Combined radiotherapy and hysterectomy in the treatment of high risk stage II invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a preliminary report.

ABSTRACT

From January 1979 to December 1983, 187 cases of stage II, invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix were studied prospectively to evaluate survival rate and treatment sequelae. Forty-one cases with any of these conditions; (a) partial response or inadequate radium insertion from obliterated cervical os; (b) endometrial extension; (c) enlarged cervical mass over 5 cm or barrel-shaped; and (d) with pelvic mass, were treated by the combination of radiotherapy and simple abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingoophorectomy (group I), while the rest of 146 cases (group II) were treated by definitive radiotherapy alone. The 5-year follow-up rates were 87.8 per cent in group I and 70.6 per cent group II, respectively. The recurrence free survival rates at 5 years were 80.6 per cent in group I and 63.1 per cent in group II. The immediate and late sequelae were the same in both groups. We concluded that combined treatment was more effective than radiation alone in cases with a poorer prognosis.