Stage IB adenocarcinoma of the cervix: metastatic potential and patterns of dissemination.

The metastatic potential patterns of dissemination have been investigated in 150 patients with Stage 1B adenocarcinoma of the cervix treated during a 20-year period from 1956 to 1977. All cases with the exception of one were treated with a combination of intracavitary radium implants followed by a radical surgical procedure with pelvic lymph node dissection. It was found that the incidence of pelvic metastases and distant recurrences and the survival rates were the same as in previously published reports for squamous cell carcinomas treated in the same manner. In one respect adenocarcinomas showed a significant difference when compared with squamous cell cancers: The incidence of residual tumor in the hysterectomy specimens after intracavitary treatment was much higher (30% versus 11%). This is considered a strong argument for surgical treatment of patients with early stages of adenocarcinoma of the cervix.