Carcinoma of the intact uterine cervix, stage IB-IIA-B, greater than or equal to 6 cm in diameter: irradiation alone vs preoperative irradiation and surgery.

This is an analysis of 123 patients with Stage IB-IIA-B carcinoma of the intact uterine cervix, 6 cm or greater in diameter, who were treated with curative intent at the University of Florida with radiation alone or radiation followed by a hysterectomy between October 1964 and February 1982. There is a minimum follow-up of 2 years in all patients; 87% of all recurrences and 91% of pelvic recurrences occurred within this time period. Examination of pelvic control rates, as well as disease-free survival, showed no significant advantage in pelvic control, disease-free survival, or absolute survival for either treatment group when compared by stage and tumor size. The incidence of severe complications was 6% for patients treated with irradiation alone and 15% for those treated with irradiation and surgery (p = 0.119).