Comparison of late toxicity between continuous low-dose-rate and pulsed-dose-rate brachytherapy in cervical cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare survival and severe late radiation toxicity between patients who received continuous low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy (BT) and pulsed-dose-rate (PDR) BT for cervical cancer.


METHODS
A retrospective review of cervical cancer patients who underwent primary radiotherapy with or without concurrent cisplatin was performed. Late Grade 3 or worse toxicities were assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. The study endpoints were overall and disease-free survival and the probability of severe late toxicity.


RESULTS
A total of 109 patients (65.7%) received LDR BT and 57 (34.3%) received PDR BT. Seventy patients received concurrent chemotherapy with cisplatin. The 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival rate was 70% and 57% for the LDR group and 82% and 70% for the PDR group, respectively (p = 0.25 and p = 0.19). The 3-year probability rate for late Grade 3 or worse toxicity was 7.4% for LDR BT patients and 7.6% for PDR BT patients, respectively (p = 0.69) and 6.9% and 7.6%, respectively, for concurrent chemotherapy vs. none (p = 0.69).


CONCLUSIONS
No difference was found in severe late toxicity, overall survival, or disease-free survival between the LDR and PDR groups.
Bachtiary
Barbara
B
Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Ontario Cancer Institute and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Dewitt
Aaron
A
Pintilie
Melania
M
Jezioranski
John
J
Ahonen
Sandi
S
Levin
Wilfrid
W
Manchul
Lee
L
Yeung
Ivan
I
Milosevic
Michael
M
Fyles
Anthony
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*