatic drainage area remains debatable, but it may benefit patients with pelvic lymph node involvement.

Survival Outcomes in Patients With 2018 FIGO Stage IA2-IIA2 Cervical Cancer Treated With Laparoscopic Versus Open Radical Hysterectomy: A Propensity Score-Weighting Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the survival and recurrence outcomes between open and laparoscopic radically hysterectomy (RH) for stage IA2-IIA2 cervical cancer based on Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018. METHODS: Data of 1,373 early cervical cancer patients undergoing open or laparoscopic radically hysterectomy at ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score-based inverse probability of treatment weighting (PS-IPTW) was used to balance the covariates between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 705 cervical cancer patients of FIGO 2009 stage IA2-IIA2 were finally enrolled in this study. After IPTW adjustment, the OS (HR = 2.095, 95% CI: 1.233-3.562, P = 0.006) and PFS (HR = 1.950, 95%CI: 1.194-3.184, P = 0.008) rates were significantly higher in the open RH (ORH) group compared with the laparoscopic RH (LRH) group. Then after re-staging according to the FIGO 2018 staging system, 561 patients still belonged to stage IA2-IIA2, 144 patients were upgraded to stage IIIC1p-IIIC2p. The ORH group had a significantly superior OS (HR = 1.977, 95%CI: 1.077-3.626, P = 0.028) and PFS (HR = 1.811, 95%CI: 1.046-3.134, P = 0.034) compared with the LRH group after PS-IPTW analysis. Furthermore, in patients with no high and intermediate risks, difference of the OS (HR = 1.386, 95%CI: 0.287-6.69, P = 0.684) and PFS (HR = 1.524, 95%CI: 0.363-6.396, P = 0.565) rates between the two groups were with no statistical meaning. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes of this retrospective cohort study were in compliance with indications for ORH recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines Version 1, 2021. However, LRH showed non-inferiority for patients with no prognostic risk factors compared with ORH.

Comparative analysis of robotic vs laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy, ranking first in female reproductive malignancies with more than 500000 new cases and 275000 deaths each year. Traditionally, open radical hysterectomy is considered the standard surgical procedure for the treatment of resectable cervical cancer. The latest guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the European Society of Gynecological Oncology suggest that open surgery and laparoscopic surgery (using traditional laparoscopic or robotic techniques) are the main surgical approaches for radical hysterectomy for patients with stage IA2-IIA cervical cancer. Robotic surgery has been increasingly used in abdominal surgery and has shown more beneficial effects. AIM: To analyse the perioperative conditions, complications, and short-term and long-term effects in patients undergoing robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) and laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) to compare their clinical efficacy, safety, and feasibility. METHODS: The perioperative data of patients undergoing RRH and LRH were extracted and collected from the database of surgical treatments for cervical cancer for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the patients, 342 underwent LRH for cervical cancer, and 216 underwent RRH. The total complication rate was 9.65% (20 patients) in the RRH group and 17.59% (60 patients) in the LRH group. The complication rate was significantly lower in the RRH group than in the LRH group. There was no significant difference in the follow-up period (P = 0.658). The total recurrence rates were 15.7% and 12% in the RRH and LRH groups, respectively. The progression-free survival time was 28.91 ± 15.68 mo and 28.34 ± 15.13 mo in the RRH and LRH groups, respectively (P = 0.669). The overall survival (OS) rates were 92.13% and 94.45% in the RRH and LRH groups, respectively (P = 0.292). The OS time was 29.87 ± 15.92 mo and 29.41 ± 15.14 mo in the RRH and LRH groups, respectively (P = 0.732). The survival curves and the progression-free survival curves were not statistically significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.407 and 0.28, respectively). CONCLUSION: RRH is associated with significantly less operative time and blood loss than LRH. The two procedures have similar complication rates, OS, and progression-free survival time.

