OBJECTIVETo summarize retrospectively the 5-year survival rates and long-term complication of stage Ib-IIIa cervical carcinoma treated by combination of subradical external radiation and brachytherapy plus radical operation.

METHODS106 patients with cervical carcinoma were all treated by radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, of whom 78 had had preoperative radiotherapy (external radiation and brachytherapy), 16 combination of brachytherapy and radical operation, 12 adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy (external radiation and brachytherapy). (60)Co was used for external radiation, in which the point B dose was 25 - 30 Gy in preoperative radiation and 40 - 50 Gy in postoperative radiation. (192)Ir high-dose-rate afterloading unit was used in brachytherapy, with a dose of 6 - 18 Gy at point A.

RESULTSThe follow up rate was 95.3%. The overall 5-year survival rates were 78.2% (61/78) in the preoperative radiotherapy group, 68.8% (11/16) in brachytherapy plus radical operation, 33.3% (4/12) in the postoperative radiotherapy group, showing a higher 5-year survival rate in the preoperative radiotherapy group than the postoperative radiotherapy group (P < 0.05). In stage II patients, the preoperative radiotherapy group -77.6% (45/58) also gave a higher survival than the postoperative radiotherapy group -25.0% (1/4) (P < 0.05). But all the other groups gave differences of insignificance. The chief long-term complications were radio-proctitis and cystitis, with incidences of 34.6% (27/78), 31.3% (5/16), 33.3% (4/12) in the preoperative radiotherapy group, brachytherapy plus radical operation group and the postoperative radiotherapy group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe overall 5-year survival rate of combined subradical external radiation and brachytherapy plus radical operation was obviously higher than that of postoperative radiotherapy for stage Ib-IIIa and II patients, with statistically significant differences. However, the incidence of long-term complications give no statistical significance in the preoperative radiotherapy group or brachytherapy plus the operation group as compared with the postoperative radiotherapy group.