Post-treatment follow-up procedures in cervical cancer patients previously treated with radiotherapy

We investigated the role of physical examination, CT scan, chest X-ray, and Pap smear in the routine follow-up program for cervical cancer patients previously treated with radiotherapy.

The records of women who had developed recurrent cervical cancer after radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. The optimal procedure for the detection of recurrence was evaluated according to the disease-free interval (DFI). Survival analysis was performed based on the Kaplan-Meier method and comparisons between groups were made using the log-rank test.

A total of 146 recurrent cervical cancer patients were included in our database. The majority of recurrences were diagnosed either by symptoms, physical examination, or CT scan. The patients whose recurrent disease was detected by Pap smear, physical examination, or CT scan had a significantly longer survival than those detected by symptoms. When analyzed according to DFI, physical examination, and CT scan led to the detection of recurrence in patients with a DFI of 1-5 years. In contrast, chest X-ray and Pap smear only had a clinical impact on the diagnosis of recurrence in patients with a DFI of 1-2 years.

Chest X-ray and Pap smear can be routinely performed for the first 2 years after radiotherapy, but can be omitted or used sparingly thereafter.