Adjuvant pelvic radiation versus observation in intermediate-risk early-stage cervical cancer patients following primary radical surgery: a propensity score-adjusted analysis

OBJECTIVE: To compare survival outcomes, posttreatment complications, and quality of life (QoL) of early-stage cervical cancer patients with intermediate-risk factors between those who received adjuvant pelvic radiation and those without adjuvant treatment. METHODS: Stages IB–IIA cervical cancer patients classified as having intermediate-risk following primary radical surgery were included. After propensity score weighted adjustment, all baseline demographic and pathological characteristics of 108 women who received adjuvant radiation and 111 women who had no adjuvant treatment were compared. The primary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The secondary outcomes included treatment-related complications and QoL. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 76.1 months in the adjuvant radiation group and 95.4 months in the observation group. The 5-year PFS (91.6% in the adjuvant radiation group and 88.4% in the observation group, p=0.42) and OS (90.1% in the adjuvant radiation group and 93.5% in the observation group, p=0.36) were not significantly different between the groups. There was no significant association between adjuvant treatment and overall recurrence/death in the Cox proportional hazard model. However, a substantial reduction in pelvic recurrence was observed in participants with adjuvant radiation (hazard ratio=0.15; 95% confidence interval=0.03–0.71). Grade 3/4 treatment-related morbidities and QoL scores were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant radiation was associated with a lower risk of pelvic recurrence. However, its significant benefit in reducing overall recurrence and improving survival in early-stage cervical cancer patients with intermediate-risk factors could not be demonstrated.