V factor (tumor volume) and T factor (FIGO classification) in the assessment of cervix cancer prognosis: the risk of lymph node spread.

An attempt was made by investigation of the operative specimens from 98 patients suffering from epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix to assess the relationship between lymphatic spread on one hand and tumor volume and anatomical stage on the other hand. Within the same anatomical stage the risk of lymphatic spread is more important as the tumor volume increases. The reverse is also true. Within the same volume the risk of lymphatic spread increases when cancer extends beyond the "cervix-parametrium" barrier. The anatomical classification based on the T factor deserves to be retained, classification which some wanted to replace by another one based exclusively on the V factor.