[Afterloading technique for carcinoma of the uterine cervix]

134 patients with carcinoma of the cervix treated by combination of intracavitary Cs-137 afterloading radiation and 8 Mv external X-ray irradiation from July 1983 to Nov. 1984 are reported. There were 1 Stage I, 78 Stage II, 53 Stage III and 2 Stage IV lesions. Of these patients, 94.8% had squamous cell carcinoma, 4.5% adenocarcinoma and 0.7% adeno-acanthoma. The total dose of intracavitary radiation at point A was 50 Gy +/- 20%. 40-45 Gy external irradiation was delivered to the parametria. The 3-year survival rates were 84.6% in Stage II and 67.9% in Stage III lesions, respectively. 48% of the 25 patients with cauliflower tumors died. Ten of 19 patients who died were due to extrapelvic metastasis. 9% of cases had rectal bleeding and 6% had hematuria after treatment although there was no recto-vaginal fistula within 3 years' follow-up.