Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology Advance Access published online on January 17, 2008
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, doi:10.1093/jjco/hym136
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© The Author (2008). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved
Patterns of Pretreatment Diagnostic Assessment and Staging for Patients with Cervical Cancer (1999–2001): Patterns of Care Study in Japan *
1 Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa
2 Department of Radiation Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya
3 Department of Radiation Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba
4 Department of Radiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto
5 Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita Osaka
6 Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
For reprints and all correspondence: Takafumi Toita, Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. E-mail: b983255{at}med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Received June 26, 2007; accepted September 19, 2007
Objective: To evaluate the patterns of pretreatment diagnostic assessment in uterine cervical cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy in Japan.
Methods: The Japanese Patterns of Care Study working group conducted a second extramural audit survey of 68 institutions and collected specific information on 631 patients with cervical cancer. All patients were treated with radiotherapy in 1999–2001. Of these, 324 patients treated without surgery were the subjects of this study.
Results: International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics-prescribed diagnostic procedures were performed at moderate rates in our study cohort. The performance rates of chest X-ray, intravenous urography, cystoscopy, and proctoscopy were 74, 54, 53, and 33%, respectively. Cross sectional imaging studies were frequently performed. Pelvic CT, abdominal CT, and pelvic MRI were performed in 88, 80, and 76%, respectively. Lymphangiography (1%) and surgical evaluation (1%) were rarely done. Only one patient underwent PET scans in this survey period.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated the patterns of pretreatment diagnostic assessment in cervical cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy in Japan.
Key Words: cervix neoplasm • radiotherapy • patterns of care • FIGO
* Presented, in part, at the 91st Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).