The Inefficiency of Routine Performance of a Batch of Tests in the Clinical Staging Work-up of Cervical Carcinoma / 대한암학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the efficiency of routine performance of a batch of tests in the clinical staging work-up of cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records were reviewed for 1,393 consecutive cervical carcinoma patients who underwent pretreatment staging work-up in Seoul National University Hospital from January 1988 to December 1997. The impression stage -which is designated ten tatively by the findings of pelvic examination and biopsy-, the results of staging work-up, and the finally allotted FIGO clinical stage were reviewed. The annual trend of stage distribution and the positive yields of tests were evaluated. RESULTS: Annual trend shows that Ia is increasing. The positive yield of chest x-ray was 0.22% (3/1, 379; Ib 1, IIa 1, IIb 1), intravenous pyelography (IVP) 2.50% (31/1, 242; Ib 2, IIa 4, IIb 17, IIIb 8), cystoscopy 0.55% (6/1, 093; IIb 4, IIIb 2), and proctosigmoidoscopy 0.086% (1/1, 157; Ib 1). After completing the staging work-up, 29 patients (2.08%) were upstaged. The routine performance of IVP in impression stage Ia and cystoscopy in impression stage IIa or less was considered inefficient. The routine performance of proctosigmoidoscopy was considered inefficient because of its very low yield. CONCLUSION: The selective performance of tests according to the impression stage during staging work-up is recommended to minimize the unnecessary treatment delay, cost, and patients' discomfort.