[Intracavitary afterloading radiotherapy--preliminary clinical report on 44 patients].

This report describes the 2 year results of the treatment of 44 patients (1 vaginal carcinoma, 3 endometrial carcinoma and 40 cervical carcinoma) by Buchler afterloading equipment. One patient with vaginal carcinoma and two with endometrial carcinoma are live without disease over 2 years. There were 40 patients with cervical carcinoma: 1 stage I, 21 stage II (52.8%) and 18 stage III (45%). The dose-rate of the source is 10-25 cGy/min. A total dose of 41-55 Gy was given at point A in 87.5% of cases. The measurement of the bladder and the rectum were made in all the 40 patients during the treatment. The dose at the bladder was less than 30 Gy and only 10% of patients had a dose of over 30 Gy at the rectum. A dose of 40-45 Gy external irradiation by 8MV X-rays was delivered to the parametrium in each patient. One died of cancer, 2 were lost in follow up and 3 had local recurrence and metastasis. The two year survival rate was 92.5%. Only 4 had mild rectal reactions during the treatment and 2 had mild rectal bleeding after treatment.