Treatment experiences with intracavitary 137Cs after-loading in a five-year patient material with uterine-cervical carcinoma

Abstract

Between 1979 and 1983 a total of 106 patients with carcinoma of the cervix and 53 with that of the uterine body were treated. The irradiation treatment of the patients was carried out by after-loading, with Curietron equipment using 137Cs. Since no reports have so far been published in Hungary on a patient material treated by the above method and with caesium isotope, it seems worthwhile to review the material. Our report is concerned with parameters which enable the assessment of the after-loading method. In cervical carcinoma a five-year survival rate of 59.4% was found, with the same in uterine carcinoma being 69.8%. It should be noted that data referred to all stages in the given tumour. The tumour-free state of the surgical preparations was also examined, and finally, postirradiation complications are also reviewed. Based on our results, the intracavitary Cs137 after-loading is considered by us to be one of the safely and efficiently used procedures in the irradiation treatment of cervical uterine carcinoma.