Patterns of Radiotherapy Practice for Patients With Cervical Cancer (1999-2001): Patterns of Care Study in Japan
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa (Japan)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba (Japan)
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita (Japan)
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-applied Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan)
Purpose: To describe the patterns of definitive radiotherapy practice for patients with uterine cervical cancer from 1999 to 2001 in Japan. Methods and Materials: The Japanese Patterns of Care Study (JPCS) working group conducted a third extramural audit survey of 68 institutions and collected specific information on 324 cervical cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy. Results: Almost all patients (96%) were treated with whole pelvic radiotherapy using opposing anteroposterior fields (87%). A midline block was used in 70% of the patients. Intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) was applied in 82% of cases. Most patients (89%) were treated with high-dose rate (HDR) ICBT. Calculation of doses to organs at risk (ICRU 38) was performed for rectum in 25% of cases and for bladder in 18% of cases. Only 3% of patients were given intravenous conscious sedation during ICBT applicator insertions. The median total biologically effective dose at point A (EBRT+ICBT) was 74 Gy{sub 10} in cases treated with HDR-ICBT. There was no significant difference in total biologically effective dose between stages. The median overall treatment time was 47 days. Concurrent chemoradiation was applied in 17% of patients. Conclusions: This study describes the general patterns of radiotherapy practice for uterine cervical cancer in Japan. Although methods of external radiotherapy seemed to be appropriate, there was room for improvement in ICBT practice, such as pretreatment. A substantial difference in total radiotherapy dose between Japan and the United States was observed.
- OSTI ID:
- 21039794
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 70, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.10.045; PII: S0360-3016(07)04465-3; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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