Clinical re-staging in cervicocarcinoma after clinico-instrumental staging

A review of 193 cases of invasive carcinoma of the cervix was undertaken to determine the efficacy of the procedures used in the staging of this disease. All patients underwent pretreatment chest, pelvis, and spine radiographies, intravenous pyelogram, cystoscopy and proctoscopy. Bone scanning was performed too. These patients were retrospectively staged according to findings of the physical examination only. Each additional examination was then evaluated comparing its results with the initial staging. The column Xray did never change the stage; the other radiologic examinations changed the staging as follows: chest Xray 0.5%, pelvis 1%, intravenous pyelogram 2%. Cystoscopy and proctoscopy changed the clinical stage in 5.1% and 2.5% of the cases, respectively. Bone scanning in 1.5%. A review of 54 selected cases was undertaken to determine the presence of positive nodes in patients with carcinomas at stages I and II. In 16 cases of cervicocarcinoma the hystologic examination showed positive pelvic lymph-nodes. The AA, recommend all the reviewed procedures in the staging of carcinoma of the cervix in initial stages too.