Primary radical hysterectomy in early stage locally advanced (IB2, IIA > 4cm) cervical cancer

150 women with early stage locally advanced cervical cancer treated with pr imary radical hysterectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Lymph node metast ases were found in 32.6% of patients. Stratification by stage showed lymph node metastases: in 30% of stage IB2 and 40% of stage IIA cases; by lymph v ascular space (LVS) involvement: in 13% without and 54% with LVS involvemen t. Overall recurrence rate was 36/150 (24%). The pattern of failure was as follows: 12.8% (13/101, 8 pelvic and 5 distant) in lymph node negative and 46.9% (23/49, 8 pelvic and 15 distant) in lymph node positive patients. Act uarial overall 5-year survival was 79%. Statistically significant differenc e (P<0.001), in terms of survival, was observed between lymph nodes negativ e (90%) and lymph nodes positive (58%) patients and between subjects withou t (88%) and those with LVS involvement (61%).