Abdominal Radical Trachelectomy: A Safe and Feasible Option for Fertility Preservation in Developing Countries

High- or Intermediate-Risk Histologic Features in Patients with Clinical Early-Stage Cervical Cancer Planned for Fertility-Sparing Surgery: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is a viable option for young women with early-stage cervical cancer (ECC); however, certain risk factors may necessitate additional treatments and impact fertility. This review examines the prevalence of these risk factors and available treatment options.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted of studies including patients with ECC (IA1 with LVSI, IA2, IB1 (FIGO 2009)) who underwent FSS.

RESULTS

Sixty-four articles, comprising a total of 4118 women planned for FSS, were included. High- or intermediate-risk histologic features were found in 638 (15.5%) women: 5.1% had positive lymph node(s), 4.1% had positive resection margins, 0.3% had parametrial involvement, 1.0% had unspecified high-risk features, and 5.1% had intermediate-risk histology (primarily based on the Sedlis criteria). Adjuvant treatment impaired fertility in all women with adjuvant hysterectomy and/or (chemo)radiation (58.7%). Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 1351 (32.8%) patients, which may reduce fertility.

CONCLUSIONS

Fertility preservation could be achieved in most women; but high- or intermediate-risk factors necessitate more extensive surgery or radiotherapy leading to infertility. Adjuvant chemotherapy could be an alternative treatment option considering its effectiveness, safety and higher change in fertility preservation. The low incidence of parametrial involvement justifies waiving parametrectomy in tumors < 2 cm.

Fertility-Sparing Treatment for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer ≥ 2 cm: A Problem with a Thousand Nuances-A Systematic Review of Oncological Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Fertility-sparing treatments (FSTs) have played a crucial role in the management of early-stage cervical cancer (ECC). The guidelines have recognized various approaches, depending on the tumor stage and other risk factors such as histotype and lymphovascular positivity. Much more debate has centered around the boundary within which these treatments should be considered. Indeed, these are methods to be reserved for ECC, but tumor size may represent the most significant limitation. In particular, there is no consensus on the strategy to be adopted in the case of ECC ≥ 2 cm. Therefore, this systematic review was to collect the literature evidence regarding the management of these patients.

METHODS

Following the recommendations in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, we systematically searched the Pubmed and Scopus databases was conducted in April 2022, from the date of the first publication. We made no limitation on the country. We included all studies containing data on disease-free survival, overall survival, recurrence rate (RR), or complete response rate (CRR) to chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and 691 patients were analyzed regarding FST. Surgery-based FST showed an RR of between 0 and 42.9%, which drops to 12.9% after excluding the vaginal or minimally invasive approaches. Furthermore, papers regarding FST based on the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) approach showed a CRR of between 21.4 and 84.5%, and an RR of between 0 and 22.2% CONCLUSION: This paper focused on the significant heterogeneity present in the clinical management of FST of ECC ≥ 2 cm. Nevertheless, from an oncological point of view, approaches limited to the minimally invasive or vaginal techniques showed the highest RR. Vice versa, the lack of standardization of NACT schemes and the wealth of confounders to be attributed to the histological features of the tumor make it difficult, if not impossible, to set a standard of treatment.

Conization and lymph node evaluation in low-risk cervical cancer. Is it time to avoid radical surgery? Retrospective series and literature review

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the oncologic and obstetric outcomes of patients with low-risk cervical cancer who underwent conization and lymphatic evaluation to preserve fertility.

METHODS

Data were collected retrospectively from September 2013 to February 2021. Eligibility criteria included Women with cervical cancer (aged <45 years) who underwent fertility preservation treatment, [stage IA1 with positive lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), stage IA2, or stage IB1 (≤2 cm) with less <10 mm cervical stromal invasion, according to the International Federaltion of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 staging system] aged ≤45 years who wished to preserve their fertility were included in this study. All patients were treated with cervical conization(s) and laparoscopic lymph node evaluation [pelvic lymphadenectomy and/or sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping]. Oncologic and obstetric outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Overall, 31 patients met the inclusion criteria; 15 (48.3%) women were nulliparous. There were 8 IA1LVSI+ (25.8%), 11 IA2 (35.4%) and 12 IB1 (31.7%) tumours, according to 2018 FIGO stage classification. Most patients had squamous cell carcinoma (77.4%). Lymphovascular space involvement was found in thirteen patients (41.9%). Reconization was performed in 17 (54.8%) patients, of which 6(35.2%) were done due to compromised margins, 4(23.5%) for margins under than 3 mm, 3(17.6%) for unreported or coagulated margins and 4(23.5%) because previous conization was done in another institution and we could not obtain the paraffin blocks for pathology review. Twenty patients had MRI and eleven CT scan. Nine (30%) patients had a complete bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, 9 (26.6%) had SLN mapping with pelvic lymphadenectomy, and 13 (43.3%) had SLN mapping alone after bilateral SLN identification at surgery. After a median follow-up of 41.4 months (range 2-90 months), no recurrences have been detected. In terms of obstetrial outcome, 11 patients attempted pregnancy and 9 became pregnant. First-trimester miscarriage occurred in one patient. Five patients delivered at term by caesarean section, one of them requiring hysterectomy at the time of delivery. Pathology did not show residual disease. Two patients had a vaginal delivery at 38 weeks. One pregnancy is still ongoing.

