• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.20
• /
• pp.8987-8992
• /
• 2014

Background: The efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer is well established. We aimed to investigate the long-term efficacy of definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer in the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Materials and Methods: A cohort of 60 patients with FIGO stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer who were treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin followed by intracavitary brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) boost between November 2001 and May 2008 were analysed. Patients were initially treated with weekly intravenous cisplatin ($40mg/m^2$) concurrent with daily EBRT to pelvis of 45-50Gy followed by low dose rate brachytherapy or EBRT boost to tumour. Local control rate, progression free survival, overall survival and treatment related toxicities graded by the RTOG criteria were evaluated. Results: The mean age was 56. At the median follow-up of 72 months, the estimated 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS 39 months) and the 5-year overall survival (OS) (median OS 51 months) were 48% and 50% respectively. The 5-year local control rate was 67.3%. Grade 3-4 late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity occurred in 9.3% of patients. Conclusions: The 5-year PFS and the 5-year OS in this cohort were lower than in other institutions. More advanced stage at presentation, longer overall treatment time (OTT) of more than fifty-six days and lower total dose to point A were the potential factors contributing to a lower survival.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.347-354
• /
• 1993

This is a retrospective analysis of 67 patients with histologically proven invasive carcinoma of uterine cervix treated with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy at Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital between october 1983 and september 1991, Postoperative radiotherapy was carried out in patients with high risks of locoregional recurrence such as positive pelvic lymph node (38 pts), large tumor size more than 3 cm (22 pts), cervical stromal invasion more than 2/3 (46 pts), parametrial involvement (9 pts), positive resection margin (14 pts), endo/myometrial extension (10 pts), and angiolymphatic invasion (13 pts). Stage I A, I B, and IIA were 2 $(3\%),$ 39 $(58.2\%),\;and\;26\;(38.8\%),$ respectively. Median follow-up period was 48 months with ranges from 13 to 115 months. All 67 patients were treated externally with standard pelvic field with radiation dose ranging from 4080 to 6120 cGy in 4~6 weeks period of time. Of these, 45 patients received intracavitary radiotherapy. The overall survival rate and disease free survival rate at 5-year were $88.0\%\;and\;82.1\%,$ respectively. The survival rates by stage were $87.1\%$ in IB and $88.4\%$ in IIA. Local control rate was $80.6\%(58\;pts).$ The treatment failure was noted in 12 of 67 patients $(17.9\%):$ locoregional failure in $7(10.4\%),$ distant metastasis in 3 $(4.5\%),$ and locoregional and distant metastasis in $2(3\%),$ The univariate analysis of prognostic factors disclosed endo/myometrial extension as a significant factor of survival and recurrence $(70.0\%\;vs\;91.1\%\;P<0.05\;&\;30.0\%\;vs\;15.8\%,\;respectively).$ The complication of postoperative radiothrapy was not significant and all patient were well tolerated. In conclusion, postoperative radiotherapy in patients with high risks of locoreginal recurrence is relatively well tolerated and it gives significantly improved survival rate especially in patients with positive lymph nodes, bulky tumor size $(\geqq3\;cm),$ parametrial involvement, cervical stromal invasion more than 2/3, positive resection margin and angiolymphatic invasion.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.387-392
• /
• 1994

Purpose : This study was done to confirm the reference point variation according to variation in applicator configuration in each fractioation of HDR ICR. Materials and Methods : We analyzed the treatment planning of HDRICR for 33 uterine cervical cancer patients treated in department of therapeutic radiology from January 1992 to February 1992. Analysis was done with respect to three view points-Interfractionation A point variation, interfractionation bladder and rectum dose ratio variation, interfractionation treatment volume variation. Interfractionation A point variation was defined as difference between maximum and minimum distance from fixed rectal point to A point in each patient. Interfractionation bladder and rectum dose ratio variation was defined as difference between maximum and minimum dose ratio of bladder or rectum to A point dose in each patient, Interfractionation treatment volume variation was defined as difference between miximum and minimum treatment volume which absorbed over the described dose-that is, 350 cGy or 400 cGy-in each patient. Results The mean of distance from rectum to A point was 4.44cm, and the mean of interfractionation distance variation was 1.14 cm in right side,1.09 cm in left side. The mean of bladder and rectum dose ratio was $63.8\%$ and $63.1\%$ and the mean of interfractionation variation was $14.9\%$ and $15.8\%$ respectively. With fixed planning administration of same planning to all fractionations as in first fractionation planning-mean of bladder and rectum dose ratio was $64.9\%$ and $72.3\%$.and the mean of interfraction variation was $28.1\%$ and $48.1\%$ reapectively. The mean of treatment volume was $84.15cm^3$ and the interfractionation variation was $21.47cm^2$. Conclusion : From these data, it was confirmed that there should be adapted planning for every fractionation ,and that confirmation device installed in ICR room would reduce the interfractionation variation due to more stable applicator configuration.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.434-439
• /
• 1996

