Impact of the ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes on the survival of early-stage cervical cancer patients.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes (LN) on the survival of early-stage cervical cancer patients.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing primary radical hysterectomy and pelvicparaaortic lymphadenectomy for stage I-II cervical cancer at the Ankara Oncology Hospital from 1995 to 2000. Survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier method and differences were assessed by log-rank test.

Results: A total of 2,085 LN were examined. Nodal metastasis was found in 22.1% of the patients. Patients with zero involved LN had a 5-year survival of 89.19%, while patients with 1 positive LN and > 1 positive LNs had a 5-year survival of 100 and 76.92%, respectively. The difference in survival among these three groups was not statistically significant. The 5-year survival rates according to the metastatic/examined LN ratio (LNR) were 75, 90, and 89.19% in the groups of patients with LNR >10, 1-10, and 0%, respectively. The difference in survival among these three groups was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: This factor might be helpful for a better prognostic discrimination of patients with metastatic LN. The stratification of node-positive cervical cancer for prognostic and treatment purposes warrants further investigation.