A comparison of two radiation therapy--treatment plans for carcinoma of the cervix. II. Complications and survival rates

One hundred and one cases of cervical cancer were randomized by a card selection system into two treatment groups. Group A patients (48) were treated according to the radiotherapy plans used at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Group B patients (53) were treated according to the radiotherapy plan used at the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Insitute. The purpose was to evaluate these two different therapy programs in terms of survival, complications, and physician radiation exposure. The latter has been reported. Life-table techniques revealed an over-all five-year survival rate of 68.6 per cent in Group A and 86.7 per cent in Group B (statistically significant to P = 0.05). Over-all radiation complication rates were similar although there were four radiation-induced vaginal fistulas in Group A and one in Group B. Our institution has converted to the treatment plan represented in Group B.