Stage Ib, IIa, and IIb cervix cancer, postsurgical staging, and prognosis

Two hundred fifty-five cases of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stage Ib, IIa, and IIb cases of cervical cancer were analyzed following radical surgery with regard to the extent of invasion into vagina, parametria, and pelvic lymph nodes. Restaging was carried out based on the findings. Discrepancies were found between FIGO stages and the actual extent of the disease, particularly in Stage IIb. Among 99 cases of Stage IIb, only 42.4% were correctly staged. The 5-year disease-free survival by FIGO and postsurgical stagings were, respectively: Ib, 88.4% and 87.0%; IIa, 85.2% and 95.0%; IIb, 70.7% and 62.3%. Prognostic significance in the pathologic examination of operated materials was demonstrated when there were deep stromal invasions of cancer cell or parametrial invasions or pelvic lymph node metastases. When cancer was present in both of the parametrium and pelvic lymph nodes, the prognosis of the patient worsened (5-year survival rate, 41.4%).