Radiation induced lumbosacral plexopathy in gynecologic tumors: clinical findings and dosimetric analysis.

PURPOSE: Radiation-induced lumbosacral plexopathy is a rare complication of pelvic irradiation.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: We report four cases among 2,410 patients treated to the pelvis for carcinoma of the cervix and carcinoma of the endometrium. All patients received both external beam and intracavitary radiation. The total calculated dose to the lumbosacral plexus was on the order of 7300 cGy.

RESULTS

All 4 cases presented developed lumbosacral plexopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a few permanent lumbosacral lesions have been reported for patients treated with conventionally fractionated external beam, this syndrome is more often seen in patients treated with intracavitary irradiation for cervical or endometrial carcinoma.