Tumor size and lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Tumor size was accurately measured in 684 patients who had surgical treatment of cervical carcinoma after a small biopsy and received no preoperative radiotherapy. Frequency of lymph node metastases increased as five different tumor size parameters went up, depth of tumor invasion being of particular importance. When micrometastases, macrometastases, and tumor cell emboli were considered, a correlation was statistically verifiable for micrometastases and macrometastases. Such correlations could not be determined for tumor cell emboli. They are to be regarded as a random event.