Incidence of complications with mini vaginal culpostats in carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Abstract Between 1980 and 1987, 298 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated at the University of Louisville Department of Radiation Oncology. Of these, 197 (66.1%) were treated for cure by radiotherapy alone: 36 by external beam alone and 161 by external beam and tandem and ovoid applications. The F.I.G.O. staging of the 161 patients was 82 (50.1%) Stage 1B, 9 (5.6%) Stage IIA, 40 (24.9%) Stage IIB, and 30 (18.6%) Stage III. The usual treatment was whole pelvis irradiation followed by two intracavitary applications using the Fletcher Suit Applicators of tandem and ovoids in 79 161 patients (49%), a 3-M Mini Applicator (Fletcher Suit Delcos Applicator) in 52 161 patients (32.3%), and a 3-M Mini Applicator with Caps in 30 161 patients (18.6%). The incidence of grade 3–4 gastrointestinal or genitourinary complications as defined by the RTOG was 19.3% ( 31 161 ). Various treatment parameters were analyzed to define possible contributing factors. Grade 3–4 complications were seen in 7.6% ( 6 79 ) of patients treated with the standard ovoid Fletcher system, 26.9% ( 14 52 ) treated with the mini-ovoid system, and 36.6% ( 11 30 ) treated with the mini-ovoid system with caps ( p = .0006). Although trends were noted, neither the vaginal surface dose (VSD) from the ovoids nor the addition of the external beam dose to the VSD (total vaginal surface dose = TVSD) were significant independent variables ( p = 0.19 and = 0.133, respectively). The TVSD was significant when comparisons were made between different ovoid systems ( p = 0.05 for p = 0.004 for 12,000 cGy). In this study, the 3-M mini applicator was associated with a significant increase in grade 3–4 complications as compared to the Standard Fletcher Suit Applicator.