INTRACAVITARY DEVELOPMENT FOR GYNECOLOGICAL HYPERTHERMIA

CANCERS OF THE CERVIX AND ENDOMETRIUM AFFECT 48,000 WOMEN PER YEAR. IN SPITE OF MAJOR ADVANCES IN DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY, SURGERY, AND RADIATION THERAPY, LOCAL CONTROL OF THESE MALIGNANCIES CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM. IN 1985, THERE WERE7,400 DEATHS FROM CANCER OF THE CERVIX AND 3,200 DEATHS FROMCANCER OF THE ENDOMETRIUM. AS PART OF THE STANDARD TREATMENT FOR THE MORE ADVANCED CASES, HIGH-DOSE INTRACAVITARY IRRADIATION IS DELIVERED WITH A TANDEM AND COLPOSTAT. THIS DEVICE CAN BE SECURED IN POSITION IN THE ENDOMETRIAL CANAL AND SURROUNDING THE CERVIX SO THAT LOCAL, INTENSE IRRADIATION CAN BE DELIVERED. STILL, LOCAL FAILURESCONTINUE TO PLAGUE PATIENTS WITH MORE ADVANCED LOCAL DISEASE. THIS PROJECT WILL MODIFY CURRENT INTRACAVITARY APPLICATORS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF GYNECOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE DELIVERY OF INTRACAVITARY HYPERTHERMIA THROUGH THE SAME DEVICES THAT ARE USED TO DELIVER INTRACAVITARY IRRADIATION. IT IS PLANNED TO MODIFY THESE APPLICATORS IN SUCH A WAY THAT LOCAL HYPERTHERMIA CAN ALSO BE DELIVERED IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE BETTER LOCAL CONTROL. MICROWAVE AND ULTRASOUND HEATING DEVICES WILL BE INCORPORATED TO ACCOMMODATE A WIDE VARIETY OF CLINICAL SITUATIONS. IN PARTICULAR, THE TANDEM WILL BE MODIFIED TO ACCEPT AN AIR-COOLED MICROWAVE ANTENNA. THE COLPOSTATS (OVOIDS) WILL BE MODIFIED TO INCLUDE ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS OR MICROWAVE SPIRAL APPLICATORS.