Surgical and radiographic staging in patients with cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The most recent data on surgical and radiographic staging in patients with cervical cancer are analysed.


RESULTS
Laparoscopic staging of retro and intraperitoneal disease is feasible. Morbidity is low, but the impact on survival has still to be shown. The sentinel lymph node concept is valid in patients with cervical cancer. Sensitivity and negative predictive value, however, have to be improved before the concept can be integrated into clinical practice. The majority of most recent radiographic studies evaluate the value of positron emission tomography. Accuracy of detection of extracervical disease is high and the response to chemoradiation can be measured by positron emission tomography using various scoring systems. Positron emission tomography seems to be the most accurate technique for detecting early recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical staging is less invasive by laparoscopy, and radiographic staging becomes more accurate by positron emission tomography. Prospective evaluations have to show the impact of these new techniques on survival of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Schneider
Achim
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. achim.schneider@med.uni-jena.de
Hertel
Hermann
H
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008220:Lymphography; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*