Radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy versus radiation therapy for small (less than or equal to 3 cm) stage IB cervical carcinoma.

One hundred and three women with FIGO stage IB cervical carcinoma were treated either by radical hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy, or external pelvic radiation and intracavitary brachytherapy to deliver greater than or equal to 6000 rads to point A. Surgical therapy was to be limited to stage IB tumors measuring less than or equal to 3 cm in greatest diameter, Patients with lesions greater than 3 cm, medical contraindications to surgery, or advanced age were to be treated by radiation therapy. Of the 55 women treated surgically, 3 (5.6%) were found on final histologic evaluation to have tumors greater than 3 cm. The 5-year estimated disease-free interval was 92.3% for patients treated by surgery and 91.1% for patients treated by radiation therapy. Similar rates were achieved for the 5-year disease-free interval for lesions greater than 1 cm, 1-3 cm, and less than 3 cm in diameter by either surgery or radiation. It is tentatively concluded that radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy or radiation therapy as outlined above provide equally good disease-free intervals for stage IB cervical tumors measuring less than or equal to 3 cm in diameter. Because of a bias against patients treated with radiation, it is possible that radiation could lead to better results than surgery in comparable (younger, healthier, thinner) population. The advantage of surgical treatment in the younger patient is preservation of ovarian function.