For small, low-risk cervical cancers, a simple hysterectomy gave the same very low pelvic recurrence rate as a radical hysterectomy with fewer urinary and sexual complications, so less extensive surgery is now acceptable.
Phase 3 non-inferiority trial of 700 women with low-risk cervical cancer (up to 2 cm, limited stromal invasion) randomised to simple hysterectomy or radical hysterectomy, both with pelvic node assessment.
Three-year pelvic recurrence was 2.52 percent with simple hysterectomy and 2.17 percent with radical hysterectomy, within the non-inferiority margin, with fewer urinary incontinence and retention problems and better sexual health after simple hysterectomy.
Women with low-risk early cervical cancer can be offered simple hysterectomy, sparing them the bladder and sexual morbidity of parametrectomy, provided strict eligibility criteria are applied.