Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2022 Apr;22(4):353-359. doi: 10.1080/14737140.2022.2047936. Epub 2022 Mar 20.
Brachytherapy is an essential component of the cervical cancer treatment paradigm as it contributes to improved clinical outcomes and overall survival. Yet brachytherapy remains globally underutilized, with disparities in access at both national and international levels.
The review explores current brachytherapy utilization practices and efforts being undertaken to address barriers to implementation in low-, middle-, and high-income countries, and how these efforts are projected to impact future brachytherapy access. The content presented is based on a review of published literature and the authors' collective clinical experiences.
There exists a tremendous opportunity to expand access to essential brachytherapy services for women with cervical cancer. Many national and international brachytherapy efforts exist; yet it remains imperative that such focused efforts continue to grow and provide further access to this critical treatment modality for women in need worldwide.
近距离放射治疗是宫颈癌治疗模式的重要组成部分,因为它有助于改善临床结果和总体生存率。然而,近距离放射治疗在全球范围内仍未得到充分利用,在国家和国际层面上都存在获得机会的差异。
本综述探讨了当前近距离放射治疗的应用实践,以及为解决中低收入国家实施障碍而正在进行的努力,以及这些努力预计将如何影响未来的近距离放射治疗机会。所呈现的内容基于对已发表文献的回顾和作者集体的临床经验。
为宫颈癌妇女扩大获得基本近距离放射治疗服务的机会是巨大的。有许多国家和国际近距离放射治疗的努力存在;然而,至关重要的是,这种有针对性的努力继续发展,并为全世界有需要的妇女提供这种关键治疗方式的进一步机会。