title: Intraoperative radiotherapy in stage IIB adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adenocarcinoma (AC) of the uterine cervix has a poor prognosis and is usually fatal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome and toxicity of intraoperative electron beam radiation therapy (IOERT) in advanced AC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven women were treated with IOERT. Surgery consisted of gross negative surgical margins in 19 patients, positive surgical margins in two patients, and close surgical margins in six patients. Twenty-three patients received chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 21/27 (77.8%) and 19/27 (70.4%), respectively. A significantly better survival rate was found in patients with AC compared to patients with adenosquamous carcinoma. Tumor recurrence and metastasis were observed in seven patients (25.9%). No central failure occurred whether or not the resection margins were positive. Two (7.4%) patients developed peripheral neurotoxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IOERT plus surgery may be feasible and effective with a low risk of toxicity, even in patients with positive resection margins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: IOERT; adenocarcinoma; cervical cancer; recurrence