Primary radical surgery in carcinoma of the cervix uteri

Fifty patients with cervical carcinoma were treated by primary radical hysterectomy and transperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy by one surgeon and followed 10 to 20 years. Of 15 patients with pelvic lymph node metastases 10 received postoperative irradiation of whom 7 developed recurrence and died from cancer. Of 5 patients with metastases who did not receive radiotherapy, 3 developed recurrence: 1 with distant metastases died. The other 2 with localized recurrences were treated with radiotherapy and survived more than 9 years. The 5- and 10-year observed survival rates for stage I b patients were 85% and 76% respectively.