Radiation Oncology Management of Stage I-III Cervix Cancer

Radiotherapy plays a critical role in the management of cervix carcinoma, in the adjuvant setting for patients with high-risk pathologic features and in the definitive setting for locoregionally advanced disease. External beam radiotherapy fields encompass potential areas of microscopic disease spread in addition to known areas of gross disease. In the presence of gross disease, however, escalation of dose is required that is best accomplished using a brachytherapy boost to spare surrounding normal organs from toxicity. This article addresses indications for radiotherapy in the management of nonmetastatic cervix cancer and reviews various radiotherapy techniques, with a heavy focus on brachytherapy.