Hematuria : An Indication for Cystoscopy in Staging of Cervical Cancer

Abstract

From July 1982 to June 1987, a total of 647 cervical cancer patients who had undergone cystoscopy for staging of the disease at Srinagarind hospital were available for the study.  There were 21 patients (3.25%) found to have bladder mucosa involved by the cancer.  Twenty patients were initially in stage III B and 1 patient was in stage IV B.  The result of the cystoscopy changed the initial staging of the disease in only 3.09% of the patients.  The urinalysis of the patients revealed 161 cases (24.88%) with abnormal amount of red blood cells in urine.  One hundred and twelve patients with abnormal urinalysis were in stage III or more advanced disease.  All of the patients who had bladder mucosa involved by the cancer had abnormal amount of red blood cells in urine.  The authors suggest that cystoscopy for staging of cervical cancer be done only in patient with stage III or more advanced disease who has abnormal amount of red blood cells in urine.  By this criterion, only one fifth of the cervical cancer patients would undergo cystoscopy for staging of the disease.