Radical radiotherapy treatment (EBRT + HDR-ICRT) of carcinoma of the uterine cervix: outcome in patients treated at a rural center in India.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcome of carcinoma of the uterine cervix patients treated radically by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary radiotherapy (ICRT).


METHODS
Between January 1997 to December 2001, a total of 550 newly diagnosed cases of carcinoma of the uterine cervix were reported in the department. All cases were staged according to the International Federation of Gynecologists and Oncologists (FIGO) staging system, but for analytical convenience, the staging was limited to stages I, II, III, and IV. Out of the 550 cases, 214 completed radical radiotherapy (EBRT + HDR-ICRT) and were retrospectively analyzed for presence of local residual disease, local recurrence, distant metastases, radiation reactions, and disease-free survival.


RESULTS
There were 7 (3.27%), 88 (41.1%), 101 (47.1%), and 18 (8.4%) patients in stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The median follow-up time for all patients was 43 months (range: 3-93 months) and for patients who were disease free till the last follow-up it was 59 months (range: 24-93 months). The overall treatment time (OTT) ranged from 52 to 73 days (median 61 days). The 5-year disease-free mean survival rate was 58%, 44%, 33%, and 15%, with 95% confidence interval of 48 to 68, 37 to 51, 24 to 35, and 6 to 24 for stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. There were 62 (28.97%) cases with local residual disease, 35 (16.3%) developed local recurrence/distant metastases, 17 (7.9%) developed distant metastases, and 9 (4.2%) had local recurrence as well.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall outcome was poor in advanced stage disease, but might be improved by increasing the total dose, decreasing overall duration of treatment, and by adding chemotherapy in patients with disease limited to the pelvis.
Jain
Vandana S
VS
Department of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology, Pravara Rural University (Deemed University), Dist. Ahemednagar, India. drmrsvandanajain@hotmail.com
Singh
Kailash K
KK
Shrivastava
Rajeev
R
Saumsundaram
K V
KV
Sarje
Mukund B
MB
Jain
Shailendra M
SM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*