title: Computed Tomography-Planned High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Treating Uterine Cervical Cancer.
abstract: To evaluate the long-term results of computed tomography (CT)-planned high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) for treating cervical cancer patients.
  
  
  
  CT-planned HDR BT was performed according to the adapted Group European de Curietherapie-European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (GEC-ESTRO) recommendations in 216 consecutive patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB to IVA, who were treated with conformal external beam radiation therapy and concomitant chemotherapy. We analyzed outcomes and late side effects evaluated according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Subjective, Objective, Management, Analysis evaluation scoring system and compared them with the results from a historical group.
  
  
  
  The median age was 56 years (range, 32-83 years). The median follow-up time for living patients was 52 months (range 37-63 months). The 5-year cumulative incidence function for the local recurrence rate for patients with FIGO II and III was 5.5% and 20%, respectively (P=.001). The 5-year rates of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 66.4% and 58.5%, respectively. The relative risk of failure for OS and DFS for FIGO III in relation to FIGO II was 2.24 (P=.003) and 2.6 (P=.000) and for lymph node enlargement was 2.3 (P=.002) and 2 (P=.006), respectively. In 2 patients, rectovaginal fistula occurred, and in 1 patient, vesicovaginal fistula occurred without local progression. Comparison of late adverse effects in patients treated according to the GEC-ESTRO recommendations and in the historical group revealed a reduction in fistula formation of 59% and also a reduction in rectal grade 3 to 4 late toxicity of >59%.
  
  
  
  This is the largest report with mature data of CT-planned BT HDR for the treatment of cervical cancer with good local control and acceptable toxicity. In comparison with the historical series, there is a substantial benefit in terms of severe late effects. FIGO III and enlarged lymph nodes in positron emission tomography-CT/CT are negative prognostic factors, both with a relative risk of failure of approximately 2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brachytherapy, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: agnieszka.zolciak@wp.pl.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zolciak-Siwinska
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gruszczynska
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bijok
authors.affiliation: Department of Teleradiotherapy, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jonska-Gmyrek
authors.affiliation: Department of Brachytherapy, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dabkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Teleradiotherapy, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jagna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Staniaszek
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Michalski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, The Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Milanowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D061089:Radiotherapy, Image-Guided / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy*