Effect of radiotherapy on tumor-bearing lymph nodes in carcinoma of the cervix uteri

Abstract

A study of 60 patients revealed that intensive deep radiotherapy with high doses (5000 to 8000 r) diminished considerably the number of tumor-bearing lymph nodes in carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The incidence of tumorbearing lymph nodes was 33% in nonirradiated patients and in those receiving 2000-r Ra therapy. This is in contrast to an incidence of 20% and 6.6% in those receiving 6000 and 8000 r, respectively, from combined Ra and 250-kv x-ray treatments. Sterilization of the lymph nodes was not total, even with large doses of radiotherapy, necessitating a combination of radiotherapy and lymphadenectomy for the treatment of Stage III carcinoma. The histologic type of the primary tumor appears to play a decisive role in the formation of lymphatic metastases. They are very scarce (1.3%) in basocellular epithelioma, abundant in spinocellular (38.9%), and prevalent in adenocarcinoma (85.7%). It should be possible to establish a histoprognosis of carcinoma of the cervix. (H.H.D.)