Radiotherapy quality assurance of the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group study (JGOG1066): a cooperative phase II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for uterine cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

To assess radiotherapy protocol compliance in a multi-institutional phase II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced cancer of the uterine cervix (JGOG1066).

METHODS

For study protocol development, various radiotherapy parameters were examined and consensus was reached by Japanese radiation oncologists with cervical cancer treatment expertise. Quality assurance (QA) was also discussed and included in the protocol. A credentialing process was used to select institutions for participation in the study. Individual case reviews referring to 18 QA items were undertaken for each patient. Radiotherapy data were submitted to the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG) data center and reviewed by the members of the radiotherapy committee. The QA evaluation was classed as per protocol, deviation, and violation.

RESULTS

Individual case reviews were performed on 69 of 72 patients entered in the study. In 24 patients (35%), there were no deviations for any QA items. There were also no deviations seen for 5 of the 18 items in 69 patients evaluated. Deviations of 64 QA items were seen in 45 cases, and violations were seen in 4 cases (4 items). The most common deviation concerned appropriate application for the external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) boost to involved nodes or parametrium (32 cases). The 4 violations were identified in the QA items regarding high-dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiotherapy protocol compliance was favorable except for the EBRT boost indications. The results of this study validate the quality of radiotherapy in JGOG1066, and indicate that the final analysis will provide meaningful results.