The role of routine urine and parametrial aspirate cytology in staging carcinoma of the cervix

Abstract

The role of routine urine and parametrial aspirate cytology as a means of refining the staging of carcinoma of the cervix was assessed in a series of 45 consecutive patients undergoing examination under anaesthetic and cytoscopy. Only 2/45 (4%) of urine samples were positive and 3/37 (8%) of parametrial aspirates were abnormal. In none of these patients was additional information obtained over that already available from cytoscopy, digital examination and routine radiology. These procedures have no role in the routine clinical staging of cervical carcinoma.