Treatment of cervical cancer with electronic brachytherapy

We report the first cervical cancer cases treated with interstitial electronic brachytherapy (eBT) at our hospital and compare them with plans made with high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy based on Ir192 (HDR-BT).

Eight patients with cervical cancer were treated with the Axxent eBT device (Xoft, Inc.). Planning was with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography following the recommendations of the EMBRACE protocol. The dosimetry parameters of organs at risk (OAR) were evaluated for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon (D2cc, D1cc, and D0.1cc). In addition, the V150 and V200 of irradiated tissue were compared for both eBT and HDR-BT. All patients received intensity-modulated external beam radiation therapy with a regimen of 23 sessions of 2 Gy followed by four sessions of 7 Gy of eBT performed over 2 weeks (two sessions followed by another two sessions a week later) following the EMBRACE recommendations. Each of the eight patients was followed to assess acute toxicity associated with treatment.

The doses reaching OAR for eBT plans were lower than for HDR-BT plans. As for acute toxicity associated with eBT, very few cases of mucositis were detected. No cases of rectal toxicity and one case with grade 1 urinary toxicity were detected. The results at 1 month are equally good, and no relapses have occurred to date.

The first results of treatment with the Axxent eBT device are promising, as no recurrences have been observed and toxicity is very low. eBT is a good alternative for treating cervical cancer in centers without access to conventional HDR.