LOW-DOSE RATE VS HIGH-DOSE-RATE BRACHYTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF CARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX - A CLINICAL-TRIAL

Purpose: This study is a prospective randomized clinical trial underta ken at our center to compare low dose rate versus high dose rate intra cavitary brachytherapy for the treatment of carcinoma uterine cervix. Methods and Materials: From June 1986 to June 1989, 482 patients with previously untreated invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine c ervix were entered into the study. After an initial clinical examinati on and investigative work-up the patients were staged according to FIG O staging system. Depending upon the stage of the disease, the size of the local growth and the local cervical anatomy, the patients were di vided into two main groups. In group I patients, the predominant treat ment was by intracavitary therapy and in group II patients, the predom inant therapy Was by external beam radiation. In both the groups at th e time of intracavitary brachytherapy the patients were alternately ra ndomized to receive either low dose rate or high dose rate brachythera py. There were thus two hundred forty-six patients in the low dose rat e group and two hundred thirty-six patients in the high dose rate grou p. The patients were analyzed for local control, 5 years survival and late radiation morbidity.