Search

1.1. The response to radiation therapy was evaluated early in the course of treatment in a series of 87 patients with cervical cancer followed for a period of 1 to 6 years.2.2. The cytologic response to irradiation was determined 7 to 10 days after the first radium treatment (IRR), and at the end of therapy (RR). Three to 6 weeks following the conclusion of therapy, the clinical response to therapy (CR) was evaluated.3.3. With the use of specific cytologic standards with the local conditions of radiation therapy of this series, it was established that a favorable RR evaluation correlated well with radiocurability.4.4. The initial response to irradiation (IRR) correlated with patient survival, with almost equal validity as the conventional RR evaluation.5.5. The highest accuracy in predicting the outcome of radiation therapy was obtained in the combined RR and CR assessment.6.6. With the extension of these data to a larger and more meaningful series analyzed as a replicate study, it would seem possible to identify probable treatment failures sufficiently early to allow effective surgical intervention.7.7. It is apparent that the statistical validity of such prognostic correlations must be established within a given laboratory along with the specific regimen of radiation therapy. It appears to be inadvisable to apply the conclusions found to be valid in one institution to the cytologic evaluation and treatment experience of another clinic.