Prognostic significance of the depth of invasion relating to nodal metastases, parametrial extension, and cell types. A study of 628 cases with Stage IB, IIA, and IIB cervical carcinoma.

Depths of invasion by increments of 5 mm were evaluated as a prognostic factor in 628 patients after radical hysterectomy for Stage IB to IIB cervical carcinoma. Nodal metastases (N) were significantly increased when tumor invasion was deeper than 5, 10, and 30 mm. Parametrial extension (P) was significantly increased with 10-, 15-, and 25-mm invasion. In total, the corrected 5-year survival rates were significantly reduced with 20 and 30 mm invasion. However, survival rates were almost the same in N(-)P(-) cases, ranging from 96% to 100%. Reduction of the survival rates with 20-mm invasion was found in IIB, P(+), or N(-) cases, and with 30-mm invasion in IB, IIB, P(+), or N(+) cases. Subdivision by N or P factors revealed an evidence that in N(+) or P(+) cases, survival of patients with under 10-mm invasion was significantly poorer than that of cases with 10- to 15-mm invasion. These indicate that depth of invasion is a valuable prognostic factor in patients with nodal metastases or parametrial extension.