High-dose-rate afterloading technique in the radiation treatment of uterine cervical cancer: 399 cases and 9 years experience in Taiwan

Carcinoma of the uterine cervix has been the leading malignant neoplasm treated in our department. A comparative study was carried out using conventional low dose rate (LDR) with ¹³⁷Cs sources (≤100 cGy/hr) versus high dose rate (HDR) with ⁶⁰CO sources (>100 cGy/min) in the intracavitary (IC) application following external pelvic irradiation. A total of 399 patients were treated with external RT plus HDR radiation treatment alone from February 1980 through December 1985. Stage IIb and IIIb comprised 79.4% of cases (317 cases). The rate of initial complete response of the tumor, local control, and survival rate seemingly were better in the HDR group, but there was no significant difference statistically. The actuarial survival rates in all cases/definitive RT cases are 85% 85% for Stage 0-IIa, 53% 70% for IIb, 43% 49% for IIIa, 43% 53% for IIIb, 42% 47% for IVa, respectively. Complications were similar and the rectal complications were slightly higher in HDR group. The combination of pelvic irradiation with HDR intracavitary irradiation was more convenient for patients and also for personnel. The HDR technique may be a good substitution for IC treatment.