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Conte C, Della Corte L, Pelligra S, Bifulco G, Abate B, Riemma G, Palumbo M, Cianci S, Ercoli A. Assessment of Salvage Surgery in Persistent Cervical Cancer after Definitive Radiochemotherapy: A Systematic Review. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020192. [PMID: 36837394 PMCID: PMC9967015 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The standard treatment approach in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) is exclusive concurrent chemoradiation therapy (RTCT). The risk of local residual disease after six months from RTCT is about 20-30%. It is directly related to relapse risk and poor survival, such as in patients with recurrent cervical cancer. This systematic review aims to describe studies investigating salvage surgery's role in persistent/recurrent disease in LACC patients who underwent definitive RTCT. Materials and Methods: Studies were eligible for inclusion when patients had LACC with radiologically suspected or histologically confirmed residual disease after definitive RTCT, diagnosed with post-treatment radiological workup or biopsy. Information on complications after salvage surgery and survival outcomes had to be reported. The methodological quality of the articles was independently assessed by two researchers with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Following the recommendations in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, we systematically searched the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Medline, and Medscape databases in May 2022. We applied no language or geographical restrictions but considered only English studies. We included studies containing data about postoperative complications and survival outcomes. Results: Eleven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and all were retrospective observational studies. A total of 601 patients were analyzed concerning the salvage surgery in LACC patients for persistent/recurrent disease after RTCT treatment. Overall, 369 (61.4%) and 232 (38.6%) patients underwent a salvage hysterectomy (extrafascial or radical) and pelvic exenteration (anterior, posterior, or total), respectively. Four hundred and thirty-nine (73%) patients had histologically confirmed the residual disease in the salvage surgical specimen, and 109 patients had positive margins (overall range 0-43% of the patients). The risk of severe (grade ≥ 3) postoperative complications after salvage surgery is 29.8% (range 5-57.5%). After a median follow-up of 38 months, the overall RR was about 32% with an overall death rate of 40% after hysterectomy or pelvic exenteration with or without lymphadenectomy. Conclusions: There is heterogeneity between the studies both in their design and results, therefore the effect of salvage surgery on survival and recurrence cannot be adequately estimated. Future homogeneous studies with an appropriately selected population are needed to analyze the safety and efficacy of salvage hysterectomy or pelvic exenteration in patients with residual tumors after definitive RTCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Conte
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, Institute of Obstetrics and Ginecology, A.O.U. Policlinico Rodolico—San Marco, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-3290-275-147
| | - Luigi Della Corte
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Pelligra
- Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bifulco
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio Abate
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, Institute of Obstetrics and Ginecology, A.O.U. Policlinico Rodolico—San Marco, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Gaetano Riemma
- Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Luigi Vanvitelli University of Campania, 81100 Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Palumbo
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, Institute of Obstetrics and Ginecology, A.O.U. Policlinico Rodolico—San Marco, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Stefano Cianci
- Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Alfredo Ercoli
- Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, 98121 Messina, Italy
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