Results of Radiation Therapy in Stage III Uterine Cevical Cancer

Moon, Chang Woo; Shin, Byung Chul; Yum, Ha Yong; Jeung, Tae Sig; Yoo, Myung Jin

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to analyze the survival rate, treatment failure and complication of radiation therapy alone in stage III uterine cervical cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From January 1980 through December 1985, 227 patients with stage II uterine cervical cancer treated with radiation therapy at Kosin Medical Center were retrospectively studied. Among 227 patients, 72 patients(31.7%) were stage IIIa, and 155 patients(68.3%) were stage IIIb according to FIGO classification. Age distribution was 32-71 years(median: 62 years). Sixty nine patients(95.8%) in stage IIIa and 150 patients(96.8%) in stage IIIb were squamous cell carcinoma. Pelvic lymphnode metastasis at initial diagnosis was 8 patients (11.1%) in stage IIIa and 29 patients(18.7%) in stage IIIb. Among 72 patients with stage IIIa, 36 patients(50%) were treated with external radiation therapy alone by conventional technique (180-200 cGy/fr). And 36 patients(50%) were treated with external radiation therapy with intracavitary radiotherapy(ICR) with Cs137 sources, and among 155 patients with stage IIIb, 80 patients(51.6%) were treated with external radiation therapy alone and 75 patients(48.4%) were treated with external radiation therapy with ICR. Total radiation doses of stage IIIa and IIIb were 65-105 Gy(median : 78.5 Gy) and 65-125.5 Gy (median :83.5 Gy). Survival rate was calculated by life-table method.
RESULTS
Complete response rates were 58.3% (42 patients) in state IIIa and 56.1%(87 patients) in stage Iiib. Overall 5 year survival rates were 57% in stage IIIa and 40% in stage IIIb. Five year survival rates by radiation technique in stage IIIa and IIIb were 64%, 40% in group treated in combination of external radiation and ICR, and 50%, 40% in the group of external radiation therapy alone(P=NS). Five year survival rates by response of radiation therapy in stage IIIa and IIIb were 90%, 66% in responder group, and 10%, 7% in non-responder group (p<0.01). There were statistically no significances of 5 year survival rate by total radiation doses and external radiation doses (40 Gy vs 50 Gy) of whole or true pelvis in stage IIIa and IIIb(P=NS). Treatement failures rates were 40.3%(29 patients) in stage IIIa and 57.4%(89 patients) in stage IIIb, 17 patients (23.6%) in stage IIIa and 46 patients (29.7%) in stage IIIb experienced complications. Total radiation doses more than 85 Gy produced serious complication in both stage IIIa(50%) and Iib(50%), Serious complicaton rates were higher in group received externl radiaton doses of 50 Gy than 40 Gy to whole or true pelvis in stage IIIa and IIIb. Seious rectal complication developed in rectal doses more than 65 Gy, and serious bladder complication developed in bladder doses more than 75 Gy. Major cause of deah was cachexia due to locoregional failure in both stage IIIa(34.7%) and IIIb(43.9%).
CONCLUSION
From this study, we found that external radiation therapy with ICR was found to have a tendency to be superior to external radiation therapy alone in survival rate, local control rate and complication rate but not different in statistics, and external radiation doses of 50 Gy than 40 Gy tho whole or true pelvis produced serious rectal and bladder complications in stage III uterine cervical cancer.