High-dose-rate remote afterloading intestinal radiotherapy employing the template technique for recurrent cancer in the pelvic area.

Between December 1991 and August 1992, five patients with recurrent cancer in the pelvic area (four gynecological cancers and one rectal cancer) were treated at Osaka University Hospital with a remote afterloading interstitial implantation employing the template technique. External irradiation (40 to 50 Gy) was performed in four cases one to four weeks before brachytherapy. Interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (24 to 40 Gy/four to eight fractions/two to four days) was performed twice a day. Three of the five patients achieved complete local tumor control. The remaining two patients obtained symptom relief. There were no complications serious enough to need surgical treatment. Moreover, this procedure is well tolerated and therefore an effective modality for elderly and frail patients.