Prognostic impact of positive peritoneal washing cytology in surgically treated cervical cancer
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Positive peritoneal washing cytology is an uncommon but potentially clinically relevant finding in cervical cancer. This retrospective cohort study evaluated its association with recurrence, survival, and metastasis-related biomarkers in patients undergoing open surgery for cervical cancer between 2018 and 2023. A total of 120 patients were classified as peritoneal washing cytology-positive (n = 32) or cytology-negative (n = 88). Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were broadly comparable between groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated poorer survival among patients with positive cytology. The estimated 5-year overall survival was 43.7% (95% CI, 26.8-59.4%) in the cytology-positive group and 67.9% (95% CI, 55.2-77.8%) in the cytology-negative group, whereas the corresponding 5-year progression-free survival estimates were 36.5% (95% CI, 20.5-52.6%) and 62.4% (95% CI, 49.8-72.8%), respectively. Recurrence was more frequent among cytology-positive patients, particularly distant-organ recurrence. Serum VEGF and tissue MMP-9 levels were higher in the cytology-positive group. In multivariable analysis, positive peritoneal washing cytology remained associated with poorer overall survival after adjustment for selected clinicopathological variables. A combined VEGF/MMP-9 model showed exploratory discrimination for lymph-node metastasis, although the model requires internal and external validation. These findings suggest that positive peritoneal washing cytology may identify a subgroup with adverse outcomes after surgery, but prospective and externally validated studies are required before clinical application.
Source: Medicine
Institution: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
Language: English
Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,950
OpenAlex ID: W7225421949