EARLY INVASIVE-CARCINOMA OF THE CERVIX (3 TO 5 MM INVASION) - RISK-FACTORS AND PROGNOSIS - A GYNECOLOGIC-ONCOLOGY-GROUP STUDY

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the risk factors and prognosis in patients with stage IA squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and 3 to 5 mm of invasion. STUDY DESIGN: From 1981 to 1984 the Gynecologic O ncology Group conducted a prospective clinicopathologic study of patie nts with stage I carcinoma of the cervix. A selective study group that was previously defined and reported included patients with squamous c ell carcinoma of the cervix who were treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy and who had disease confined to the uterus , with or without microscopically positive lymph nodes. RESULTS: One h undred eighty-eight patients had invasion of 3, 4, or 5 mm as determin ed by central pathology review. Patients who satisfied the 3 to 5 mm i nvasion definition of the current stage IA(2) classification of the In ternational Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (1995) are the sub ject of this report. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stage IA(2) carcinoma of the cervix who have 3 to 5 mm of invasion present on conization wit h no invasion in the hysterectomy specimen are at very low risk for ly mph node metastases, recurrences,or death caused by cancer.