Although the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis is declining, the number of extrapulmonary tuberculosis has remained constant. Tuberculous Lymphadenitis accounts for over 50% of total inflammatory lymphadenitis and the most common site is cervical lymph node. We report a case of single cervical tuberculous cold abscess associated with multiloculated and septated tuberculous pleurisy. Intracavitary urokinase instillation via percutaneous catheter is indicated in loculated and septated pleural effusion. And our result was satisfactory without complication.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.155-163
• /
• 1986

From Nov. 1983 through Feb. 1986, 35 patients of uterine cervical cancer were treated by external radiation therapy and intracavitary radiation therapy using Fletcher-Suit-Delclos applicator. Age of the patients ranged from 32 to 70 years (median age: 53 years). All patients had follow up from 9 to 34 months and median follow up of 20 months.4 patients were in stage I, 25 were in stage II, 5 were in stage III and 1 was in stage IV. Overall regression rate was $80\%$ and uncorrected actuarial 2 year survival rate was $88\%$. The incindence of rectal complications were analyzed. There was no rectal complication in the patients who received less than 7000 rad maximal rectal dose, but 2 out of 17 patients who received more than 7000 rad developed moderate degree (grade 2) of rectal complication. In viewing of our results, Fletcher-Suit-Delclos applicator (3M) seemed to be an appropriate instrument for intracaviary radiation therapy in the patients of uterine cervical cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 1985

From July 1979 through March 1985,112 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated by whole pelvis irradiation and intracavitary radiation with Cs-137. The treatment consisted of 3600rad-5200rad to the whole pelvis by parallel opposing portals, 5 days per week, 180-200rad per day. Parametrial boost with 400-800rad was given in 60 patients. 2 intracavitary Cs-137 radiation using TAO applicator were done with 7-10 days interval. Total treatment times were 40-65 days with average 52 days. Total dose of radiation to point A varied from 6820 to 10500rad with average 8388rad and to point B from 4850 to 6899ra0 with average 5898rad. All patients had follow up from 6 months to 75 months and median follow up of 31 months. $9(8\%)$ had stage $14(12.5\%)$ had stage IIa, $50(44.6\%)$ had stage IIb, $33(29.5\%)$ had stage III, $6(5.4\%)$ had stage IV. 110 patients had squamous cell carcinoma and 2 patients had adenocarcinoma. 5 year actuarial survival rates were $61.8\%$ for the entire group, $84.6\%$ for stage Ib,$77.8\%$ for stage IIa, $56.7\%$ for stage IIb, $60\%$ for stage III, $33.3\%$ for stage IV. RT dose to medial parametrium (point A) below 8000rad resulted in $7/18(38.9\%)$ failure (=death) in contrast to 25/94 $(26.5\%)$ failure with dose over 8000rad. RT dose to lateral parametrium (point B) below 6000ra0 yielded 20/63 $(34.9\%)$ failure compared to $10/49(20.4\%)$ failure with dose over 6000rad. Poor survival group of age were between 40-49 years with failure of $14/41(34.1\%)$. There was no increased failure rate below age of 40 with failure of $2111(13.9\%)$. The results suggest that survival is as good as other published data, and that higher doses over 8000rad to point A and 6000rad to point B should be delivered.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.116-122
• /
• 2006

Purpose: To determine treatment policy for early stage endometrial carcinoma, we analyzed the results of postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: From Oct. 1994 to Aug. 2002, 42 patients with FIGO stage I endometrial carcinoma received postoperative radiotherapy. All patients received curative surgery and pelvic lymph node dissection was done in 25 patients. Based on the FIGO staging system, 3 were at stage IA, 21 were at stage IB and 18 were at stage IC. Histologically, there were 14 grade 1, 16 grade 2, and 12 grade 3. Nineteen patients received intracavitary brachytherapy and 23 patients did whole pelvic radiotherapy. The median period of follow-up was 41 months (22 to 100 months). Results: Five-year overall survival, disease-free survival, local control, and regional control rates of all patients were 85.0%, 87.9%, 100%, and 97.5%, respectively. All failures were distant metastases in 5 patients and two patients had simultaneous regional recurrences. There was no intrapelvic failure in patients who received intracavitary radiotherapy. Grade 3 chronic complications were found in 1 patient (4.3%), who received whole pelvic radiotherapy. Conclusion: We achieved high rates of loco-regional control and survival by curative surgery and post-operative radiotherapy. However, we need to select the type of radiotherapy based on the risk factors for recurrence to reduce the treatment-related complication.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.163-170
• /
• 2016

