[Uterine cervix cancer. Clinical stage III. Combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment]

55 patients with stage III carcinoma of the uterine cervix were entered into a prospective randomized study to evaluate the possible radiation-potentiating properties of bleomycin. Group A received classical radiation treatment with telecobalt-therapy 50 Gy/25 fractions plus 32 Gy/4 fractions (Cathetron). The other two groups received 15 mg of bleomycin by continue infusion two time of week during 5 week, groups B before, and group C after, irradiation. The morbidity was minimal. The initial response was complete in 49 cases and partial in 6 cases. At 2 years there were 26 recurrences, 22 (88.8%), locoregional recurrences and 4 distant metastasis, 3 in the group of bleomycin treatment. The probability of actuarial survival was 62.1%, 30.1% and 35.6% respectively to groups A, B and C. Addition of bleomycin to radiotherapy failed to increase the recurrence-free survival.