Studies on blood levels of hormones in patients undergoing surgery and radiation therapy for cervical cancer, 3

Blood levels of LH, FSH, prolactin (PRL), progesterone (Prog), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and cortisol (Cor) were determined in 5 patients treated with radiation therapy following surgical transposition of the ovaries (group A) and in 9 patients treated with surgical transposition alone (group B). Although disturbance in ovarian function was transiently observed during and after X-ray irradiation in the group A, blood levels of hormones returned to normal at 5-7 months after the completion of treatment. Cyclic changes in blood hormones were observed in 4 patients. These results indicated that ovarian function is fully conserved after X-ray irradiation. No remarkable changes in blood hormones were observed in the group B, suggesting that there is no effect of surgical procedure on ovarian function. However, because one patient receiving anticancer agents had transient disturbance in ovarian function, caution is necessary in the selection of anticancer agents. Surgical transposition of the ovaries is therefore considered to be a very simple, reasonable procedure when radiation therapy is required in patients with Ib or more advanced stages cervical cancer. (Namekawa, K.)