Rectal Injuries after Radiotherapy for Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

47 out of 56 cases of intact uterine cervix cancer treated by radiation at the Hanyang University Hospital were followed 18 months or more after treatment. (7 patients died before 18 months, 2 cases lost to follow-up). Age distribution reveal 5 cases in 30's, 18 cases in 40's, 17 cases in 50's, 7 cases in 60's. Histologically, all cases were squamous cell type except one case of adenocarcinoma. 1. 45 cases were treated by combined external Co-60 irradiation and intracavitary irradiation by Cs-137 small sources. 1 case was treated by external irradiation only, and 1 case by intracavitary only. 2. Rectal injuries were observed in 13 cased (27.6%), 4 cases in Grade 1, 8 cased in Grade 2 and 1 cases in Grade 3 which needed surgical management. 3. Average intervals of rectal injury and point A dose reveal 6 cases between 7000-7999 rad and 6 cases between 8000-8999 rad and 1 case above 9000 rad. Even though there is no direct relation between point A dose and rectal injury, it is expected that rectal injury increases as point A dose increase. 4. In the normal condition, rectal injury can't be attributed to one major cause. Radiation dose, small source distribution, general condition of patients, local anatomy of the individual patient, history of PID and previous surgery, all play complex roles