[Value of irradiation alone of generally inoperable endometrial cancer with high dose rate iridium 192].

Surgery should be an integral part of the management of the patient suffering from endometrial cancer. Only patients with severe internal diseases should be treated with radiation therapy alone. Although radiation therapy alone can cure endometrial cancer, the survival figures are poorer than for the operation. At the University of Vienna (1st Department of Gynaecology), 267 patients with endometrial cancer were treated by radiation therapy alone (Afterloading iridium192 technique). 5-year survival (life table method) for all patients was 65.2%. In stage I, 5-year survival was 66.9%, and in stage II 46.7%, respectively. For up to 69 years of age the survival was 76.6%, for 70 years and more 61.8%, for grading I 78.8%, for grading II and III only 55.4%, respectively. With radium226 technique, the survival rate was only 56%, while 65.2% were reached with the Iridium technique. All differences are significant. External irradiation (cobalt60) was employed as combined treatment in only 9.4% of the cases. Intrauterine and intravaginal applications were performed without anaesthesia and the hospitalisation time was only one day per week. The relapse rate in stage I/b was 14.8% and in stage II 30%, respectively. Therefore, the dose of intracavitary treatment should be changed and external irradiation used more often.