To evaluate whether the difference in geometrical characteristics between high-dose-rate (HDR) $^{192}Ir$ sources would influence the dose distributions of intracavitary brachytherapy. Two types of microSelectron HDR $^{192}Ir$ sources (classic and new models) were selected in this study. Two-dimensional (2D) treatment plans for classic and new sources were generated by using PLATO treatment planning system. We compared the point A, point B, and bladder and rectum reference points based on ICRU 38 recommendation. The radial dose function of the new source agrees with that of the classic source except difference of up to 2.6% at the nearest radial distance. The differences of anisotropy functions agree within 2% for r=1, 3, and 5 cm and $20^{\circ}$ < ${\theta}$ < $165^{\circ}$. The largest discrepancies of anisotropy functions reached up to 27% for ${\theta}$ < $20^{\circ}$ at r=0.25 cm and were up to 13%, 10%, and 7% at r=1, 3, and 5 cm for ${\theta}$ > $170^{\circ}$, respectively. There were no significant differences in doses of point A, point B, and bladder point for the treatment plans between the new and classic sources. For the ICRU rectum point, the percent dose difference was on average 0.65% and up to 1.0%. The dose discrepancies between two treatment plans are mainly affected due to the geometrical difference of the source and the sealed capsule.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 1999

Purpose : This study was done to analyze prognostic factors and patterns of failure of patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Materials and Methods : From June 1988 to December 1990, a retrospective analysis was undertaken for 45 patients who were treated with curative radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix at the department of Therapeutic Radiology of Keimyung University Hospital. According to FIGO staging classification, f2 patients were stage Ib, 9 patients were lla, 19 patients were IIB, and 5 patients were lIIb. Median age of the patients was 54 years. The radiation therapy consisted of a combination of external and intracavitary irradiation. Only the pelvis was treated for external irradiation, but 6 patients were treated with extended field irradiation including paraaortic nodes. Intracavitary irradiation was performed with high dose rate sources (Co-60). Neoadiuvant chemotherapy was undertaken for 10 patients. Median and maximum follow-up duration was 64 and 116 months, respectively. Results : The overall 5-year survival rate was 55.2$\%$, and the 5-year survival rates for stage Ib, IIa, IIb, and IIIb were 100$\%$, 50.8$\%$, 46.8$\%$, and 40$\%$ (3-year survival rate), respectively. Of the many clinicopathologic variables evaluated for prognosis, only the stage and the tumor size were significant prognostic factors. Statistically, pelvic failure rates for stage Ib, IIa, IIb, and IIIb were 0$\%$, 33.3$\%$, 57.9$\%$, and 60$\%$, respectively. Distant metastasis rates were 0$\%$, 33.3$\%$, 21.1$\%$, and 40$\%$ for stage Ib, IIa, IIb, and IIIb, respectively. Especially the 6 patients who were irradiated with extended field to treat the paraaortic nodes were free of distant metastasis all. But, 9 patients (23.1$\%$) of the 39 patients who were not irradiated the paraaortic nodes were suffered and expired from uncontrolled distant metastasis. Conclusions : As compared with other studies, the survival rates were similar, but distant metastasis rates including paraaortic nodes metastasis were likely somewhat higher than expected, especially for patients with stage II. So, we think that the effect of prophylactic paraaortic nodes irradiation should be studied prospectively, especially for patients with pelvic nodes involvement or advanced stage of disease.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.276-282
• /
• 2003

Purpose: Although high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy (HDR ICR) has been used in the treatment of cervical cancer, the potential for increased risk of late complication, most commonly in the rectum, is a major concern. We have previously reported on 136 patients treated with HDR brachytherapy between 1995 and 1999. The purpose of this study is to upgrade the previous data and confirm the correlation between late rectal complication and rectal dose in cervix cancer patients treated with HDR ICR. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was peformed for 222 patients with cevix cancer who were treated for curative intent with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and HDR ICR from July 1995 to December 2001. The median dose of EBRT was 50.4 (30.6$\~$56.4) Gy with a daily fraction size 1.8 Gy. A total of six fractions of HDR ICR were given twice weekly with fraction size of 4 (3$\~$5.5) Gy to A point by Iridium-192 source. The rectal dose was calculated at the rectal reference point using the barium contrast criteria. in vivo measurement of the rectal dose was peformed with thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) during HDR ICR. The median follow-up period was 39 months, ranging from 6 to 90 months. Results: Twenty-one patients (9.5$\%$) experienced late rectal bleeding, from 3 to 44 months (median, 13 months) after the completion of RT. The calculated rectal doses were not different between the patients with rectal bleeding and those without, but the measured rectal doses were higher in the complicated patients. The differences of the measured ICR rectal fractional dose, ICR total rectal dose, and total rectal biologically equivalent dose (BED) were statistically significant. When the measured ICR total rectal dose was beyond 16 Gy, when the ratio of the measured rectal dose to A point dose was beyond 70$\%$, or when the measured rectal BED was over 110 Gy$_{3}$, a high possibility of late rectal complication was found. Conclusion: Late rectal complication was closely correlated with measured rectal dose by in vivo dosimetry using TLD during HDR ICR. If data from in vivo dosimetry shows any possibility of rectal bleeding, efforts should be made to reduce the rectal dose.