Clinical effect analysis of electrostimulation combined with biofeedback therapy for patients with dysuria after radical hysterectomy / 中国实用妇科与产科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of electrostimulation combined with biofeedback therapy for patients with dysuria after radical hysterectomy and to provide clinical reference for the evaluation of safety of electrostimulation for tumors.METHODS: Totally 40 patients with dysuria which presented two weeks after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer in Foshan First People's Hospita were enrolled as research subjects,and they were randomly assigned into control group and experimental group,each with 20 cases.Patients in control group only received standard treatment,while standard treatment combined with electrostimulation and biofeedback treatment in sacral nerve root surface projection area,bladder area,vaginal respectively were carried out in experimental group.The baseline condition of dysuria of all cases were evaluated in two weeks after radical surgery.The therapeutic effect in the patients in two groups were evaluated according to the recovery of bladder sensory function,international lower urinary tract symptom score,urinary symptom distress score and urodynamic measurement at 8 weeks and 12 weeks after the operation,respectively.Also,regular and normative surveillance and follow-up for tumor were implemented.RESULTS: Through our study,we found that electrical stimulation combined with biofeedback thearpy will greatly shorten the recovery time of bladder sensory function,and 12 weeks after the operation,the number of patients who had normal bladder sensory function in experimental group was twice as many as that of the control group(16/8).In addition,at 8 and 12 weeks after operation,all indexs of the urinary symptom disturbance score and international lower urinary tract symptom score at the same period in the experimental group were superior to those in control group(P<0.05).Furthermore,the pressure of bladder detrusor muscle at 12 weeks after operation was(44.31±5.51)cm H2 O(1 cm H2 O=0.098 k Pa)in experimental group,which was close to the normal level,while it was only(38.11±5.81)cm H2 O in control group,showing a significant difference(P<0.05).All patients were followed up more than three years and no evidence of tumor recurrence was found.CONCLUSION: Low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with biofeedback treatment is safe and effective for patients wtih dysuria after radical hysterectomy,which can shorten the recovery time of dysuria and improve the quality of life of patients.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical stimulation treatment on lower urinary tract symptoms after class III radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients: study protocol for a multicentre, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Class III radical hysterectomy (RH III)_plus pelvic lymphadenectomy is the standard surgery for early stage cervical cancer (CC) patients, the 5 year survival rate is about 90%, but pelvic floor disorders especially bladder dysfunction are common due to damaged vessels and nerve fibers following surgery. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) treatment has been used to treat bladder disorders for many years, but its effect on cervical cancer patients, the best treatment time point and stimulated protocol, had never been assessed. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of TENS treatment on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after RH III in CC patients. METHODS/DESIGN: The study will be conducted as a clinical, multicentre, randomised controlled trial with balanced randomisation (1:1). The planned sample size is 208 participants (at 1:1 ratio, 104 subjects in each group). At 5-7 days after RH III, patients are screened according to operative and pathological findings. Enrolled participants are randomised into an intervention group (TENS plus conventional clinical care) or control group (conventional clinical care), with stratification by menopausal status (menopause vs. non-menopause) and surgical modality (laparoscopic RH or abdominal RH). Participants in both groups will be followed up at 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months after surgery. The primary endpoint is improvement rate of urination function which is defined as recovery (residual urine ≤50 ml) or improvement (residual urine 50-100 ml). Secondary endpoints include urodynamic parameter, urinary incontinence, anorectal function, pelvic function, quality of life (QOL), disease-free survival and adverse events. Primary endpoint analyses will be carried out by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests taking into center effect. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge this is the first trial to investigate the effect of TENS treatment on bladder function recovery after RH III among CC patients. This study will provide new information on TENS efficacy for bladder function recovery. Once confirmed, it may help to provide a new, non-invisive treatment for those postoperative CC patients with poor pelvic function, which would help improve their quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered to Clinical Trials.gov ( NCT02492542 ) on June 25, 2015.

Research on the application of holistic nursing intervention in perioperative nursing for patients underwent radical hysterectomy under laparoscopy / 中国医学装备

Objective:To investigate the effect of holistic nursing intervention in perioperative nursing for patients underwent radical hysterectomy under laparoscopy. Methods: 80patients with cervical cancer were divided into observation group (40cases) and control group (40cases), and patients of control group received routine nursing modein perioperative period while patients of observation group received holistic nursing mode in the same stage. The complication of the two groups were compared and analyzed, and the satisfaction degree for nursing mode was investigated.Results: Under the intervention of holistic nursing, the number of complication of observation group was significantly lower than that of control group (x2=8.205,P<0.05). And the satisfaction degree for nursing of observation group was significantly higher than that control group(x2=5.000,P<0.05).Conclusion: The holistic nursing intervention in perioperative nursing for patients underwent radical hysterectomy under laparoscopy can significantly improve the life quality of patients, and reduce the occurrence of complication, and enhance the satisfaction degree of patients for nursing.

An Alternative Triage Strategy Based on Preoperative MRI for Avoiding Trimodality Therapy in Stage IB Cervical Cancer.

