Since 1979, high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy has been used for the treatment of uterine cervical cancer in Korea. The number of institutions employing HDR has steadily increased, while the number of institutions employing low dose rate systems has remained constant. In 1994, there was a total 30 HDR brachytherapy units installed and, among these, 27 units were available for treatment. According to the data obtained from a survey of 26 institutions that use the HDR system, there were 1, 183 cases of patients with cervical cancer who were thus treated in 1994.
The isotopes used were Ir-192 (16 facilities), Co-60 (7 facilities), and both Cs-137 and Co-60 (6 facilities). The most common regimens of HDR brachytherapy are total dose of 3, 000 to 3, 900 cGy at Point A with 10 to 13 fractions in three fractions per week, 2, 400 to 3, 200 cGy with 6 to 8 fractions in two fractions per week, and 3, 000 to 3, 500 cGy with 6 to 7 fractions in two fractions per week. The average fractionation regimen of HDR brachytherapy is about 8 fractions of 410 cGy each to Point A. Studies ftom the major centers report the five-year survival rate of cervical cancer as 78 to 86% for Stage I, 68 to 85% for Stage II, and 38 to 56% for Stage III. In conclusion, HDR intracavitary radiotherapy is increasingly practiced in Korea and is an effective treatment modality for cervical cancer. To determine the optimum radiotherapy dose and fractionation schedule, a nationwide prospective study is needed.
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