Prognostic factors in early invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix. A clinical, histopathologic, and statistical analysis of 343 cases.

Three hundred forty-three cases of early invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix were analyzed. Depth of infiltration and lateral extension of the tumors varied between 0.2 and 9.0 mm and 0.4 and 17.2 mm and were found to be of no prognostic importance. A multivariate statistical analysis revealed several risk factors: an epithelialized portio at diagnosis, suspected or evident tumor invasion in capillary-like spaces, absence of tumor-free margins at conization, and treatment with conization or simple hysterectomy, especially in the presence of the above-mentioned factors. Tumors of a large cell keratinizing type were prognostically favorable. Confluent growth was not associated with increased risk of recurrence or death from recurrence. Cervical biopsies proved to be inadequate as diagnostic material. Recurrences were almost always local and developed late. In absence of risk factors conization is sufficient treatment. In the presence of risk factors treatment should be the same as that performed for frankly invasive Stage IB carcinomas.