Definitions and outcome measures
In this study, patients treated by surgeons with different LRH
experiences were divided into three groups14:
low-volume surgeons (< 51), mid-volume surgeons (51-100) and
high-volume surgeons (> 100). Outcome measures included
operative technique (operative time and blood loss) and oncological
outcome (5-year OS and DFS).
OS was defined as the time from the date of surgery to the date of death
from any cause. DFS was defined as the time from the date of surgery to
the date of disease recurrence or death from cervical cancer, and
patients with no evidence of recurrence or death were censored at the
date of the last follow-up or return visit.
According to FIGO guidelines15, standard postoperative
treatment was defined by any one pathological high-risk factor (positive
para-aortic or pelvic nodes, parametrial extension, and positive
margins) or any two or more pathological medium-risk factors (tumor size
> 4 cm, LVSI, stromal invasion) who received radiotherapy
or radiochemotherapy or those with no postoperative high-risk factor and
one or more medium-risk factors who did not receive postoperative
radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy.