Radiation treatment of primary carcinoma of the vagina. Patterns of failures after definitive therapy.

Patterns of failures after definitive radiation therapy were analyzed in 88 patients with primary carcinoma of the vagina treated between 1957 and 1975. The majority of the local failures in early stages of the disease (I, II and a few III) were due to inadequate treatment either by external beam therapy or brachytherapy. In some cases the inadequate treatments were unavoidable (previous radiation treatment) and in a few they were due to poor brachytherapy technique. Distant failures are still a problem and need to be given further attention.