This study includes 194 patients with stage I cervical cancer subjected to surgical therapy. Of 14 pathological factors analyzed, microscopic parametrial involvement (P = 0.001), depth of invasion (P = 0.001), and lymphovascular space invasion (P = 0.029) were found to be the most significant factors for positive pelvic lymph nodes. Combination of significant factors permitted categorization of patients into risk groups with pelvic lymph node metastases ranging from 0.0% to 90.9%.