Selection of patients
Patients with early-stage cervical cancer were eligible for this
prospective study. A total of 356 patients were consecutively enrolled.
They underwent SLNB followed by standard treatment, according to
institutional guidelines (modified radical hysterectomy/radical
hysterectomy plus complete pelvic lymphadenectomy, with or without
para-aortic lymph node sampling), during robotic or
laparoscopic-assisted surgery between May 2017 and December 2019. The
inclusion criteria were as follows: FIGO 2009 stages Ia2–IIa2; squamous
cell carcinoma or typical adenocarcinoma (HPV-related); no evidence of
bulky or suspicious PLNs, or distant metastases according to
conventional imaging studies; surgery as the primary treatment; and the
provision of signed informed consent. The exclusion criteria were as
follows: age younger than 18 years or older than 70 years; pregnancy;
incidence of other tumours within 5 years; contra-indication for
surgical treatment; and intra-operative evidence of more advanced
disease (>IIa2). Given the learning curve of SLNB, the
first 30 patients enrolled were not included in the final statistical
analysis13.