Role of Postoperative Radiation Therapy in the Management of Cervical Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative radiation therapy in cervical cancer patients and define the prognostic factors to affect survival rates. Materials and Methods: Eighty one patients with cervical cancer who were treated with postoperative radiation therapy following surgery at our institution between May 1992 and April 2000 were retrospectivelv analyzed. Forty two patients had stage IB disease, 17 had stage IIA disease, and remaining 22 had stage IIB disease, respectively. Histological examination revealed 76 squamous cell carcinoma and 5 adenocarclnoma. Sixty one patients were noted to have stromal invasion greater than 8 mm and 20 patients were noted to have stromal invasion 7 mm or less. Sixteen patients had parametrial invasion and 65 patients did not. Positive vaginal resection margin was documented in only eight patients and positive lymphovascular invasion was in twelve patients. All of the patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy alone. Majority of the patients were treated with 4 field brick technique to encompass whole pelvis. Total of 5,500 cGy was delivered to the primary surgical tumor bed. Minimum follow up period was four years. Results: Actuarial disease free survival rates for entire group of the patients were 95% and 89% at 2 and 5 years, respectively Five year disease free survival rates for patients with stage IB, IIA, and IIB disease were 97%, 87% and 70%, respectivelv. Local recurrences were documented in 5 patients. Cumulative local failure rate at 3 years was 6% Five year disease free survival rates for patients with stromal invasion greater than 8 mm and 7 mm or less were 88% and 92%, respectively (p>0.05). Five year disease free survival rate for patients with parametrial invasion was significantly lower than those with no invasion (72% vs 92%, p<0.05). Also there was significantly lower survival in patients with positive vaginal resection margin, compared with patients with negative resection margin (64% vs 94%, p<0.05). However, lymphovascular invasion was not a statistically significant prognostic factor Parametrial invasion and positive surgical resection margins were noted to be significant prognostic factors. Conclusions: Postoperative radiation therapy appears to be beneficial in controlling local disease in cervical cancer patients with high pathologic risk factors. Parametrial invasion and positive resection margins were noted to be significant prognostic factors to affect survival and more effective treatment should be investigated in these patients.

자궁경부암에서 수술 후 방사선치료의 역할

목적: 자궁경부암 환자에서 수술 후 방사선치료의 효과를 평가하고 생존율에 영향을 미치는 예후인자를 알아보고자 함이 본 연구의 목적이다. 대상 및 방법: 1992년 5월부터 2000년 4월까지 본원에서 수술 후 방사선치료를 받은 81명의 자궁경부암 환자를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 42명은 IB 병기였고 IIA 병기는 17명, IIB 병기는 22명이었다. 조직학적 분류는 상피세포암이 76명, 선암이 5명이었다. 자궁기질내 침범은 7 mm 이하가 20명 8 mm 이상이 61명이었고, 자궁주위조직의 침범은 16명에서 발견되었다. 8명은 수술 절제연에 양성이었고 12명에서는 림프혈관강이 침범되었다. 모든 환자에서 외부 방사선만으로 치료하였으며 대부분의 환자에서 총 5,500 cGy를 원발부위에 조사하였다. 최소 추적기간은 4년이었다. 결과: 모든 대상 환자의 2년 및 5년 생존율은 95% 및 ,89%였으며, IB 병기, IIA 병기 및 IIB 병기의 5년 무병생존율은 각각 97%, 87% 및 70%였다. 5명에서 국소재발을 보였으며 국소재발률은 3년에 6%였다. 자궁기질내 침범에 따른 생존율은 의미있는 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 자궁주위 조직을 침범한 환자(72% vs 92%)와 수술 절제연에서 양성인 환자(64% vs 94%)에서는 5년 무병생존율이 감소하는 양상을 보였다. 그러나 림프혈관강의 침범은 생존율에서 의미있는 차이를 관찰할 수 없었다. 결론: 고위험인자를 가진 자궁경부암 환자에서 수술 후 방사선치료가 효과적인 것으로 생각되며 자궁주위조직의 침범 및 수술절제연의 침범이 의미있는 예후인자임을 알 수 있었다.