Obstructive uropathy following radiation therapy in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Eighty-three cases of carcinoma of the cervix presenting over a 5-year period, 1997 to 2001 were considered for evaluation of the effects of Irradiation on the urinary tract. Ultrasound scans were used to detect ureteric obstructions in the follow-up period. Significant progressive ureteric obstruction occurred in 6 patients (7.2%), all of whom had malignant strictures. The diagnoses of these strictures were made between 8 months and five years after the Initial treatment. Patients having malignant stricture tend to be in a higher original stage of tumour. The lower ureter was the site of ureteric obstruction in 4 patients while 2 had lesions in middle ureter. The latency period between primary treatment of the tumour and diagnosis of uropathy is significantly shorter for malignant strictures. The site of occurrence of the strictures had no discernible significance but the absence of a bilateral obstruction in spite of all of them being malignant lesions is in disagreement with the published data.