Surgical management of cervical carcinoma

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide. In developed countries screening programs have decreased the incidence of this disease and improved the detection of early-stage disease amenable to surgical intervention. This article discusses the scope of surgical treatment of cervical carcinoma, including conization for the earliest-stage and lowest-risk patients, radical hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy, radical trachelectomy for appropriately selected patients who desire future fertility, and pelvic exenteration for recurrent disease. In addition, current surgical advances such as surgical staging methods and minimally invasive approaches are discussed.