3D-printed brachytherapy in patients with cervical cancer: improving efficacy and safety outcomes

Abstract Objective This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 3D printing technology in brachytherapy for cervical cancer, comparing its outcomes with conventional free hand implantation brachytherapy. Methods A total of 50 cervical cancer patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College from January 2019 to July 2023 were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: 25 patients received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with 3D-printed brachytherapy, and 25 patients underwent IMRT combined with free hand brachytherapy implantation. Key indicators analyzed included short-term therapeutic effects, survival outcomes, operation times, the number of CT scans, the number of needles inserted, dosimetric parameters, and complications. Results The use of 3D-printed brachytherapy significantly improved the safety of radiation therapy operations, especially for large tumors (≥ 30 mm), by providing more precise dose distribution and reducing the radiation doses received by critical organs such as the bladder and rectum. Compared to the artificial implant group (88% prevalence), the 3D-printed brachytherapy group showed a significantly lower incidence of radiation enteritis (29.2% prevalence, p