title: [Radiation in place of scalpel--early non-surgical treatment of uterine carcinoma].
abstract: We present a historical survey on the development of non-surgical therapies in the treatment of uterine cancer in Germany (1895-1930) based on source material with special emphasis on articles published in the "Zentralblatt für Gynäkologie". In Germany early radiation therapy of gynaecological cancer slowly started in the years between 1903 and 1912, to a greater extent it was used only after 1913. A gynaecological congress taking place in the city of Halle in 1913 had an enormous impact on further radiation therapies. Together with technical improvements of X-ray units several therapeutic schools arose, every one of them with a radiation method of its own. Both X-ray treatment and treating with radioactive substances were combined, different combination methods were created. Until 1930 radiation therapy had found its place in the treatment of uterine cancer, though still being disputed controversial.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte der Medizin, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rastetter
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006176:Gynecology / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000266:history*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000266:history* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D014964:X-Ray Therapy / Q000266:history