The impact of preoperative local radiotherapy on the survival of cervix carcinoma has been evaluated retrospectively in 324 Stage Ib and IIa cases treated between 1969 and 1986 at the University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Debrecen, Hungary. One hundred and ninety nine Stage Ib cases had radical hysterectomy, 132 of them following brachytherapy. Among 125 radically operated Stage IIa cases 95 had preoperative local radiotherapy. Stage-respective survival curves of patients treated by radical surgery with or without preoperative local radiotherapy were analysed by the life-table method. The use of preoperative radiotherapy was not reflected in better survival when compared to survival of patients without it. Results suggest that preoperative local radiotherapy has a limited role in the management of patients with Stage Ib and IIa cervix carcinoma.