CONCLUSION

Cervical conization with lymph node assessment by SLN mapping/lymphadenectomy is an oncologic safe procedure in patients with low-risk cervical cancer.

Fertility-Sparing Surgery in Gynecologic Cancer: A Systematic Review

Fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) is increasingly being offered to women with a gynecological malignancy who wish to preserve fertility. In this systematic review, we evaluate the best evidence currently available on oncological and reproductive outcome after FSS for early stage cervical cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. An extensive literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Medline (OVID), Embase, and Cochrane Library to identify eligible studies published up to December 2020. In total, 153 studies were included with 7544, 3944, and 1229 patients who underwent FSS for cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer, respectively. We assessed the different FSS techniques that are available to preserve fertility, i.e., omitting removal of the uterine body and preserving at least one ovary. Overall, recurrence rates after FSS are reassuring and therefore, these conservative procedures seem oncologically safe in the current selection of patients with low-stage and low-grade disease. However, generalized conclusions should be made with caution due to the methodology of available studies, i.e., mostly retrospective cohort studies with a heterogeneous patient population, inducing selection bias. Moreover, about half of patients do not pursue pregnancy despite FSS and the reasons for these decisions have not yet been well studied. International collaboration will facilitate the collection of solid evidence on FSS and the related decision-making process to optimize patient selection and counseling.

Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to evaluate oncologic and reproductive outcomes after fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) for early-stage cervical cancer (early CC).

DATA SOURCES

Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from 1980 to the present using Medical Subject Headings terms; other controlled vocabulary terms; and keywords related to fertility, cervical cancer, and surgical techniques.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION

A total of 2415 studies were screened, with 53 studies included. Studies reporting recurrences with a median follow-up of 12 months in early CC (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2009 stages IA with lymphovascular space invasion, IB, or IIA) of traditional histologic type undergoing FSS were included.

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

The studies were grouped by intervention, including vaginal radical trachelectomy (VRT), abdominal radical trachelectomy (ART), minimally invasive radical trachelectomy (MIS-RT), and conization or simple trachelectomy (ST), and studies involving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Combined rates of recurrence (RR), cancer death (CDR), pregnancy (PR), and live birth (LBR) were calculated per procedure on the basis of all included studies that reported outcomes on that procedure. The results were as follows: VRT: RR 4%, CDR 1.7%, PR 49.4%, and LBR 65.0% ART: RR 3.9%, CDR 1.4%, PR 43.2%, and LBR 44.0% MIS-RT: RR 4.2%, CDR 0.7%, PR 36.2%, and LBR 57.1% Cone or ST: RR 4.2%, CDR 0.8%, PR 55.1%, and LBR 71.9% NACT: RR 7.5% and CDR 2.0% CONCLUSION: FSS of early CC with VRT, ART, or MIS-RT have comparable oncologic outcomes in carefully selected patients, with reproductive outcomes favoring VRT. Data on nonradical FSS with cone or ST are less robust but support similar oncologic outcomes to radical trachelectomy with fewer reproductive complications. NACT in this setting requires more investigation before routine implementation into practice.

Reproductive and obstetric outcomes after abdominal radical trachelectomy (ART) for patients with early-stage cervical cancers in Fudan, China

OBJECTIVE

To report the reproductive and obstetric outcomes of patients undergoing abdominal radical trachelectomy (ART) for the treatment of early-stage cervical cancers in Fudan, China.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected database of 360 patients with stage IA1-IB1 cervical cancers who underwent ART between 2004 and 2018.

