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Radiotherapy for vaginal cancer: a multi-institutional survey study of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group

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Abstract

Purpose

Our aim was to assess the patterns of practice and treatment outcomes of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for vaginal cancer in Japan.

Materials and methods

RT methods and outcomes of patients with vaginal cancer treated with definitive RT or chemoradiotherapy at 10 institutes of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group between January 2000 and March 2010 were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the study. The clinical stages were I, II, III, and IVA in 34, 36, 16, and 4 patients, respectively. Seventy patients were treated with three-dimensional conformal RT (3DCRT) and brachytherapy (BT), 12 with BT alone, and 8 with 3DCRT alone. Chemotherapy was administered to 29 patients. The 5-year overall survival and local control rates were 77 and 83% with a median follow-up period of 94 months for surviving or lost patients. The 5-year overall survival rates according to stage were 94, 71, 56, and 75% for stages I, II, III, and IVA, respectively. The 5-year local control rates according to stage were 94, 77, 74, and 75% for stages I, II, III, and IVA, respectively. Twenty-nine percent (6 of 21 patients) of local recurrences occurred between 5 and 10 years after RT. The 10-year local control rate of all patients was 71%. Significant prognostic factors for overall survival by univariate and multi-variate analyses were performance status, tumor size, and pelvic lymph node metastasis. Grade 3 late radiation morbidity of the rectum, pelvic bone, urinary bladder, and skin developed in 9% (8 of 90 patients).

Conclusions

Good outcomes similar to those of cervical cancer can be achieved with definitive RT delivered by 3DCRT and/or BT for vaginal cancer. Long follow-up is necessary for a continuing risk of local recurrence after 5 years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 7708508, Japan

    Hitoshi Ikushima

  2. Department of Radiology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan

    Masaru Wakatsuki

  3. National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan

    Masaru Wakatsuki

  4. Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nakagami, Japan

    Takuro Ariga & Takafumi Toita

  5. National Hospital Organization Fukuyama Medical Center, Fukuyama, Japan

    Yuko Kaneyasu

  6. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan

    Yuko Kaneyasu

  7. Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center, Tatsuno, Japan

    Sunao Tokumaru

  8. Department of Radiology, Saga University, Saga, Japan

    Sunao Tokumaru

  9. Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan

    Fumiaki Isohashi

  10. Department of Radiation Oncology, Mie University Hospital, Tsu, Japan

    Noriko Ii

  11. Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan

    Takashi Uno

  12. Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi, Japan

    Tatsuya Ohno

  13. Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan

    Kokichi Arisawa

Authors
  1. Hitoshi Ikushima
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  2. Masaru Wakatsuki
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  3. Takuro Ariga
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  4. Yuko Kaneyasu
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  5. Sunao Tokumaru
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  6. Fumiaki Isohashi
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  7. Noriko Ii
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  8. Takashi Uno
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  9. Tatsuya Ohno
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  10. Kokichi Arisawa
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  11. Takafumi Toita
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hitoshi Ikushima.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Ikushima, H., Wakatsuki, M., Ariga, T. et al. Radiotherapy for vaginal cancer: a multi-institutional survey study of the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group . Int J Clin Oncol 23, 314–320 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-017-1205-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-017-1205-z

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