Two cases of fatal necrosis of the lesser pelvis in patients treated with combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia for cervical carcinoma

Abstract

This study reports two cases of fatal necrosis of the lesser pelvis in patients with advanced cervical carcinoma, who had received combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia. The necrosis reached far from the high dose area, in one of the cases even outside the radiation portals. Both patients initially had treatment-related morbidity which responded well to surgical treatment. After a disease-free interval, a rapidly progressive necrosis developed. Necrosis to this extent after combined modality treatment has, to the authors’ knowledge, not been described.

• Cervical carcinoma
• radiotherapy
• hyperthermia
• necrosis