Cervical carcinoma: postoperative radiotherapy: fifteen-year experience in a Norwegian health region.
BACKGROUND
To study the results in cervical carcinoma after a combined treatment with surgery and radiotherapy with regard to survival and side effects.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of 71 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2001, was performed.


RESULTS
Median follow-up periods were 162 months for surviving patients and 62 months for deceased patients. The 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival for all stages were 80.3% and 82.7%, respectively. The 5-year actuarial incidence of late reactions for grade 1 + 2 was as follows: for upper gastrointestinal tract, 36%; for rectum, 37%; for urinary tract, 19%; for vagina, 26%; and for lymph edema, 19%. The 5-year actuarial incidence of late reactions for grade 3 + 4 was as follows: for upper gastrointestinal tract, 12%; and for rectum, 3%.


CONCLUSIONS
Careful pretreatment workup and well-defined criteria for postoperative radiotherapy are essential, and new treatment options such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy should be considered.
Lorenz
Elke
E
Department of Gynaecological Oncology, St Olavs Hospital, University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. el-loren@online.no
Strickert
Trond
T
Hagen
Bjørn
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*