[Lymph node metastases and disease-free survival in cervical cancer patients].

Objective: To establish the prognostic significance of lymph node metastases (LNM) in terms of disease-free survival and incidence rate and localization of relapses.
Material and Methods: 296 patients with invasive cervical cancer FIGO staged: IB1-110; IB2-98 and IIB-86 had been operated on between 2002-2011. Patients age ranges from 27 to 84 years, average 48 years. Follow-up period was estimated from the date of registration until September 2011 or until the occurrance of relapse. (2-96, average 45 months). 294 patients were submitted to pelvic lymphadenectomy and paraaortic lymphadenectomy was optional.
Results: We presented the relationships between number of LNM, incidence rate of LNM, macro- and micro- LNM and incidence rate and localization of local and distant relapses.
Conclusion: Lymph node macrometastases leads to significantly higher incidence rate of relapses outside true pelvis in comparison to lymph node micrometastases.