Urinary Tract Infection in Patients of Gynecological Malignancies Undergoing External Pelvic Radiotherapy

A total of 216 midstream urine (MSU) samples from 36 patients with gynecological malignancies undergoing external pelvic radiotherapy (RT) were studied periodically every week for any evidence of urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI was detected in 33.3% patients of whom 8.3% had infection at the onset of RT and the rest developed UTI during the course of therapy. All three patients who had UTI at the onset of RT underwent cystoscopy as a part of routine pretreatment workup. A higher preponderance of UTI was observed in patients of stage III carcinoma cervix (33.3%) compared to stage II (16.7%) during the course of RT. Half of the patients with UTI had repealed episodes of infection despite appropriate antibiotic treatment. The study emphasizes the importance of conducting periodic MSU examination in patients with gynecological malignancies during RT and its treatment with appropriate antibiotics to minimize the risks of further injury to the already susceptible uroepithelium following radiotherapy.