RESULTS

Overall, 211 women (58.6%) did not plan to get pregnant immediately after ART, and 89.6% of them were due to childbearing before surgery or unmarried. Among 149 women who attempted to conceive, 26 (17.4%) of them achieved 30 pregnancies. Eighty-six patients (57.7%) had infertility problems, 44 attempted to conceive with assisted reproductive technologies, and 12 (27.3%) succeeded. Post-operative cervical stenosis (26, 27.4%) and fallopian tube obstruction (22, 23.2%) were the most common reasons for infertility after surgery. Among the patients who conceived, there were 3 first-trimester miscarriages, 6 second-trimester miscarriages, and 2 elective terminations. A total of 19 pregnancies reached the third trimester, and 84.2% of them ended after 36 weeks. Twelve of 20 cases in patients with cerclage placed had full-term birth, while 3 of 5 patients without cerclage placed suffered from second-trimester miscarriage or preterm birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Immediately after ART, many patients were reluctant to conceive, while others suffered from cervical stenosis or fallopian tube obstruction, which had led to low pregnancy rate. Pregnant patients might experience miscarriage or preterm labor which could be prevented by cervical cerclage. Assisted reproductive technology should be encouraged to improve obstetric outcomes.

Oncologic and obstetrical outcomes with fertility-sparing treatment of cervical cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the rates of recurrence, survival and pregnancy, and characterize pregnancy outcomes of early-stage cervical cancer(eCC) treated with fertility-sparing methods such as cervical conization (CON) and radical trachelectomy(RT) with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a meta-analysis of observational studies analyzed by a random-effects model and a meta-regression to assess heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Sixty observational studies encompassing 2,854 patients were included; 17 of which evaluated CON and 43 RT. Three hundred and seventy-five patients were included in the CON group: 176(46.9%) stage IA1 and 167(44.5%) stage IB1. In the RT group, 2479 cases were included: 143(6.0%) stage IA1, 299(12.1%) stage IA2, 1987(79.9%) stage IB1. CON was performed in 347(92.5%) cases, resulting in a recurrence rate of 0.4%(95%CI: 0.0%-1.4%), a death rate of 0%(0%-0%), a pregnancy rate of 36.1%(26.4%-46.2%), a spontaneous abortion rate of 14.8%(9.3%-21.2%) and a preterm delivery rate of 6.8%(1.5%-15.5%). For the RT group, 2273(91.7%) underwent successful surgeries with a recurrence rate of 2.3%(1.3%-3.4%),a death rate of 0.7%(0.3%-1.1%), a pregnancy rate of 20.5%(16.8%-24.5%), a spontaneous abortion rate of 24.0%(18.8%-29.6%) and a preterm delivery rate of 26.6%(19.6%-34.2%). From a subgroup analysis, the recurrence rates for stage IA tumors treated with CON and RT were 0.4%(0.0%-1.9%) and 0.7%(0.0%-2.3%), respectively; and for stage IB were 0.6%(0.0%-2.7%) and 2.3%(0.9%-4.1%).

CONCLUSION

Fertility-sparing treatment including CON or RT for eCC is feasible and carefully selected women can preserve fertility and achieve pregnancy resulting in live births. CON seems to result in better pregnancy outcomes than RT with similar rates of recurrence and mortality.

Four Surgical Approaches to Cervical Excision During Laparoscopic Radical Trachelectomy for Early Cervical Cancer

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical and oncological outcomes of four different approaches of cervical excision (CE) during radical trachelectomy (RT) for early cervical cancer.

DESIGN

A retrospective comparative observational study was performed at Gynecology Department of the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentine. The study was composed of all consecutive women who had undergone laparoscopic RT for early cervical cancer between May 2011 and July 2016. They were divided in four groups according with different surgical approaches to perform the CE during RT; which are also detailed. (Canadian Task Force Classification III).

SETTING

Tertiary care hospital.

INTERVENTION

CE during radical trachelectomy for early cervical cancer.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 7, 6, 6 and 3 patients undergone Type A, B, C and D cervical excision during RT, respectively. No significant differences in terms of age, BMI, surgical time and length of hospital stay were found according with different types of CE. Patients in Type D had, however, a significantly higher EBL, p =.006. Similar histology characteristics in terms of histology type, tumor grade and size, as well as lymph node count were observed among groups. Only grade 1-2 postoperative complications were noted in 9 patients. One local recurrence after Type B CE was treated with radical surgery plus chemoradiaton; while other patient after Type A CE relapsed with peritoneal carcinomatosis managed with chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Different types of cervical excision that are here described should be used according to each case based on specific clinical factors.

Utility of indocyanine green (ICG) intra-operative angiography to determine uterine vascular perfusion at the time of radical trachelectomy

OBJECTIVES

The aim of our study was to measure and analyze uterine perfusion utilizing laser angiography with ICG during uterine artery sparing and non-sparing radical trachelectomy.

