Salvage radiotherapy strategy and its prognostic significance for patients with locoregional recurrent cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy: a multicenter retrospective 10-year analysis

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and prognostic significance of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)-based salvage concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with locoregional recurrence cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy and evaluated two salvage radiotherapy modes—regional RT (involved-field RT combined with regional lymph nodes) and local RT (involved-field RT). METHODS: Patients were enrolled retrospectively from January 2011 to January 2022 in three medical centers. Clinical outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and a Cox proportional hazards model. Propensity score (PS) matching analysis was used to compare the two RT groups. RESULTS: There were 72 patients underwent IMRT-based salvage CCRT. The 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 65.9% and 57.6%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that patients with stump recurrence, a lower systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), only one metastatic lesion, and received regional RT had better prognosis than their counterparts. In multivariate analysis, recurrence site was the independent prognostic factor of OS, and SIRI was that of PFS. After PS matching, there were 15 patients each in the regional RT group and local RT group. The 5-year OS rate of regional RT group was better than that of local RT group (90.9 vs. 42.4, p = 0.021). However, there was no significant difference between them in terms of PFS rate (47.1 vs. 38.1, p = 0.195). CONCLUSION: Locoregional recurrent cervical cancer treated with IMRT-based salvage therapy has a good prognosis. Recurrence site and SIRI were independent prognostic factors. Regional RT may be a better option for patients with locoregional recurrent. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-023-11406-z.