Interstitial irradiation in recurrent gynecological cancer

Ninety-six patients with recurrent gynecological, cancer documented by biopsy underwent interstitial implantation at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center during the period of 1957–1976. They are divided into two groups: Group I includes 75 patients with recurrent cervical cancer and Group II includes 21 patients with other recurrent gynecological cancer. In Group 1, 63% (47) had previously received a full course of both external and intracavitary radiation, 22% (17) had surgery and 12% (9) had both sugery and radiation as prior management for their primary disease. In two patients, the prior management was not clearly documented. Symptomatic relief was obtained in 70% of the patients who initially presented with symptoms. Without subsequent treatment, 34 of these 75 (45%) patients were alive and disease-free at one year, 15 (20%) at two years, 12 (16%) at three years, 9 (12%) at four years and 7 (10%) at five years. In Group II, 48% (10) were alive and disease free at one year, 33% (7) at two years, 24% (5) at three years, 19% (4) at four years and 5% (1) at five years.