METHODS

Data were collected from all patients diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer that underwent laser angiography with ICG during open or laparoscopic radical trachelectomy from June 2012 to December 2015. Regression analysis was use to determine the p values and R-squares on fluorescence, surgical time, hospital stay, age and BMI; a p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 20 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Ten patients underwent uterine artery-sparing surgery, and ten patients underwent uterine artery non-sparing surgery. The most frequent stage for the entire cohort was IA2 (55%), and the most common histologic subtype was squamous cell carcinoma (49%). Lymph-vascular invasion was noted in 30% of the patients. There was no statistical significance difference in the mean ICG fundal fluorescence intensity between the uterine artery-sparing group 162.5 (range, 137-188) and the uterine artery non-sparing group 160.5 (range, 135-186), p=0.22. In both groups, 100% of the patients regained their menstrual function by postoperative week 8. A total of 4 (40%) pregnancies have occurred in the uterine artery-sparing group and 3 (30%) in the non-uterine artery-sparing group.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our real-time intraoperative angiography observations, there is no need to preserve the uterine artery during radical trachelectomy to maintain uterine viability.

Laparoscopic radical trachelectomy: technique, feasibility, and outcomes

Background and Objectives:

Our objectives are to describe our surgical technique for laparoscopic radical trachelectomy, to evaluate its feasibility, and to present the perioperative results at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Methods:

We analyzed 4 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical trachelectomy for early-stage cervical cancer between December 2011 and May 2013.

Results:

Four patients were included in this study. Total laparoscopic radical trachelectomy was performed in all cases. The mean age was 26 years (range, 19–32 years), the mean body mass index was 21 (range, 18–23), and the mean length of hospital stay was 33 hours (range, 24–36 hours). The mean operative time was 225 minutes (range, 210–240 minutes), and no complications were reported. During the postoperative period, only 1 patient presented with left vulvar edema, which resolved spontaneously. The pelvic and parametrial lymph nodes, as well as the vaginal cuff and cervical resection margins, were negative for malignancy in all cases. On average, 18 pelvic lymph nodes (range, 15–20) were removed. The tumor stage was IB in all 4 patients, and the mean tumor size was 17 mm (range, 12–31 mm). No patient required conversion to laparotomy.

Conclusion:

We consider laparoscopic radical trachelectomy, performed by trained surgeons, a feasible and safe therapeutic option as a fertility-sparing surgical technique, with good perioperative outcomes for women with early-stage cervical cancer with a desire to preserve their fertility. Minimally invasive surgery provides the widely known benefits of this type of approach.

Abdominal radical trachelectomy: a Romanian series

Objective

Abdominal radical trachelectomy (ART) is one of the fertility-sparing procedures in women with early-stage cervical cancer. The published results of ART, in comparison with vaginal radical trachelectomy, so far are limited.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study comprises all cases of female patients referred to ART with early-stage cervical cancer from 2 gynecologic oncology centers in Romania.

Results

A total of 29 women were referred for ART, but subsequently, fertility could not be preserved in 3 of them. Eleven women had stage IA2 disease (42.3%), 14 (53.8%) women had stage IB1 disease, and 1 (3.8%) woman had stage IB2 disease. Histologic subtypes were 15 (57.6%) squamous, 8 (30.7%) adenocarcinoma, and 3 (11.5%) adenosquamous. There were no major intraoperative complications in both hospitals. Early postoperative complications were mainly related to the type C parametrectomy—bladder dysfunction for more than 7 days (8 [30.7%] women) and prolonged constipation (6 [23.0%] women). Other complications consisted in symptomatic lymphocele in 2 (7.6%) patients, which were drained. Median follow-up time was 20 months (range, 4–43 months). Up to the present time, there has been 1 (3.8%) recurrence in our series. Most patients did not experience late postoperative complications. Three (11.5%) women are amenorrheic, and 1 (3.8%) woman developed a cervical stenosis. Of the 23 women who have normal menstruation and maintained their fertility, a total of 7 (30.4%) women have attempted pregnancy, and 3 (42.8%) of them achieved pregnancy spontaneously. These pregnancies ended in 2 first trimester miscarriages and 1 live birth at term by cesarean delivery.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that ART preserves fertility and maintains excellent oncological outcomes with low complication rates.

Fertility preservation during cancer treatment: clinical guidelines

The majority of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer today will become long-term survivors. The threat to fertility that cancer treatments pose to young patients cannot be prevented in many cases, and thus research into methods for fertility preservation is developing, aiming at offering cancer patients the ability to have biologically related children in the future. This paper discusses the current status of fertility preservation methods when infertility risks are related to surgical oncologic treatments, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Several scientific groups and societies have developed consensus documents and guidelines for fertility preservation. Decisions about fertility and imminent potentially gonadotoxic therapies must be made rapidly. Timely and complete information on the impact of cancer treatment on fertility and fertility preservation options should be presented to all patients when a cancer treatment is planned.

Reproductive and maternal health in the post-2015 era: cervical cancer must be a priority

Ruby Singhrao and colleagues propose four arguments for why cervical cancer screening and treatment should be prioritized. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary