[Exclusive radiotherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the portio cervicis, stage IIB FIGO]

Abstract

From January 1970 through December 1987, 135 patients with cervical cancer in stage IIB (FIGO criteria) were treated by means of exclusive radiotherapy in the Istituto del Radio of the Brescia University. Thirty cases were treated by exclusive external-beam radiotherapy (RTT), 39 by brachytherapy (CU) plus external-beam radiotherapy, 24 by combined RTT and CU, 41 by RTT + CU + RTT, and 1 case by CU alone. Crude survival at 5 years is 52.4%, and NED survival is 50%. The differences between the values of crude and NED survival by radiotherapy technique were statistically significant (p 0.05), ranging from 69.8% in the RTT + CU group to 35.5% in the RTT alone group. Twenty-four cases (18%) failed to obtain complete remission, and 24 more cases recurred in the pelvis. Sequelae were evaluated by the French-Italian glossary; they were present in 62 cases (46%), but in 12 cases only (9%) they were severe. The incidence of sequelae was highest in the groups of patients treated with the combined techniques (RTT and CU) which allowed best disease control.