An analysis of the severe complications of irradiation of carcinoma of the uterine cervix: treatment with intracavitary radium and parametrial irradiation

Between January 1967 and December 1974, 254 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated with either intracavitary radium and parametrial irradiation or 2000 rad whole pelvis irradiation followed by intracavitary radium and parametrial irradiation. In general, these patients had tumors of relatively limited volume and vaginal and uterine anatomy that was favorable for intracavitary radium. Not all patients had a lymphangiogram performed prior to irradiation. Of those who did, only patients with negative lymphangiograms are included in this analysis. All patient had a minimum follow-up of four years. The absolute four year survival rate for this group of patients was 86%. Only 6.3% of patients died of disease. The incidence of severe complications was 7.5%. Complications were associated with a high number of milligram hours of radium plus a high dose of external irradiation, in combination with either asymmetry of the radium system and/or history of previous pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery, or diverticulosis.