title: Laser conization for microinvasive carcinoma of the cervix. Short-term results.
abstract: Thirty-one patients with microinvasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix (less than 3.0 mm invasion, no lymph vascular involvement), were treated with combination laser conization. The mean follow-up period was 36 months. No cases of invasive disease have been diagnosed during follow-up. Examination during follow-up revealed atypical columnar epithelium in one case, but the hysterectomy specimen was normal. Based on these short-term results, combination laser conization for microinvasive carcinoma of the cervix seemed a sufficient therapy. A precise and careful histopathologic evaluation, and the patient acceptance of a strict follow-up schedule are mandatory to a decision to employ conservative management of microinvasive cervical carcinoma. Only long-term follow-up in patients treated by conservative therapy will be able to finally justify this approach.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Pathology, Aalborg Hospital, Section North, DK-9100 Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: E.S.
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: M.
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husth
authors.forename: A.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Joergensen
authors.forename: K.
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nielsen