Effectiveness of radiotherapy in patients with primary invasive vaginal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to present an institutional experience in radiation therapy of primary invasive vaginal carcinoma (PIVC) patients treated in the Krakow Branch of Centre of Oncology, with special regard to treatment effectiveness and failure causes.


METHODS
Between February 1967 and January 2007, 162 PIVC patients were treated with radical radiotherapy in the Krakow Branch of Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute. Twenty-seven (16.7%) patients in Stage I(0) were treated with intracavitary brachytherapy alone; for 127 (78.4%) patients in Stage I(0)- IV(0) intracavitary brachytherapy was combined with external radiation therapy; and eight (4.9%) patients in Stage IVA(0) were given only external radiotherapy.


RESULTS
In the investigated group of 162 patients, five-year disease-free survival was observed in 46.3% of the cases. Patient age and FIGO Stage of neoplastic disease were independent prognostic factors. Five-year disease-free survival was observed in 64.9% of the patients < 60 years of age and only in 30.7% > or = 60 years of age; and in 62.3% of PIVC patients in Stages I and II(0) as compared to 19.7% of Stages III(0) and IV(0) cases. Among 78 patients who died of PIVC, in 60 (76.9%) cases the cause of death was locoregional failure; in six (7.7%), locoregional failure and distant metastasis; and in 12 (15.4%), distant metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy is effective treatment for PIVC patients. Age below 60 years and non-advanced neoplastic disease were independent favourable prognostic factors in the investigated group of patients. The primary cause of treatment failure was failure to achieve locoregional disease control.
Gynaecologic Oncology Department, Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland. pawel.blecharz@interia.pl
P
P
Blecharz
Radiation Oncology Department, Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland.
M
M
Reinfuss
Gastrointestinal and Urological Cancer Unit, Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland.
J
J
Jakubowicz
Oncological Surgery Department, Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland.
P
P
Skotnicki
Radiation Oncology Department, Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland.
T
T
Walasek
Diagnostic Radiology Department,Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakow Branch, Krakow, Poland.
E
E
Łuczyńska
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*