Abstract Background: Radical trachelectomy (RT) is a fertility-preserving alternative to radical hysterectomy for women with early-stage cervical cancer. Minimally invasive approaches to RT have gained popularity; however, concerns persist regarding oncologic safety, particularly recurrence risk. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess disease-free survival (DFS) and oncologic outcomes following minimally invasive radical trachelectomy (MIRT) in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 154 patients diagnosed with Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics-2018 stage IA2–IB2 cervical cancer who underwent MIRT between 2007 and 2020 at a tertiary referral center. Surgical, pathological, and follow-up data were analyzed. DFS and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate analysis identified factors associated with recurrence. Results: The mean age was 32.2 years. Most procedures were performed laparoscopically (91%). Median follow-up was 57.5 months. Fifteen patients (9.7%) experienced recurrence. Factors associated with reduced DFS included higher body mass index, poorly differentiated tumors, lymphovascular space invasion, and deep stromal invasion. The 5-year DFS was 90.3%, and the OS was 96.1%. Conclusion: MIRT appears to be an oncologically safe fertility-preserving approach for selected patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Specific pathological factors should guide individualized treatment planning.
Ajaj et al. (Wed,) studied this question.