The value of pretherapy para-aortic lymphadenectomy for carcinoma of the cervix uteri.

Pretherapy surgical staging in locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix uteri should not be routinely performed. In hospitals conducting therapy of patients with proved aortic node metastasis, differing dose time relationships in extended field therapy need to be established that have a lower complication rate and significant cure rate. Surgical staging should possibly be restricted to Stages IIIB and IV with the approximate respective 36 and 50 per cent incidence of para-aortic node metastases.