3-D image guided treatment helps avoid hysterectomies for cervical cancer patients

Delivering radiotherapy directly to cervical cancer using 3-D imaging techniques is effective at controlling the return and spread of the disease and, in most cases, avoids the need for hysterectomies, according to research presented at the World Congress of Brachytherapy today. Dr. Renaud Mazeron said that a review of 3-D image guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) given to 163 patients treated between 2004-2009 at the Institut Gustave Roussy in Villejuif, France, has shown that it achieved results that were far superior to using different treatments. Not only was IGABT effective at controlling the tumors, but it also had fewer side-effects. There is currently no conclusive evidence as to whether or not women with cervical cancer should have their wombs removed, but this study suggests that hysterectomies may be unnecessary for most women.