Use of Postoperative Irradiation for Carcinoma of the Cervix

Early stage cervical cancer is treated with radical surgery or definitive irradiation. There is no consensus as to the use of adjuvant pelvic irradiation for patients who have undergone radical hysterectomy. Several pathological indicators are predictors of local pelvic disease recurrence. Positive pelvic lymph nodes, large tumor size, stromal penetration, and vascular invasion are factors that have a negative impact on local control and 5-year survival rates. The presence of one or more of these findings may influence the decision to incorporate pelvic irradiation into the postoperative treatment plan of a women with cervical cancer.