Invasive Cancer of the Cervix after Cryosurgery; Pitfalls of Conservative Management

Eight cases of invasive cervical carcinoma detected after cryotherapy for presumably noninvasive cervical lesions are reported. Three of these patients died from their disease less than 2 years following definitive therapy. The potential dangers of a less-than-optimal work-up of patients prior to freezing are analyzed and discussed in detail. Possible explanations for failures of cryotherapy are discussed, and guidelines for prevention of failures are presented.