Reduced Risk of Lymphedema With Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy Compared With 3-dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy in Patients With Cervical Cancer Who Received Postoperative Pelvic Radiation Therapy.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the long-term adverse events of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with those of 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in patients with intermediate-risk and high-risk uterine cervical cancer who underwent postoperative pelvic radiation therapy (PORT).

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of 177 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radical surgery and PORT. IMRT and 3D-CRT were administered to 93 and 84 patients, respectively. Follow-up and toxicity assessments were then carried out.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 63 months (range: 3 to 177). There was a significant difference in the follow-up period between the IMRT and 3D-CRT cohorts (median: 59 vs. 112 mo, P <0.0001). The crude incidences of acute grade 2+ and grade 3+ gastrointestinal toxicities were significantly lower with IMRT than with 3D-CRT (22.6% vs. 48.1%, P =0.002, and 3.2% vs. 11.1%, P =0.04, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier estimates of late toxicities revealed that IMRT significantly reduced grade 2+ genitourinary (GU) toxicity and lower-extremity lymphedema ([LEL] requiring intervention) compared with 3D-CRT ([6.8% vs. 15.2% at 5-year, P =0.048] and [3.1% vs. 14.6% at 5-year, P =0.0029], respectively). IMRT was the only significant predictor of reducing LEL risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The risks of acute gastrointestinal toxicity, late GU toxicity, and LEL from PORT for cervical cancer were reduced by IMRT. Lower inguinal doses may have contributed to a lower risk of developing LEL, which should be validated in future studies.