THE DEVELOPMENT OF GYNECOLOGICAL RADIOTHERAPY ONCOLOGY IN SWEDEN

The development of gynecological radiotherapy and oncology during this century has changed the methods of diagnosis and treatment of cancer and given better results. From the beginning the gynecologist could on ly palpate and inspect. Later on roentgen examination was introduced a nd later still microscopic diagnosis, more advanced diagnostic methods , e.g. endoscopy, ultrasound, isotope examination, advanced microscopi c diagnosis and computerized tomography. In parallel with the developm ent in diagnosis, treatment has developed. To start with surgery was t he only method available. Later on intracavitary radiation, low energy radiation, endocrine therapy, chemotherapy and high energy treatment became available along with some experimental therapies. Today we have a broad range of therapeutic tools to use. In the future we might use profylaxis more than we do today to prevent cancer and when cancer is already there we might enhance the immune defence or introduce specif ic immunotherapy with clonal antibodies, specially made for the actual tumour, and consequently surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy will be often less used. It is, of course, impossible in a short paper to r eview fully the development of gynecological radiotherapy/oncology in Sweden. The following is a short review based on my personal selection of some important and interesting developments in the field of gyneco logical radiotherapy/oncology, especially treatment of cancer of the c ervix uteri (1).