Indications and limitations of radiotherapy in the treatment of malignant tumors were studied in the patients admitted to Department of Radiology of Gunma University Hospital, where neoplasms have been treated principally by radiotherapy. Cancers under examination were those at the cervix of the uterus, the glottis of the larynx, eyelid, nasopharynx, lungs, and esophagus all treated by radiotherapy alone. The results were as follows :
1. The 5-year relative survival rate exceeded 100% in stage I cervical, stage I laryngea, and eyelid cancers.
2. The 5-year relative survival rate was 111% in stage I, 83% in stage II, 63% in stage III, and 32% in stage IV cervical cancers. Thus radiotherapy was considered to be effective for the treatment of the disease regardless of progression stages. Surgical therapy is the first choice, however, for patient with adenocarcinoma, those who have lesions which cannot be adequately treated with low-dose intracavitary radiotherapy, and for patients in stage O or Ia in whom complete cure is possible with minor surgery. The selection of surgical and radiotherapies should be made on an individual basis in patients with stage Ib or IIb cancers.
3. The relative survival rate was 104% in stage I, 87% in stage II, 72% in stage III, 0% in stage IV and 88% for all stages of glottic cancers. Localized recurrences were observed in 22% of the patients with stage I and stage II lesions, nearly half of whom were cured by surgery. From the viewpoint of functional preservation, our conventional practice of giving priority to radiotherapy seems appropriate.
4. No patient died of eyelid cancer, and 5-year relative survival rate was 126%. The eyelid function and visual acuity were maintained except in one patient. Radiotherapy seems to be most suited for this type of cancer.
5. Nasopharyngeal cancer has been considered to be treated most effectively by radiotherapy. Our results were in accordance with the high expectations, the relative survival rate being 94% for lesions of stage I, II, and III. However, since 80% of the patients exhibited stage IV cancers, the relative survival rate for the total patients was only 46%. Further study of diagnostic as well as therapeutic techniques for this type of cancer is required.
6. Lung and esophageal cancers are known to be extremely refractory. The relative survival rate, however, was 48% in stage I and II epidermoid lung cancers and 42% in esophageal cancers of diameters 5cm or smaller.
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