Squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: radiation therapy for patients aged 70 years and older.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of radiation therapy for elderly patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.


METHODS
Two hundred ninety-three patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent external pelvic irradiation and three sessions of low-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation. One hundred twenty-six patients were aged 70 years or older (elderly group), and 167 patients were aged 69 years or younger (younger group). Survival rates, pattern of failure, local control rates, and complications for the two groups were compared.


RESULTS
The 5-year, cause-specific survival rates for the elderly group with stage I, II, III, or IV disease were 100%, 81%, 73%, and 54%, respectively. Corresponding rates for the younger group were 100%, 92%, 74%, and 32%. Differences in survival curves, patterns of failure, recurrence rates, and incidences of radiation complications for the two groups were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Age did not influence the effectiveness of radiation therapy for the elderly patients.
Mitsuhashi
N
N
Department of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takahashi
M
M
Nozaki
M
M
Yamakawa
M
M
Takahashi
T
T
Sakurai
H
H
Maebayashi
K
K
Hayakawa
K
K
Niibe
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D017211:Treatment Failure; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*