[Stage Ia cervical cancer]

One hundred and fifteen patients with stage I cervical cancer were operated and studied retrospectively. By comparing the original standard of stage Ia (stromal invasion less than 3mm) and the new FIGO definition and analysing the relationship among stage of the cancer, lymphatic metastasis and prognosis, no lymphatic metastasis was found in 25 cases of original stage Ia, and no recurrence during the five year's follow up. There were five cases with lymphatic, metastasis in 42 cases of new FIGO definition and 3 cases recurred and died during the five year's follow up. It is pointed out that the new FIGO definition of stage Ia fails to provide guidelines for choice of treatment and can not differentiate the stage I a1 and stage I a2. If 3mm stromal invasion can be used as a criteria to differentiate stage I a1 and I a2, then we may have a clear and acceptable standard which may be helpful for the choice of treatment.