Author:
Chen Fangjie,Chen Long,Zhang Yu,Shi Lei,Xu Hong’en,Song Tao
Abstract
ObjectiveTo compare the prognostic significance of adenocarcinoma (AC) with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) on overall survival (OS) in patients with stage IIB-IVA cervical cancer (CC) treated by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy (BRT) with/without chemotherapy registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.MethodsData of eligible patients were extracted between 2004 and 2016. A univariate analysis was conducted using the cumulative incidence function (CIF) by considering competing events and compared using Gray’s test. The significant variables in univariate analysis were further evaluated in a multivariate analysis performed with the Fine-Gray regression model. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was also employed to reconfirm the results found in the present study.ResultsA total of 2,243 patients with SCC and 176 patients with AC were extracted from the database. The 5-year OS rates were 57.8% in the SCC group and 52.8% in the AC group. 149 patients died of causes other than CC—considered as competing events. Compared with the SCC group, patients diagnosed with AC had statistically significant worse 5-year OS rate before and after PSM. In the multivariate Fine-Gray regression model, the histological subtype of AC was proven as an independent prognostic factor associated with poorer OS before [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.340; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.081-1.660; P = 0.007] and after [HR = 1.376; 95% CI: 1.107-1.711; P = 0.004] PSM.ConclusionsThe histological subtype of AC is significantly correlated with impaired OS as an independent prognostic variable in patients with stage IIB-IVA CC who received EBRT and BRT compared to patients with SCC. Future studies should incorporate effective and individualized treatment strategies into clinical decision-making to improve the unsatisfactory survival outcomes for patients with AC.