A prospective randomized study concerning to the point A dose in high-dose rate intracavitary radiation therapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

From January 1983 through December 1987, a total of 138 patients with previously untreated carcinoma of the uterine cervix were entered into the prospective randomized study concerning the two different schedules of point A dose of remote afterloading high-dose rate intracavitary therapy (RALS) and external irradiation dose at the Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka. Group A consisted of 71 patients who were treated with fraction size of point A dose of 7.5 Gy and group B included 67 patients treated with fraction size of 6 Gy. According to the staging system of UICC (1978), 33 patients were classified into stage I, 50 patients stage II, 45 patients stage III, and ten patients stage IV. Three-year survival rates by stage and RALS schedule were in group A 80% and in group B 100% in stage I, 57% and 68% in stage II, 62% and 60% in stage III and 2/8 and 0/2 in stage IV. Survival curves showed no statistically significant difference in each stage. Late rectal and bladder complications requiring treatment (Kottmeier's grade 2 or more) after RALS developed 1.5% (2/138, group A none, group B two) and 1.5% (2/138, group A one, group B one), respectively. This result suggests that this trial is acceptable on survival as well as complication rates.