Practice patterns of radiotherapy in cervical cancer among member groups of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (GCIG).
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe radiotherapeutic practice of the treatment of cervical cancer in member groups of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (GCIG).


METHODS
A survey was developed and distributed to the members of the GCIG focusing on details of radiotherapy practice. Different scenarios were queried including advanced cervical cancer, postoperative patients, and para-aortic-positive lymph node cases. Items focused on indications for radiation therapy, radiation fields, dose, use of chemotherapy, brachytherapy and others. The cooperative groups from North America were compared with the other groups to evaluate potential differences in radiotherapy doses.


RESULTS
A total of 39 surveys were returned from 13 different cooperative groups. For the treatment of advanced cervical cancer, external beam pelvic doses and total doses to point A were 47 + 3.5 Gy (mean + SD) and 79.1 + 7.9 Gy, respectively. Point A doses were not different between the North American cooperative groups compared with the others (p = 0.103). All groups used concomitant chemotherapy, with 30 of 36 respondents using weekly cisplatin. Of 33 respondents, 31 intervened for a low hemoglobin level. For a para-aortic field, the upper border was most commonly (15 of 24) at the T12-L1 interspace. Maintenance chemotherapy (after radiotherapy) was not performed by 68% of respondents. For vaginal brachytherapy after hysterectomy, 23 groups performed HDR brachytherapy and four groups used LDR brachytherapy. In the use of brachytherapy, there was no uniformity in dose prescription.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy practices among member groups of the GCIG are similar in terms of both doses and use of chemotherapy.
Gaffney
David K
DK
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. david.gaffney@hci.utah.edu
Du Bois
Andreas
A
Narayan
Kailash
K
Reed
Nick
N
Toita
Takafumi
T
Pignata
Sandro
S
Blake
Peter
P
Portelance
Lorraine
L
Sadoyze
Azmat
A
Pötter
Richard
R
Colombo
Alessandro
A
Randall
Marcus
M
Mirza
Mansoor R
MR
Trimble
Edward L
EL
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000592:standards*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000592:standards*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D002945:Cisplatin