ROLE OF RADIATION-THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PATIENT WITH IB CARCINOMA OF THE CERVIX

From June 30, 1967, through June 30, 1977, 209 patients were treated with IB lesions; 55 of these patients were classified as having bulky, barrel-shaped tumors greater than 4 cm. These 55 patients had a conservative hysterectomy without pelvic lymphadenectomy after a modified radical radiation therapy course. The remainder of the patients had either definitive radiation therapy or radical surgery. The follow-up of all patients from one to ten years reveals excellent local tumor control with only four pelvic failures in the radiotherapy-surgery group and no local failures in the group treated with radiation therapy alone. The treatment program outlined for the 55 radiation therapy-surgery group is unique in three respects: (1) all patients received a maximum of 3000 rad total pelvic dose, (2) the dose delivered from intracavitary radium was 25 % less than that given in the radiation therapy alone group, and (3) the conservative hysterectomy was carried out immediately after the completion of the radiation therapy. © 1979.