RADIOTHERAPY COMBINED WITH TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL INFUSION CHEMOTHERAPY FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED CERVICAL-CANCER

Twenty-four patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were treate d with radiation therapy (RT) and transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI ) chemotherapy, while 22 patients were treated with RT alone. RT consi sted of a combination of external irradiation and high-dose-rate intra cavitary brachytherapy. TAI therapy consisted of two sessions using ci splatin and pirarubicin. performed concurrently during the periods of external irradiation. The local-regional control rates at 1 year for t he patients treated with RT plus TAI and for those treated with RT alo ne were 87.5% and 58.3%, respectively (p < 0.05). The 3-year cause-spe cific survival (CSS) rates for RT plus TAI, and RT alone were 67.1% an d 55.9%, respectively (p =-n.s.). The 3-year CSS rate for the 14 patie nts treated with RT and TAI who had well-or moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma without pelvic lymph node swelling was 100%, w hile that for the 19 patients with the same background treated with RT alone was 49% (p < 0.01). Radiation therapy combined with TAI appears to be an effective and safe treatment modality for patients with loca lly advanced cervical cancer.