title: Concomitant External-beam Irradiation and Chemotherapy Followed by High-dose Rate Brachytherapy Boost in the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vagina: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the outcome of 35 patients with vaginal carcinoma treated with different radiotherapy modalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients received external-beam irradiation (EBRT) to the entire vagina, para-vaginal area and pelvic nodes (total dose=45-50.4 Gy). Concomitant chemotherapy was used in 22 patients. Nineteen patients received additional 15-25 Gy high-dose-rate brachytherapy (BT) boost and eight received additional EBRT boost to the primary tumor site. Four women received exclusive 30-40 Gy high-dose-rate BT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 22 months and 89 months, respectively. Age <70 years, use of EBRT plus BT, and concomitant chemotherapy were associated with better progression-free (p=0.002, p=0.007, and p=0.02) and overall (p=0.01, p=0.009, p=0.009) survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concomitant EBRT and chemotherapy followed by BT is the best treatment for vaginal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Translation Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy c.laliscia@ao-pisa.toscana.it.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laliscia
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Translation Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fabrini
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Translation Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Durim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delishaj
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Translation Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coraggio
authors.affiliation: Section of Statistics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tana
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Translation Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paiar
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Angiolo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gadducci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: Vaginal carcinoma; brachytherapy; chemotherapy; external beam radiation; recurrence