Discussion on the necessity of bilateral inguinal lymphatic area irradiation for cervical cancer with invasion of the lower one-third of the vagina.

CONTEXT: According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for cervical cancer, patients with cervical cancer invading the lower one-third of the vagina require bilateral inguinal lymphatic area preventive irradiation. However, it is not clear whether they need preventive inguinal area irradiation.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessity of bilateral inguinal lymphatic area irradiation for patients with cervical cancer with invasion of the lower one-third of the vagina.

SETTINGS AND

DESIGN

Patients without inguinal lymph node metastasis were divided into preventive radiotherapy and nonpreventive radiotherapy groups. The occurrence of inguinal skin damage, lower extremity edema, and femoral head necrosis was observed during and after treatment.

METHODS AND MATERIAL: In total, 184 patients with cervical cancer with invasion of the lower one-third of the vagina were selected. A trial and control method was used to select 180 patients without inguinal lymph node metastasis.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Comparison between groups was performed using a t test. Data were enumerated using frequency (percentage), and comparison between groups was performed using a Chi-square test.

RESULTS

Imaging examination revealed inguinal lymph node enlargement in 7.07% of patients, and only four cases (2.17%) were further confirmed by pathology. The inguinal lymph node metastasis rate in these patients was very low. The prophylactic irradiation group showed a high occurrence rate of side injury. In the follow-up of both groups, no recurrence was detected in the inguinal lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Prophylactic irradiation of inguinal lymph nodes is not essential for patients without pathological metastasis.