[Application of CT guided percutaneous interstitial brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer with isolated lesions in the radiated field].

Abstract

Objective: To explore the safety and efficacy of computed tomography (CT) guided percutaneous interstitial brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer with isolated lesions in the radiated field. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 30 patients with recurrent cervical cancer with isolated lesions in the radiated field who underwent CT guided percutaneous interstitial implantation for close range radiation treatment at Zhengzhou University Affiliated Cancer Hospital from March 2023 to August 2024. Under local anesthesia, a needle was implanted into the recurrent tumor in the pelvic or abdominal wall of the patients percutaneously guided by CT. The target area was delineated to ensure full dose coverage. The prescribed dose for high-risk clinical target areas was 600 cGy/time, once a week, followed by close range radiotherapy. The number of implanted needles were recorded, and the target area, radiation dose, and other parameters were evaluated through dose volume parameter maps. The degree of lesion shrinkage and the occurrence of complications during and after treatment were observed. Results: 30 patients underwent a total of 72 rounds of brachytherapy with implantation, with a technical success rate of 100% (72/72). 20 cases received 2 treatments, 8 cases received 3 treatments, and 2 cases received 4 treatments; 4 cases used 1needle, 20 cases used 2 needles, 4 cases used 3 needles, and 2 cases used 4 needles. The high-risk clinical target dose D₉₀ was (718.17±222.61) cGy. The average dose D_2cc of 2 cm³ surrounding the bladder, rectum, sigmoid colon, and small intestine was (168.29±53.80) cGy, (178.87±105.38) cGy, (136.05±78.06) cGy, and (288.91±117.49) cGy, respectively. The median follow-up time was 11 months. Among the 30 patients, there were 12 cases of complete remission,14 cases of partial remission, 3 cases of stable disease, and 1 case of disease progression, with an objective remission rate of 86.7%. None of the patients experienced significant bleeding or pain during treatment. After treatment, 3 patients with recurrent lymph nodes near the rectum developed grade 1 radiation proctitis, which was remitted after treatment. No significant complications were observed in the remaining patients. Conclusion: CT guided percutaneous brachytherapy is safe and feasible for the recurrence of single lesions in the radiated field of cervical cancer.