Patients with FIGO stage IA1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix can be treated conservatively with simple hysterectomy or, if young and desiring to preserve their fertility, with conization only, provided surgical margins are free of dysplasia or invasive disease. When the surgical margins are involved a repeat conization should be performed. Patients with FIGO stage IA2 or stage IA1 carcinoma with extensive lymph vascular space invasion benefit from a modified radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. If preservation of fertility is an issue, then conization with extraperitoneal or laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy can be performed. Alternatively, radical trachelectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy may be a safer procedure. Individualization of therapy based on an exhaustive pathological evaluation of an adequate cone biopsy specimen is of paramount importance for treatment planning and disease control.