[Microinvasive stage Ia cancer of the uterine cervix--a population based analysis]

In a population based study, 782 cases of microinvasive cervical cancer stage Ia recorded in Berlin, capital of the GDR, between 1970 and 1978 were analyzed. As the consequence of a cytological screening programme started in 1973, the percentage of stage Ia-cancer increased to 30% in 1978 and 35% in 1984. The percentage of asymptomatic cases (86%) only detectable by colposcopy and/or cytology (92%) increased also considerably. The percentage of cases histologically confirmed by cone biopsy increased from 55% to 81%. During the period analyzed, the percentage of radically treated cases (Wertheim, Schauta, combined surgery and radiotherapy) decreased to 31%. Among 459 patients only treated by conization or simple hysterectomy 7 developed recurrences and 2 died from the disease despite of an intensive second treatment. Among 323 patients treated more radically (Wertheim, Schauta, combined surgery and radiotherapy), there was no recurrence but 5 deaths by early or late treatment complications. Therefore, observed cumulative survival rates of patients treated by conization or hysterectomy were slightly higher than those of patients treated more radically.