[Results of combined therapy of irradiation and bleomycin suppository for advanced uterine cervical cancer].

Efficacy, survival rats and adverse effects of the combined therapy of irradiation with intravaginal bleomycin suppositories were analyzed and discussed in 49 patients with uterine cervical cancer. The results were as follows: Histological examination of biopsy specimens from the uterine cervix taken just after the completion of this treatment showed favorable control over the primary lesions. However, the efficacy of the bleomycin suppositories was too mild to form a basis for treatment without intracavitary irradiation. Because of the low concentration of bleomycin in serum after suppository administration, it is thought that bleomycin would have little effect on distant metastases. Survival rates in stage III patients were 83% at 12 months, 77% at 24 months and 70% at 36 months. These were superior to those for irradiation alone. The major adverse effect of bleomycin suppositories was fever, reduction of the bleomycin dose in each suppository but controlled this to some extent Lung fibrosis or severe damage to the liver, kidney and bone marrow were not found.