Results of treatment of carcinoma of the uterine cervix using the Newcastle afterloading technique.
Eighty-seven patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were seen between 1 August 1977 and 31 December 1985. Seventy-one patients were treated radically. A combination of intracavitary radiotherapy, using the Newcastle manual afterloading technique, and external-beam radiotherapy was used. The actuarial 4-year survival for all Stage 1 cervical carcinomas was 84.9%. For Stage 2 cancers the actuarial local control rate was 71.1% and the survival 49.2% and for Stage 3 cancers the 4-year actuarial local control rate was 24.3% and the survival 14.8%. Complications of treatment were confined to the bowel and bladder and occurred in 11.5% of cases. The results of treatment of Stage 1 cancer suggest that the intracavitary technique gives a satisfactory distribution of radiation. The results of treatment of more advanced cases are disappointing and suggest that improvements are possible for some patients (i.e. wedge malalignment patients). There is sufficient flexibility in the technique for it to be applied satisfactorily for most anatomical situations.
Dawes
P J
PJ
Regional Radiotherapy Department, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Dean
E M
EM
Lambert
G D
GD
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*