Radiotherapy of carcinoma of the uterine cervix in Singapore, 1973-1975.
The results of 322 patients with uterine cervix carcinoma treated by radiotherapy at the Singapore General Hospital in the 3-year period from 1973 to 75 are presented. Two hundred seventy-nine patients were treated with a combination of intracavitary radium, using Fletcher-Suit applicators and cobalt teletherapy; the remaining 43 patients received only cobalt teletherapy. One hundred thirty-four patients (41.6%) presented with FIGO Stage III disease. Only 46 patients (14.3%) presented with Stage I disease, showing that patients tended to present late in the disease course. Five-year actuarial (uncorrected) survival rates of 86.7% for Stage I, 65.0% for Stage II, 41.4% for Stage III and 4.9% for Stage IV were obtained with corresponding 10 year rates of 79.6%, 60.2%, 35.2% and 0%. The overall 5 and 10 year survival rates were 54.0% and 48.2%, respectively. The survival rates "flattened off" at about 7-8 years, reflecting late deaths after the fifth anniversary of treatment. Non-severe complications consisted mainly of chronic proctitis (41.3%) and vaginal stenosis (20.8%). Major complications were intestinal stricture (1.2%) and fistula formation (1.6%).
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011883:Radium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D011883:Radium