Radical hysterectomy: a critical review of twenty-two years' experience.

One hundred seventy-eight patients who had radical hysterectomy performed for management of invasive carcinoma of the cervix over 22 year period at the Medical University of South Carolina were critically analyzed. The degree of differentiation of the malignancy appeared to be of more significance than tumor size in Stage 1 lesions. With proper patient selection and excellent operative technique, survival rates well over 90% with minimal complications can be obtained. The radical hysterectomy should never be used in association with irradiation.