Current developments in the treatment of newly diagnosed cervical cancer

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging of cervical cancer relies on physical examination. However, surgical staging, which helps determine the extent of invasion of lymph nodes by cancer, is currently used more widely to define the need fur additional therapies. Exa mples of these additional treatments include high-dose-rate brachytherapy t echniques, extension of radiotherapy fields, surgery, concurrent chemothera py and radiotherapy, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery. Current ly there are many ongoing randomized studies that strive to define the risk -to-benefit ratio of these additional therapies.