Palliative urinary diversion in patients with advanced carcinoma of the cervix

During a 10-year period 47 of 222 patients with advanced carcinoma of the cervix admitted to the Francis Delafield Hospital had ureteral obstruction on initial admission. All but 3 of the 47 patients were treated with roentgen rays and/or radium; the exceptions underwent radical surgery. Twelve patients underwent palliative urinary diversion. There was no statistical significant difference in the survival rates of the patients who underwent urinary diversion and those who did not, irrespective of the stage of the disease and whether one or both ureters were involved; however, 8 of the 12 patients who underwent urinary diversion had partial relief of their symptoms. The indications for urinary diversion followed by the authors are ennumerated.