Results of postoperative radiation therapy for patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix: evaluation of intravaginal cone boost with an electron beam.

Retrospective analysis was carried out from the records of 108 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with postoperative external whole pelvic irradiation (EWPI) followed by intravaginal cone boost with an electron beam to the vaginal cuff (IVCB) to evaluate the efficacy of this method. The 5-year cause-specific survival rates were 89% for 89 patients undergoing prophylactic radiation therapy and 56% for 19 patients undergoing salvage radiation therapy (P < 0.001). The 5-year survival rates were 62% for 11 patients with macroscopic residual tumors and 41% for 8 patients with microscopic residual tumors. Of the patients with pelvic lymph node (PLN) involvement, incidences of intrapelvic recurrence, extrapelvic recurrence, and distant metastases were 12, 9, and 3%, respectively. The prognosis for patients without PLN metastasis was significantly better than that for patients with PLN metastasis in the prophylactic radiation therapy group (P < 0.001). Recurrent tumors at the vaginal cuff were observed in only 2 patients in the prophylactic radiation therapy group. Vesicovaginal fistula was observed in 4 patients. Only 1 patient developed Grade 2 rectal complications. No other severe complications were observed. IVCB following EWPI is a safe and effective postoperative radiation therapy technique for patients with cervical cancer.