ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the feasibility of surgical management for patients with locally advanced carcinomas of uterine cervix after radical radiation therapy who were prone to develop central recurrence.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>These 40 patients were treated by combined pre-operative radiotherapy with dose at point A of > 70 Gy in 30 patients, 60 approximately 70 Gy in 7, 50 approximately 59 Gy in 2 and 44 Gy in 1. The interval between radiation and surgery was 1 - 6 weeks. Extrafascial hysterectomy was performed in 15 patients, subradical hysterectomy in 23 and radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy in 2 cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>These patients have been followed up for 1 - 8 years with 2 died of other diseases and 12 died of cancer. Eighteen of the 26 survivors have been followed up for more than 5 years. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 74.9% and 66.8%. Half of the death occurred within the first year after treatment. The 2-year death rate was 9/12 (75.0%). Three patients suffered from long term complications after the treatment, but all were cured by conservative management.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination of hysterectomy performed shortly after radical radiotherapy, ie, for patients with locally poor prognostic cervical carcinoma is reasonable and feasible.</p>