The population benefit of radiotherapy for gynaecological cancer: Local control and survival estimates

Abstract

BackgroundThe population benefit of radiotherapy for gynaecological cancer (GC) if evidence-based guidelines were routinely followed is not known. This study’s aim was to address this. MethodsDecision trees were utilised to estimate benefit. Radiotherapy alone (RT) benefit was the absolute proportional benefit of radiotherapy over no radiotherapy for radical indications, and over surgery alone for adjuvant indications. Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) benefit was the absolute incremental benefit of concurrent chemotherapy and RT over RT alone. Citation databases were systematically queried for the highest level of evidence defining 5-year Local Control (LC), and 2-year and 5-year Overall Survival (OS) benefit. Meta-analysis was performed if there were multiple sources of the same evidence level. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed. FindingsGuidelines supported 22 radiotherapy indications, of which 8 were for CRT. 21% of all GC had an adjuvant or curative radiotherapy indication. The absolute estimated population-based 5-year LC and OS benefits of RT, if all patients were treated according to guidelines, were: endometrial cancer LC 5.7% (95% CI (3.5%,8.2%)), OS 2.3% (1.2%,3.4%), ovarian cancer (nil), vulval cancer LC 10.0% (1.6%,18.2%), OS 8.5% (0.5%,15.9%). Combined with prior estimates for cervical cancer, RT benefits for all GC were LC 9.0% (7.8%,10.3%), OS 4.6% (3.8%,5.4%). The incremental benefit of CRT for all GC was LC 0.7% (0.4%,0.9%), OS 0.5% (0.2%,0.8%). Benefits were distinct from the contribution of other modalities. The model was robust in sensitivity analysis. Most radiotherapy benefit was irreplaceable by other modalities. InterpretationRadiotherapy provides important and irreplaceable LC and OS benefits for GC when optimally utilised. The population model provided a robust means for estimating this benefit.