The usefulness of cystoscopy in the staging of cervical cancer

The aim of this study was to clarify the usefulness of cystoscopy in the staging of cervical cancer and to evaluate the clinical indications for performing ureteric catheterization to rule out ureteral obstruction in cervical cancer.

Both rigid cystoscopy and CT were performed before treatment in patients with cervical cancer of FIGO stage IB or greater. Cystoscopically directed biopsy specimens were taken from all areas in the bladder which were suspected of cancerous development. If a jet of urine spurting from each ureteral orifice was not found, a ureteric catheter was inserted into the orifice to rule out ureteral obstruction. The cystoscopic findings were compared with a CT examination.

A total of 100 patients were included in the study (mean age 59 years). There were 30 stage IB cancers, 20 stage IIA, 17 stage IIB, 5 stage IIIA, 18 stage IIIB, and 10 stage IV. A total of 90 patients had squamous cell carcinomas and 10 had adenocarcinomas. Cystoscopy identified 8 patients with bladder invasion including 1 stage IIIA, 2 stage IIIB, and 5 stage IV. All of these patients had CT indication of possible invasion. CT indication of possible invasion was proved to be false by cystoscopy in 2 patients. Both the sensitivity and the negative predictive value of CT for bladder invasion were 100%. Of the 14 patients in whom ureteral obstruction was diagnosed by ureteric catheterization, 11 cases were indicated by CT scan, but for the other 3 patients CT found no significant ureteral obstruction.

The results of this study suggest that cystoscopy is indicated only in cervical cancer patients for whom CT examination indicates possible bladder invasion. In addition, the results suggest that placement of ureteric catheterization using cystoscopy to rule out ureteral obstruction is not indicated in the staging of cervical cancer.