the effect of extrafascial hysterectomy after completion of external beam radiotherapy for treatment of locally advanced stages (iib-iii) of cervical cancer

background: worldwide, cervical cancer is one of the most challenging gynecologic cancers in treatment. objectives: this study was designed with the aim of comparing patients treated with external beam radiotherapy (ebrt) and interactivity brachytherapy (icbt) with ebrt and extrafascial hysterectomy in locally advanced stages of cervical cancer (iib-iii). patients and methods: the present study was designed as a case-control which was performed on the patients with cervical cancer in locally advanced stages (iib-iii) admitted to namazi and faghihi hospitals (university hospitals in shiraz) between 2008-2011. 51 patients were included in two distinct groups: 25 patients were treated with ebrt and interactivity brachytherapy (group a). 26 patients were treated with ebrt and extrafascial hysterectomy group b. results: in group a, the number of patients with figo stage iib and iii were 16 and 9, respectively, and 17 and 9 in group b. the median duration of follow-up was 24 months. there were no significant differences between two groups in metastasis and recurrence rate (p > 0.05). 5-years overall survival rate was 54.8% [95% ci: 39-70.9] in group a and in group b was 50.9% [95% ci: 41.5-60] and the log-rank test which controls the effect of treatment modalities on overall survival rate, did not show any significant difference between two groups (p = 0.407). conclusion: the results of our study showed that the trend of treatment using ebrt along with intracavity brachytherapy may have the same outcome as the method of using ebrt and extrafascial hysterectomy. overall, it seems that external beam radiation followed by extrafascial hysterectomy could be a proper substitute for brachytherapy.