Assessment of the revised International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging for early invasive squamous cervical cancer

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of the Intern ational Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) classification (1995 ) for early invasive cervical cancer. Methods. Clinico-pathological analysis was performed in 402 patients with i nvasive squamous cervical cancer in whom the depth of stromal invasion was 5 mm or less. Results. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 1.2% (1/82) in patients with 3 mm or less depth of invasion; the node-positive patient was in stag e IA1. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 6.8% (5/73) in patients w ith 3-5 mm depth of invasion; this increased with increasing horizontal spr ead from 3.4% for 7 mm or less to 9.1% for more than 7 mm. None of the pati ents in this series had metastasis to the parametrial tissues. Of 4 patient s with recurrence, 3 had horizontal spread of more than 7 mm and the remain ing patient was in stage IA2. Conclusion. The FIGO definition of early squamous cervical cancer is genera lly acceptable in its present form. (C) 1999 Academic Press.