Radiation therapy for carcinoma of vagina

Thirty-four patients with carcinoma of the vagina were treated by radiotherapy at the Hyogo Medical Center for Adults between April 1965 and May 1990. All patients were treated with a combination of external and intracavitary or intestinal irradiation. Twenty-three patients had squamous cell carcinoma, five had adenocarcinoma and two had malignant melanoma. The five-year survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma was 70% in Stage I (10 patients), 40% in Stage II (seven patients), 50% in Stage III (three patients) and 0% in Stage IV (three patients). Local control was achieved in 72.7% of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma and 60% of those with adenocarcinoma. However, neither of the malignant melanomas was controlled. Five patients had severe complications that required surgical treatment: severe proctitis and small-bowel perforation, ileus, rectal stenosis, vesicovaginal fistula and small-bowel perforation. Local and pelvic failure was noted in three patients. Patients with previous hysterectomy were more likely to develop serious treatment-related complications.