Conization as only treatment of carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix.

Knife conization was performed in 2,099 cases with abnormal vaginal smears. The frequency of complications was low. Carcinoma in situ was diagnosed in 1,500 cases and follow-up showed that conization was curative in 87%. The curative rate was depending on whether the resection margins were free of pathologic epithelium or not. If smears were repeatedly negative the first year after conization a new diagnosis of cancer was made in 0.4%. It was not possible to decide whether these lesions were residual changes or true recurrences. Treatment of carcinoma in situ by conization has so far reduced the frequency of invasive cervical cancer by 60%.