Long-term survival and sequelae after surgical management of invasive cervical carcinoma diagnosed at the time of simple hysterectomy

From 1956 to 1988, 27 women (median age, 60 years) found to have occult invasive carcinoma of the cervix at total hysterectomy underwent radical reoperation consisting of radical parametriectomy, upper vaginectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Residual disease was present at reexploration in 4 (15%) of the 27 patients: in the pelvic lymph nodes in 2, in the parametrium in 1, and in the vagina and a para-aortic node in 1. All patients were followed a minimum of 18 months; there were no deaths within 3 months of operation. However, 2 (7%) of the 27 patients developed ureterovaginal fistulas. Recurrent disease was observed in 6 (22%) of the patients: 2 had successful salvage procedures, and 4 died of disease, all within 4 years of reoperation. Recurrence correlated with the presence of residual disease at reoperation and with nonsquamous histologic findings. At a median followup of 8.4 years, 23 of the 27 patients were alive and disease-free. The 5-year absolute survival estimate (Kaplan-Meier) was 82%. Radical reoperation can be performed safely in selected patients who have early-stage invasive carcinoma of the cervix at the time of total hysterectomy with the expectation of an acceptable rate of long-term disease-free survival.