SUPERVOLTAGE RADIATION THERAPY. USE OF THE LINEAR ACCELERATOR FOR TREATING OVARIAN ADENOCARCINOMA.

In a study of patients treated thus far by supervoltage radiation from the Stanford linear accelerator, the following conclusions were reached:Homogenous radiation in doses of 4,000 rads may be delivered to the upper abdomen and 5,500 rads to the lower abdomen and pelvis for the treatment of ovarian cancer by the proper utilization of modern super-voltage radiation sources. Patients with Stage 2 and Stage 3 lesions are best treated by total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by total pelvic irradiation. Stage 4 disease was seldom controlled by high dose radiation therapy to the entire peritoneal cavity. An unusual histologic pattern has been found in the liver of three patients who died three to nine months after 4,000 to 5,000 rads had been given in a period of five or six weeks.