Long-Term Survival and Postoperative Complications in Patients with Stage IIB Cervical Cancer Treated With Combination Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This article presents an analysis of long-term survival and postoperative complications in patients with stage IIb cervical cancer who underwent combined treatment, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical intervention. The relevance of the study is determined by the high risk of recurrence and adverse outcomes associated with standard therapy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of clinical and demographic factors, reproductive history, and postoperative complications on disease prognosis. The study included a retrospective analysis of 2,811 patients: 661 in the experimental group and 2,151 in the control group. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test, and risk factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results showed that the most common postoperative complications were lymphocysts (18%), bladder atony (15%), lymphedema (8.1%), and lymphorrhea (9.7%). The presence of complications did not significantly affect mortality. Cumulative survival in the experimental group was higher than in the control group (HR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.25–0.88; p = 0.018). Significant prognostic factors included patient age (60–74 years, HR = 2.41; p = 0.048), age at sexual debut ≥26 years (HR = 6.10; p < 0.001), and positive family history (p = 0.018). The experimental group also demonstrated a lower recurrence rate (23% vs. 40%; p = 0.011). Conclusions: Combined treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical intervention significantly improves long-term survival and reduces recurrence risk in patients with stage IIb cervical cancer. Reproductive and age-related factors are key predictors of adverse outcomes, highlighting the importance of individualized therapeutic approaches.