PURPOSE: Adjuvant chemoradiation following primary surgery is frequently indicated in patients with stage IB cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based strategy in avoiding trimodality therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients with stage IB cervical cancer treated initially with primary surgery at Seoul National University Hospital. We suggest an alternative triage strategy in which the primary treatment modality is determined based on preoperative MRI findings. Using this strategy, primary surgery is only indicated when there is no evidence of parametrial involvement (PMI) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the MRI results; when there is evidence of either or both of these factors, primary chemoradiation is selected. Assuming that this strategy is applied to our cohort, we evaluate how the rate of trimodality therapy is affected. RESULTS: Of the 254 patients in our sample, 77 (30.3%) had at least one category 1 risk factor (PMI, LNM, positive resection margin) upon pathologic examination. If the MRI-based strategy had been applied to our cohort, 168 patients would have undergone primary surgery and 86 would have undergone primary chemoradiation. Only 25 patients (9.8%) would have required trimodality therapy based on an indication of at least one category 1 pathologic risk factor following radical hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of MRI in the decision-making process for primary treatment modality could have reduced the number of patients requiring trimodality therapy based on the indication of a category 1 risk factor from 30.3% to 9.8% in our cohort.

An Alternative Triage Strategy Based on Preoperative MRI for Avoiding Trimodality Therapy in Stage IB Cervical Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Adjuvant chemoradiation following primary surgery is frequently indicated in patients with stage IB cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based strategy in avoiding trimodality therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients with stage IB cervical cancer treated initially with primary surgery at Seoul National University Hospital. We suggest an alternative triage strategy in which the primary treatment modality is determined based on preoperative MRI findings. Using this strategy, primary surgery is only indicated when there is no evidence of parametrial involvement (PMI) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the MRI results; when there is evidence of either or both of these factors, primary chemoradiation is selected. Assuming that this strategy is applied to our cohort, we evaluate how the rate of trimodality therapy is affected. RESULTS: Of the 254 patients in our sample, 77 (30.3%) had at least one category 1 risk factor (PMI, LNM, positive resection margin) upon pathologic examination. If the MRI-based strategy had been applied to our cohort, 168 patients would have undergone primary surgery and 86 would have undergone primary chemoradiation. Only 25 patients (9.8%) would have required trimodality therapy based on an indication of at least one category 1 pathologic risk factor following radical hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of MRI in the decision-making process for primary treatment modality could have reduced the number of patients requiring trimodality therapy based on the indication of a category 1 risk factor from 30.3% to 9.8% in our cohort.

The therapeutic efficiency of extracorporeal magnetic innervation treatment in women with urinary tract dysfunction following radical hysterectomy.

Data on 32 consecutive women with demonstrable urinary tract dysfunction for at least 6 months following radical hysterectomy (RH) for uterine cervical cancer, who received 24 sessions of extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) treatment twice-weekly were collected. The 1-h pad test weight decreased from 27.2 g pre-treatment to 12.1 g post-treatment (p < 0.05). Both the median UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) at every stage of the ExMI treatment and in the 24.2 months mean follow-up duration after treatment. The symptoms of frequency, stress incontinence, urge incontinence and voiding difficulty showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) after 8 and 24 sessions of ExMI treatment. The urodynamic parameters between pre-treatment and post-treatment after 24 sessions revealed no statistically significant changes. Based on the objective and subjective measures observed in this study, 24 sessions of twice-weekly ExMI treatment is an additional non-invasive therapy option for patients with the symptoms of lower urinary tract following RH.

[Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy after initial brachytherapy for stage IB1 cervical cancer: feasibility and results]. / Colpohystérectomie élargie par laparoscopie après curiethérapie préopératoire pour cancer du col utérin (stade 1B1) : faisabilité et résultats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and to report the results of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) after initial uterovaginal brachytherapy (BT) for stage IB1 cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed in two Comprehensive Cancer Centers patients who had undergone initial BT followed 6 to 8 weeks later by LRH and lymph node dissection. RESULTS: Between 2003 and 2010, 162 patients had undergone LRH. The procedure was feasible using this approach in 160 (98.8%) cases (2 conversions to laparotomy). Eight peroperative complications had occurred. Nineteen patients had nodal involvement. Peri- or postoperative ureteral morbidity had occurred in 10 (6%) patients. Twenty-four (15%) patients had experienced postoperative dysuria. Histologically, only 9 patients had residual cervical disease>5 mm and only 1 patient had parametrial lymphovascular space involvement (associated with nodal spread). No patient had vaginal disease or involved surgical margins. After a median follow-up of 39 months (range, 3-118), 9 patients had relapsed. Five-year overall survival was 95% (88.2%-97.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Radical hysterectomy using a laparoscopic approach is feasible and reproducible after initial BT for stage IB1 cervical cancer and is associated with excellent survival. Morbidity is very close to that reported in patients treated using upfront surgery. In this large series, the morbidity associated with parametrial dissection and the fact that parametrial spread was observed in only 0.6% of the patients suggest that a simple extrafascial hysterectomy is perhaps sufficient in this context.

