[Interstitial irradiation of malignant neoplasms of the female genitalia].
The paper is concerned with the results of interstitial radiotherapy of 31 patients aged 30 to 76. Of them 18 patients had recurrences or metastases to the vagina, 9 patients--vulvar cancer, 4 patients--vaginal cancer. Interstitial radiotherapy with Co and 252Cf sources was used. A method of successive manual administration of intrastats and ionizing radiation sources was employed. The chief modality was interstitial radiotherapy supplemented with teletherapy or application gamma-beam therapy taking into account the time and doses of previous radiotherapy. Complete tumor regression was observed over time (4-27 mos.) in 23 (74.2%) of 31 patients. Radiation effects were manifested in hyperemia, edema of the mucous membrane and filmy epitheliitis at the site of administration of radioactive sources. Interstitial therapy can be a method of choice for a certain group of patients, especially in case of a limited tumor without infiltration to the adjacent organs.