Late radiotherapeutic morbidity in patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix: The application of the French-Italian glossary

Background and purpose. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of the complications observed and the importance of delayed symptoms for radiotherapeutic morbidity in patients treated by radiotherapy alone for cervical cancer. Materials and methods. From 1979 to 1991, 145 patients with primary uterine cervical cancer were treated with external radiotherapy and intracavitary applications. During the follow-up, all signs, symptoms and therapy of late treatment complications were recorded. Complications were graded according to the French-Italian glossary. This glossary is used for recording morbidity after treatment of gynaecological cancer. Results. Overall, 119 late complications were recorded. They were most frequently located in the gastro-intestinal system (53%) with a median time to development of 9 months. Urinary complications were recorded in 20%. Very few complications were recorded in vagina/uterus (12%) and pelvic soft tissue (5%). The probability of surviving without tumour recurrence and/or late combined moderate to severe organ morbidity decreased with increasing FIGO stage. Conclusions. For reporting gynaecological morbidity, the French-Italian glossary is useful. Treatment optimization must take into account actuarial estimates of survival and morbidity.