Vaginal Radical Trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer. Results of the Danish National Single Center Strategy.

Objective: To present and evaluate an unselected national single center strategy with fertility preserving trachelectomy in cervical cancer. In 2003 nationwide single-center referral of women for trachelectomies was agreed upon between all Danish departments performing cervical cancer surgery with the purpose of increasing volume, to increase surgical safety and facilitate follow-up.

Methods: Prospective data were recorded in the Danish Gynecological Cancer Database of all Vaginal Radical Trachelectomies (VRT) performed in Denmark between 2002 and 2013. Oncologic, fertility and obstetrical outcomes of 120 unselected consecutive VRTs were assessed. To obtain complete follow-up about fertility treatment, pregnancy and obstetric outcome the women filled out an electronic questionnaire. Median follow-up: 55.7 months.

Results: 85.8% of the patients had stage IB1 disease, 68.3% squamous cell carcinomas, 30.0% adenocarcinomas and 1.7% adenosquamous carcinomas. Six recurrences (5.1%) and 2 deaths (1.7%) occurred. Four women with adenocarcinomas (10.5%) had recurrences, compared to two women with squamous cell carcinomas (2.5%). Seventy-two women (60.0%) desired to conceive and 55 women obtained a total of 77 pregnancies. Of the 72 women 40 were referred to fertility treatment. First and second trimester miscarriage rates were 21.6% and 2.7%, respectively. A total of 53 children were born of which 41 were delivered after gestational week 34.

Conclusion: This unselected national single center referral study confirms the oncological safety of Vaginal Radical Trachelectomy. The complete follow-up regarding reproductive data, reveals a surprisingly extensive need of fertility treatment and due to the rate of prematurity, these pregnancies must be regarded as high-risk pregnancies.