Retroperitoneal lymph node resection in patients with cervical cancer

Objective: To determine predictive factors precluding complete resection of metastatic lymph nodes identified by pre-operative imaging in patients with cervical cancer. Methods: Retrospective clinical review of patients with cervical cancer with suspected metastases to pelvic and/or periaortic lymph nodes who underwent lymph node dissection by laparotomy at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center from September 1990-December 2004. Results: A total of 104 patients were the subject of this analysis. Post-operatively, 25 patients (24%) had negative lymph nodes, 62 patients (60%) had macroscopically positive lymph nodes, one patient had microscopically positive (1%) and 16 patients (15%) had unresectable lymph nodes. Body mass index did not have any impact on successful resection of lymph nodes. On univariate analysis age (p = 0.049) and size and location of the largest lymph node were associated with resection status (p = 0.001 and 0.020). Logistic regression confirmed that chance of achieving a successful resection decreases with increasing age (p = 0.046) and size of largest lymph node (0.002). Conclusions: The ability to completely resect suspected metastatic lymph nodes at the time of extraperitoneal lymph node dissection in patients with cervical cancer is associated with size and location of largest lymph node.