Pretreatment staging

Abstract The current rules of staging are reviewed briefly in this paper, and the various diagnostic procedures of value outlined. The use of the pretreatment laparotomy is discussed as it applies to cervical, endometrial, and ovarian malignancies. It has been shown to be of significant benefit in endometrial carcinoma under selected situations, whereas in cervical carcinoma there is new information indicating benefit to patients as well. It has enhanced our knowledge of the natural history of the diseases. The important details of its use are discussed along with current data showing the importance of the diaphragm, paraaortic nodes, and peritoneal cytology in defining the extent of disease.