The prediction of late rectal complications in patients treated with high dose-rate brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix

: The aim of this work is to invetigate an unusually high rate of late rectal complications in a group of 43 patients treated with concomitant irradiation and chemotherapy for carcinoma of the cervix between December 1988 and April 1991, with a view to identifying predictive factors.

: The biologically effective dose received by each patient to the rectal reference point defined by the International Commission of Radiation Units and Measurements, Report 38, were calculated. Radiotherapy consisted of 46 Gy external beam irradiation plus three dose-rate intracavitary treatments of 10 Gy each prescribed to point A. Cisplatin 30 mg/m² was given weekly throughout the duration of the irradiation. The results have been compared to data from 119 patients treated with irradiation alone to assess the cofounding effect of the cisplatin.

: The relationship between the biologically effective dose delivered to the rectal reference point and the development of late complications shows a strong dose-response with a threshold for complications occurring at aproximately the same biologically effective dose threshold as that found for external beam irradiation in the head and neck region. The date from the group of patients treated wihout cisplatin is comparable to the date from the first group of patients in the lower dose ranges; the higher doses were not used and thus are not available for comparison.

: Using the linear quadratic model applied to our clinical results, we have established a threshold for late rectal complications for patients treated with external beam irradiation and high dose-rate brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix. This threshold is consistent with similar data for external irradiation in the head and neck region.