Exteral Beam Combined with 192Ir Afterloading Intracavitary Brachytherapy in the Treatment for the Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix

Objective: To study the therapeutic effect and complication of cervical carcinoma treated with 192Ir afterloading intracavitary irradiation plus external beam radiation therapy(EBRT).Methods: From August 1999 to December 2004,198 stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ cervical cancer patients confirmed pathologically were treated with the combination of HDR 192Ir afterloading intracavitary irradiation plus EBRT.A midplane dose of 36Gy~40 Gy to the whole pelvis and additional 20Gy~24 Gy EBRT to the parametrical areas were given with conventional fractionation.Intracavitary brachytherapy was to a total dose of 24Gy~30Gy at 6 Gy per fraction to A point once a week from second week.Results: All patients were followed up over three years.The 3-year survival rates were 77.5%.The 3-year survival rates for stage Ⅱa Ⅱb Ⅲa and Ⅲb were 83.3% 80.6% 73.6% and 62% respectively.Acute radiation cystitis and immediate rectal reaction were present in 10.2% and 22.4% respectively.Conclusion: HDR afterloading intracavitary brachytherapy combined with external beam radiation is effective with tolerable complications in the treatment of the carcinoma of uterine cervi.