Between 1971 and 1980, 177 patients were treated for a carcinoma of the uterine cervix (145 stage Ib, 32 stage IIa) in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. There were 115 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy combined with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Of these, 91 also received radiotherapy. Surgery could not be performed on 62 patients due to internal medical problems and risks presented by anaesthesia. They were treated solely by combined radiotherapy. Of the 177 patients, 79.5% had a squamous-cell carcinoma, 14.8% an adenocarcinoma and the other 5.7% rare types of carcinomas. Of the 115 patients who were operated, metastases of pelvic lymph nodes were found in 13% and an infiltrative carcinoma of the parametrium in 8.7%. The most severe complications we had were uretero- or vesicovaginal fistulas (5.2% of all operated patients). No significant statistical difference was found in the results of the three methods of treatment. The 5-year survival rate in stage Ib was between 61 and 81% (non corrected) and between 75 and 85% (corrected). In stage IIa, there were not enough patients for valid statistical conclusions to be drawn.