Does lymph node involvement affect the patterns of recurrence in stage IB cervical cancer?

To investigate the variations in the recurrence patterns of stage IB cervical cancer according to lymph node involvement. We reviewed the medical records of 170 patients who had undergone type III radical hysterectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy from 1993 to 2007. Among the patients in the study group, 115 did not have lymph node metastases, whereas 55 did. A total of 27 patients developed recurrences. Twelve were in the lymph node-negative group, and 15 were in the lymph node-positive group. The recurrence rate was higher in lymph node-positive group (27.3% versus 10.4%, P = 0.011). The recurrence pattern was not affected by lymph node involvement. However, distant recurrence was more common in the lymph node-positive group (53.3% versus 25%, P = 0.137). Additionally, distant failure was observed only in the patients in the lymph node-negative group who received adjuvant radiotherapy. In this group, 3 patients who did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy developed recurrences only in the pelvic region. The presence of lymph node involvement in stage IB cervical cancer does not affect the site of recurrence. However, distant recurrence was more frequent in the lymph node-positive group.