[Cervical cancer in pregnancy--practical recommendations]

Five-year survival did not differ between 20 pregnant women and 541 patients with invasive cervical cancer treated with radical surgery at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Graz. Therapeutic recommendations are given. In stage Ib to IIb disease, surgery is recommended postpartum following the induction of fetal lung maturity if fertility should be preserved and if the cancer is diagnosed after the 20th week of pregnancy. The same is recommended in stage Ia independent of the duration of gestation. In advanced disease (stage IIIb to IVb) definite therapy should be applied immediately after diagnosis. If cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III is suspected, colposcopy, cytology and biopsy are mandatory. Definite therapy should be performed 6 weeks postpartum.