The treatment of stage III carcinoma of the uterine cervix with telecobalt irradiation

This is a retrospective analysis of 148 patients with histologically proven carcinoma of the cervix, stage III, treated with irradiation. All patients received external irradiation with cobalt 60 followed by intracavitary radium application. The median age was 55 years. Squamous cell carcinoma was found in 96.5% of the cases. The 8-year actuarial survival rate was 41%. Bilateral parametrial invasion proved to be a strong prognostic factor. Patients with unilateral disease had a survival rate of 43% whereas in those with bilateral involvement it was only 15% (P less than 0.005). The total pelvic failure rate was 29.5%. The overall incidence of distant metastasis was 11%. The complication rate (minor and major complications) was high, with vaginal stenosis (22.5%), proctitis (21.5%), cystitis (13.5%), and fistulae (4%) occurring in 33, 32, 20, and 6 patients, respectively. New treatment modalities are urgently needed for advanced carcinoma of the cervix. Bilateral parametrial involvement is an unfavorable prognostic factor and this should be kept in mind when designing new protocols.