Treatment of preinvasive disease of the cervix by cone biopsy.

During the years 1952--1977, 646 patients with abnormal cervical cytology underwent one biopsy (595) or ring biopsy of the cervix. The histological diagnoses were invasive carcinoma 20 (3%) microinvasive carcinoma 16 (2%), carcinoma in situ and severe dysplasia 418 (65%), other dysplasias 149 (23%). The remainder, 43 (7%) had no demonstrable abnormality. Following biopsy 41 (7%) patients with non-invasive disease had abnormal cytology within a year of biopsy. A further 12 (2%) developed abnormal cytology after one year. These recurrences occurred up to 12 years after the initial treatment, and in one patient invasive squamous carcinoma has developed.