The incidence, diagnosis, and treatment of gynecologic cancer have undergone major changes during the past 20 years. In addition to significant changes in the incidence of the diseases, there has been extensive application of new technologies in the field. - While the incidence of invasive cancers of the cervix has diminished sharply, there has been a marked increase in the number of patients presenting with in situ carcinomas of the cervix. This has resulted primarily from better education but also from the regular use of Papanicolaou screening for early diagnosis. This trend has been associated with a major shift from late stage disease to early stage disease, which has led to more effective utilization of surgical techniques in primary management, with less emphasis on radiation therapy techniques. Almost invariably, in situ cancers of the cervix can be cured by surgical management, and high cure rates can be achieved by surgical techniques in early invasive cancers of the cervix. Therefore, more patients are receiving definitive surgical management rather than definitive radiation therapy management. - Because of its tendency to present at an early stage, cancer of the endometrium is now more commonly managed by surgical techniques. Postoperative radiation therapy is used when there is persistent residual disease following surgery, a more advanced disease stage than indicated by preliminary study, transection or spillage of tumor during the operative procedure, or positive cytology at the time of the original surgery.

1 The Historical Roots of Modern Brachytherapy for Cervical and Endometrial Cancer

Basics
2 Radiobiological Considerations in Gynaecological Radiotherapy
3 Diagnostic Workup and Staging
4 Radiation Planning in Female Genital Cancers
Special Report
5 Cancer of the Vulva
6 Special Malignancies of the Vulva
7 Cancer of the Vagina
8 Cancer of the Female Urethra
9 Cancer of the Cervix
10 Cancer of the Endometrium
11 Malignancies of the Ovaries
12 Cancer of the Fallopian Tube
13 Genital Soft Tissue Sarcomas
14 Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
15 Management of Reactions and Complications Following Radiation Therapy
16 Palliative Radiation Therapy in Female Genital Cancers
17 Radiation Treatment of Benign Gynecologic Diseases
List of Contributors.