A cost-effective but safe protocol for the staging of invasive cervical carcinoma in a third world country

The treatment and prognosis of invasive cervical carcinoma depends on proper clinical staging. The prestaging investigations are time-consuming and costly and 3rd world countries find it difficult to adhere to 1st world protocols. In the search for a more cost-effective but safe protocol for pre-treatment investigation the analysis of some of the special investigations performed on a total of 903 patients with invasive cervical carcinoma have proven beyond doubt that some of these investigations can be omitted without harming the patient. The Gynecologic Oncology Unit of the Tygerberg Hospital R.S.A. propose such a cost-effective protocol provided some criteria are strictly adhered to in safe-guarding proper health care.