Stages IB and IIA carcinoma of the cervix treated by radiation and radical hysterectomy. Findings and results in 184 patients.

Although the results of both radiotherapy and radical surgery for stages IB and IIA carcinoma of the cervix are good, a small percentage of cancers are resistant to radiation therapy. Combined radiation and surgery therefore seems an attractive alternative. A study of 184 patients in whom radium application was followed by radical abdominal hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy 6 weeks later is reported. The uncorrected 5-year survival rate of 85.7% is not significantly better than results obtained by surgery alone or radiotherapy alone. Some guidelines are suggested to rationalise individual treatment of these patients.