Contemporary challenges of warty carcinoma of cervix - Our experience and review of literature

Background Warty carcinoma of the cervix is a rare subtype of squamous cell carcinoma. In general, it is not as aggressive as the other subtypes, and has a better prognosis. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate overall and recurrence-free survival rate in patients with Warty carcinoma of the cervix. Methods During the ten year period (2008–2017) in the Clinic of Gynaecologic oncology at the UMHAT Pleven, Bulgaria were operated 714 cases with cervical cancer, 14 of which were histologically confirmed as a Warty carcinoma. Patients were investigated by retroand prospective analysis for overall and recurrence-free survival rate. Results Warty carcinoma accounts for 1.94 per cent of all cervical carcinomas, operated in the clinic. The mean age of the patients was 48 years, ranging from 29–72 years. According to the FIGO staging systems for cervix, patients were staged as follows: in stage IB1 – 43 per cent and in stage IB2 – 57 per cent. Despite the high percentage of locally advanced process, only in one case out of all the patients there was local spreading of the lesion towards the uterine cavity and in one case there were metastases in the pelvic lymph nodes. Lymphovascular space invasion was not seen in any patient, and neither were perineural or perivascular invasion. Conclusion This report highlights a favourable course and good prognosis of Warty carcinoma of the cervix. It is necessary to reconsider the aggressive surgical treatment and subsequent chemotherapy in women with Warty carcinoma of the cervix.