Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Apr;305(4):955-961.
doi: 10.1007/s00404-021-06161-0. Epub 2021 Sep 29.

Assessment of cervical vascularization density in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cervical carcinoma evaluated in colour Doppler and power Doppler functions

Adam Tomalczyk  1 , Bartłomiej Tomasik  2   3 , Jacek Fijuth  4   5 , Malgorzata Moszynska-Zielinska  5 , Leszek Gottwald  6   7
Affiliations

Assessment of cervical vascularization density in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cervical carcinoma evaluated in colour Doppler and power Doppler functions

Adam Tomalczyk et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the prospective study was to assess changes during treatment and prognostic significance of cervical vascularization density in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) staged II B and III B and to find relationship of cervical vascularization density with tumour diameter, grading, staging and age of patients.

Methods: The study group included 50 patients who underwent transvaginal Doppler ultrasonography prior to chemoradiotherapy, after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and 6 weeks after HDR brachytherapy. The colour Doppler (CD) vascularity index (CDVI) and the power Doppler (PD) vascularity index (PDVI) in cervical tumour were examined.

Results: CDVI and PDVI values decreased significantly during radiotherapy (0.13 (95% CI 0.09-0.16); 0.09 (95% CI 0.07-0.11) and 0.05 (95% CI 0.03-0.06) for CDVI (p < 0.001) and 0.26 (95% CI 0.22-0.31); 0.18 (95% CI 0.14-0.22) and 0.08 (95% CI 0.06-0.11) for PDVI (p < 0.001)). No statistically significant associations of CDVI and PDVI with tumour diameter, grading, staging and age of patients were found. The higher (above median) CDVI values before EBRT were associated with better OS (p = 0.041). The higher (above median) PDVI values before EBRT were associated with superior DFS (p = 0.011) and OS (p < 0.001). DFS and OS did not differ significantly regarding CDVI and PDVI values after EBRT and after the treatment.

Conclusions: In the study group, cervical vascularization density evaluated in CD and PD functions did not depend on tumour diameter, grading, staging and age of patients and decreased during radiotherapy. The prognosis for our patients with CDVI and PDVI before the treatment above the median value was better than compared to patients with these parameters below the median value.

Keywords: Cervical carcinoma; Colour Doppler; Locally advanced; Power Doppler; Recurrence; Survival.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CDVI in the patient with locally advanced cervical SCC: prior to the treatment (a), before HDR BT (b), after the treatment (c)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
PDVI in the patient with locally advanced cervical SCC: prior to the treatment (a), before HDR BT (b), after the treatment (c)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Changes of CDVI during the treatment. Black dot represents mean and whiskers represent 95% confidence intervals
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Relationship between OS and CDVI before the treatment (solid line—patients with CDVI below the median value, dotted line—patients with CDVI above the median value)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Changes of PDVI during the treatment. Black dot represents mean and whiskers represent 95% confidence intervals
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Relationship between DFS and PDVI before the treatment (solid line—patients with CDVI below the median value, dotted line—patients with PDVI above the median value)
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Relationship between OS and PDVI before the treatment (solid line—patients with CDVI below the median value, dotted line—patients with CDVI above the median value)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology Cervical Cancer (Version 1.2020). National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc., 2020. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/cervical.pdf. Accessed 4 Feb 2020
    1. Marth C, Landoni F, Mahner S, McCormack M, Gonzalez-Martin A, Colombo N, ESMO Guidelines Committee Cervical cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2018;29(Suppl 4):vi262. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdy160. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cohen PA, Jhingran A, Oaknin A, Denny L. Cervical cancer. Lancet. 2019;393:169–182. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32470-X. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gangopadhyay A. Prognostic nutritional index and clinical response in locally advanced cervical cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2020 doi: 10.1080/01635581.2020.1729820. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bremer GL, Tiebosch AT, van der Putten HW, Schouten HJ, de Haan J, Arends JW. Tumor angiogenesis: an independent prognostic parameter in cervical cancer. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1996;174:126–131. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(96)70384-8. - DOI - PubMed