Treatment of recurrence of cervical cancer after radiotherapy

Cervical cancer recurrence refers to the disappearance of symptoms and physical signs after treatment, but the reappearance of cancer after more than 6 months. It can be divided into different categories according to the nature of the recurrence. Central recurrence, pelvic recurrence after radiotherapy and distant recurrence are more common. For these patients, the following treatment methods can be adopted:

1. Central recurrence: surgical treatment as the main treatment, followed by radiotherapy

Patients with central recurrence of cervical cancer should undergo surgical resection if they have surgical indications. The main surgical procedures include electrocautery and partial vaginal excision. Adequate preoperative evaluation and preparation should be performed during treatment, and careful postoperative care should be performed. For patients with central recurrence who are not suitable for surgery, if re-radiotherapy is considered, the method, dose and fractionation of re-radiotherapy should be determined based on the time of recurrence and the specific circumstances of the initial radiotherapy, and complications should be taken seriously.

2. Pelvic recurrence after radiotherapy: intra-arterial chemotherapy, palliative radiotherapy

For patients with cervical cancer who have pelvic recurrence after radiotherapy, pelvic intraarterial infusion of chemotherapy drugs and/or palliative radiotherapy are currently used for treatment.

3. Treatment of distant recurrence: comprehensive treatment based on chemotherapy

Distant recurrence of cervical cancer refers to widespread systemic spread or pelvic recurrence after radical treatment. For such patients, comprehensive treatment with chemotherapy as the main treatment is generally given, and regional chemotherapy can be combined with surgery as needed. Local radiotherapy and chemotherapy are generally used for supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and bone metastasis.