THE INTRINSIC RADIOSENSITIVITY OF CERVICAL-CARCINOMA - CORRELATIONS WITH CLINICAL-DATA

Purpose: The aims of the work were to study the intrinsic radiosensiti vity of tumor biopsies from patients with cervical carcinoma and to co rrelate the data with information on patient age, disease stage, diffe rentiation status, tumor volume, and tumor ploidy. Methods and materia ls: Radiosensitivity was assessed for 145 tumors in vitro as surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) using a clonogenic assay. Results: Although th e clonogens in tumors classified as Stage I or II tended to be more ra diosensitive than in Stage III or IV disease, the difference was not s tatistically significant (p > 0.15), There was also no significant dif ference in the intrinsic radiosensitivity of well, moderately, or poor ly differentiated tumors or between squamous cell carcinoma and adenoc arcinoma (p > 0.53). There was no correlation between patient age and tumor radiosensitivity (p = 0.49). Large volume (greater than or equal to 4 cm) disease was more radioresistant than small volume (< 4 cm) d isease, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.08). Finally, di ploid tumors tended to be more radioresistant than aneuploid tumors (p = 0.07). Conclusion: The intrinsic radiosensitivity of cervix tumors is independent of disease stage, tumor grade, and patient age, Weak tr ends, however, were observed of increased tumor radioresistance for la rge volume disease and diploid tumors, suggesting that tumor SF2 may n ot be a completely independent parameter.