• H M Shingleton, W B Jones, A Russell, A Fremgen, J S Chmiel, K Ocwieja, D P Winchester, and R Clive.
• Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 1996 Oct 1; 183 (4): 393-400.

BackgroundAs the use of Papanicolaou cytologic screening became widespread in the United States of America, there was a shift toward diagnosis of earlier clinical stages in patients with carcinoma of the cervix. This increase in early stage disease has also resulted in increased use of surgery as the primary treatment. Thus, it seems appropriate to investigate the role of hysterectomy in the modern treatment of patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix, including survival rates and the role of the gynecologic oncologist.Study DesignApproximately 1,800 hospitals were sent invitations to submit data on a standard collection form designed by a multidisciplinary committee of specialists. Cancer registrars at 703 hospitals submitted anonymous data on 11,721 patients with carcinoma of the cervix who were diagnosed or treated, or both, in 1984 and 1990.ResultsThere were 6,570 (56.1 percent) women who had major operations. An operation with curative intent, either total hysterectomy (TAH) or radical type II or III hysterectomy with pelvic node dissection PND (RHPND), was carried out in 5,105 (43.6 percent) women, constituting 38.9 percent of the patients in 1984, and 48.2 percent of the patients in 1990. Overall (both years), 66.5 percent of patients had squamous cell carcinomas and 21.1 percent had adenocarcinomas. The type of operation performed was judged appropriate in 95.6 percent of the patients who underwent RHPND, but in only 80.0 percent of the patients who underwent TAH. Gynecologic oncologists performed 46.8 percent of the hysterectomies in 1984, and 63.8 percent in 1990. Recurrence and long-term survival data are available for the 1984 patients; five-year survival rates for women who underwent TAH (n = 1,013) and RHPND (n = 1,279) were 89 and 85 percent, respectively. A RHPND with negative nodes resulted in a 90 percent five-year survival rate (n = 916) as compared to 70 percent in those with positive nodes (n = 194).ConclusionsThe use of hysterectomy as definitive therapy increased markedly from 1984 to 1990 and was associated with low complication and high five-year survival rates. Gynecologic oncologists now perform the majority of hysterectomies for this type of carcinoma, with general gynecologists playing a lesser role than in the earlier study year. Guidelines should be developed for the use of TAH in patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix.

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