title: Uterine evacuation with misoprostol during radiotherapy for cervical cancer in pregnancy.
abstract: Radiotherapy as definitive treatment for invasive cervical cancer during pregnancy causes spontaneous abortion in most cases. Surgical evacuation of the uterus is indicated when abortion does not occur, exposing patients to additional morbidity. Two Latin American women, diagnosed with FIGO stage IB2 cervical cancer at approximately 15 weeks gestation, underwent radiotherapy with radiosensitizing chemotherapy. After intrauterine fetal demise was detected, both women underwent induction with misoprostol. Results included one complete abortion and one incomplete abortion without complications or delays in treatment. These cases demonstrate that induction with misoprostol appears to be a safe and effective alternative to surgical evacuation of the uterus when spontaneous abortion fails to occur during radiotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. kostrom@saluaunm.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ostrom
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Arie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gregg
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D016595:Misoprostol; D002945:Cisplatin