A population-based survey of the management of women with cancer of the cervix

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diagnostic throughput on survival outcome for women with cancer of the cervix. We conducted a case note review of 359 women in Lancashire and Greater Manchester diagnosed with cancer of the cervix during 1990, identified from records held by the North Western Regional Cancer Registry. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were undertaken to investigate the influence on survival of woman, disease and treatment related factors. Following adjustment for woman- and disease-related factors there was no evidence of a statistically significant association between diagnostic throughput and survival. The findings of this study do not support the need for any change in the referral patterns to gynaecologists of women with symptoms suggestive of cancer of the cervix.