[Preliminary study of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for recurrent cervical cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To assess feasibility of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for recurrent cervical cancer. METHODS: Totally 21 patients with recurrent cervical cancer between April 2004 and January 2007 treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and conventional external radiation therapy were evaluated. Twenty-one patients treated with IMRT was group A, and the other 18 patients with anterior posterior field radiotherapy was group B. Preliminary outcome and toxicity were evaluated between two groups. RESULTS: All patients completed the prescribed dose. Group A was (50 +/- 11) Gy and group B was (39 +/- 5) Gy. There were no significant differences in the two groups (P > 0.05). The effective rate of group A was 71% (15/21) and of group B 39% (7/18), with a significant difference in the two groups (P < 0.05). The average survival time of group A was (25 +/- 6) months, and of group B (12 +/- 5) months, with a significant difference in the two groups (P < 0.05). In group A, acute grade > or = 3 gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and myelotoxicity were seen in 0, 0, and 2 patients, respectively. While in group B, these were seen in none. CONCLUSIONS: The curative effect of IMRT is better than anterior posterior field radiotherapy. The acute toxicity of IMRT is acceptable.