Outcome of 6 fractions of 5.3 Gray HDR brachytherapy in combination with external beam radiotherapy for treatment of cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To review the characteristics, outcomes and toxicities of cervical cancer patients treated with 6 fractions of brachytherapy after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

METHODS

All patients diagnosed with cervical cancer from 2000 to 2009 who were referred for radical treatment and who received 6 fractions of brachytherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), local control (LC), distant control (DC) rate, acute and late toxicities were the primary endpoints.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients with mainly advanced stage squamous cell carcinoma were identified and reviewed. Patients received EBRT of 45 to 50.4 Gy in 1.8 Gy daily fractions followed by 6 sessions of 3 channel brachytherapy of 5.3 Gy prescribed to point H. Response rates to treatment were good, with no residual disease in 84% six weeks after the completion of treatment. With a median follow up time of 8.1 years, the five-year OS, DFS, LC and distant control rates were 75%, 68.5%, 92.8% and 76.9% respectively. None of the patients developed any G3-4 acute toxicity but one patient who had advanced disease developed G3-4 proctitis with a fistula formation.

CONCLUSIONS

HDR brachytherapy utilizing 6 fractions of 5.3 Gy prescribed to point H with concurrent chemo-radiation is superior in terms of OS and LC to regimens that deliver a lower EQD2 dose to point A/H and is associated with very low rates of toxicities.