The significance of cystoscopy in staging cervical cancer

Choi, Woon Chang; Kim, Hyeon Hoe; Yun, Jung Chul

Abstract

A review of 234 patients with cervical cancer during the last 5 years was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of routine cystoscopic examination in staging cervical cancer. Cystoscopic abnormalities suggesting bladder invasion of the cervical cancer were found in none of the 127 patients with clinical stage 1 and 65 patients with clinical stage 2. In 7(22.6%) out of 31 patients with clinical stage 3 and in 4(80%) out of 5 patients with clinical stage 4. markedly bullous edema and hyperemia suggesting suspicious bladder invasion was identified on cystoscopy. Mucosal biopsy was done in 5 or them which revealed no pathologic invasion. Incidentally found transitional cell carcinoma was found in one patient. From these observations, it can be concluded that routine cystoscopy is not recommended in cervical cancer with clinical stage 1 and 2, and is indicated only in clinical stage 3 or greater.