title: The surgical management of cervical cancer: an overview and literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgery has evolved into the standard therapy for nonbulky carcinoma of the cervix. The mainstay of surgical management is radical hysterectomy; however, less radical procedures have a small but important role in the management of cervical tumors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to discuss the literature behind the different procedures utilized in the management of cervical cancer, emphasizing the radical hysterectomy. In addition, we aimed to discuss ongoing trials looking at the utility of less radical surgeries as well as emerging technologies in the management of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a PubMed literature search for articles in the English language that pertained to the topic of surgical techniques and their outcomes in the treatment of cervical cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The minimally invasive approaches to radical hysterectomy appear to reduce morbidity without affecting oncological outcomes, although further data are needed looking at long-term outcomes with the robotic platform. Trials are currently ongoing looking at the role of less radical surgery for patients with low-risk disease and the feasibility of sentinel lymph node mapping.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy has evolved into the standard therapy for nonbulky disease, and there is a clear advantage in the use of minimally invasive techniques to perform these procedures. However, pending ongoing trials, less radical surgery in patients with low-risk invasive disease as well as sentinel lymph node mapping may emerge as standards of care in selected patients with cervical carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Fellow, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Dario R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Roque
authors.affiliation: Clinical Fellow, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Weiya Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Wysham
authors.affiliation: Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Soper
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*