A 34-year-old woman is diagnosed with Stage IB1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (tumor 2.5 cm, confined to cervix). She has no desire for future fertility. Which is the STANDARD surgical treatment?
- A Simple (extrafascial) hysterectomy
- B Radical trachelectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection
- C Radical hysterectomy (Wertheim's) with pelvic lymph node dissection ✓
- D Concurrent chemoradiation
Correct answer: C. Radical hysterectomy (Wertheim's) with pelvic lymph node dissection
Explanation
Stage IB1 cervical carcinoma in a woman not desiring fertility is treated by radical (Wertheim's) hysterectomy with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy, which involves removal of the uterus with parametria, upper vagina, and pelvic lymph nodes. Simple hysterectomy leaves inadequate surgical margins and is inappropriate for invasive cervical cancer. Radical trachelectomy is the fertility-sparing option for Stage IB1. Chemoradiation is equivalent in outcomes but surgery is preferred in young women to preserve ovarian function.
Reference: Shaw's Textbook of Gynaecology, 17th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.