Evaluación de la histerectomía radical en el tratamiento del cáncer de cerviz estadio IB, en el Hospital San Vicente de Paúl de Medellín, 1980-1990 / Evaluation of radical hysterectomy for treatment of stage IB cancer of the cervix, at Hospital San Vicente, Medellín, Colombia, 1980-1990

Se revisaron las historias clínicas de 139 pacientes con cáncer de cérvix estadio 18 sometidas a histerectomía radical tipo Wertheim-Meigs, en el Hospital San Vicente de Paúl de Medellín entre 1980 y 1990, con el fin de evaluar los resultados en lo referente a complicaciones derivadas de la cirugía, presencia de lesión cervical residual y recurrencias. La edad promedio de las pacientes fue 39.3 :!: 9.4 años. El tiempo de seguimiento varió entre 0 y 181 meses. El 87.8 por ciento de los tumores fueron epidermoides y el 12.2 por ciento adenocarcinomas. En 101 casos se logró determinar el grado de diferenciación del tumor; fueron bien diferenciados 43 (42.6 por ciento), moderadamente diferenciados 29 (28.7 por ciento) y mal diferenciados 29 (28.7 por ciento). Se encontró compromiso ganglionar pélvico metastásico en 13 pacientes (9.4 por ciento); en 11 de ellas unilateral y en dos bilateral. Quedaron con lesión cervical residual seis pacientes (4.3 por ciento) de las cuales 4 recibieron radioterapia como tratamiento complementario. Las recurrencias se presentaron en 12 de las 100 pacientes seguidas durante un período igualo superior a dos años; siete de ellas aparecieron en los dos primeros años y una se presentó 13 años después de la cirugía. Las recurrencias sucedieron más frecuentemente en las pacientes con tumores mal diferenciados y moderadamente diferenciados. Presentaron complicaciones 43 de las 139 pacientes (30.9 por ciento), entre las cuales predominó la morbilidad infecciosa, expresada en infección urinaria (17 casos), infección de la herida quirúrgica (15 casos) e infección de la cúpula vaginal (14 casos).

A review was made of clinical charts of 139 patients with cancer of the cervix stage IB, treated by Wertheim-Meigs radical hysterectomy, at Hospital San Vicente, Medellín, Colombia, between 1980 and 1990, in order to evaluate results concerning complications derived from surgery, recurrences and residual cervicallesions. Average age was 39.3 ::!: 9.4 years. Follow-up period fluctuated between 0 and 181 months. One hundred and twenty two tumors (87.8%) were epidermoid and 17 (12.2%) adenocarcinomas. The degree of differentiation was determined in 101 cases: 43 (42.6%) were well differentiated, 29 (28.7%) moderately differentiated and 29 (28.7%) poorly differentiated. Metastatic pelvic Iymphnodes involvement was present in 13 patients (9.4%): In 11 of them involvement was unilateral. Residual cervicallesion was left in 6 patients (4.3%) of which 4 received additional treatment with radiotherapy. Recurrences appeared in 12 of the 100 patients followed for 2 or more years; in seven of these the recurrence ocurred in the first two years; there was a recurrence 13 years after surgery. Recurrences happened more often when tumors were poorly or moderately differentiated. Complications, mostly infectious, occurred in 43 patients (30.9%): Urinary tract infections (17 cases), wound infection (15 cases) and infection of the vaginal dome (14 cases) were the most frequently found.

Combined Treatment using Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Internal Remedies ("Toeki") for Leg Edema after Radical Operative Hysterectomy and Radiotherapy / 日本東洋医学雑誌

At the request of the gynecology deparment, ten patients who were suffering from edema of the legs after undergoing radical operative hysterectomy and radiotherapy were treated with a combination of Oriental medical therapies, namely acupuncture, moxibustion and ‘Toeki’ (a form of internal treatment more commonly known as Kampo formulas, or decoctions of combinations of crude drugs). The average patient age was 54±3.7 years of age and the average morbid period was 180 days.<br>Although this therapy did not appear to produce any remarkable change in the leg diameter (measured at the thigh, largest diameter of the crus and leg joints), relief from subjective symptoms such as pain associated with the swelling (swelling pain), muscle stiffness and improved bowel function were evident.<br>These findings indicate that Oriental medical treatment has therapeutic value for alleviating the patients' discomfort and improving the quality of life.