The uterine artery resistance index obtained by transabdominal pulsed doppler and sonographic measurement of the cervix volume were analysed in 16 postmenopausal cervical carcinoma patients before and after chemotherapy at the Department of
Obstetrics
and Gynecology, Hanyang University Hospital during the period from march 1989 to June 1993.
1. The average age was 57.0 years old with the highest frequency in 6th decade (50%). In relation to the clinical stages based on FIGO classification, stage I was 1, stage II in 8, stage III in 6 and stage IV in 1 They received 2~5 courses of
chemotherapy at 3 weeks interval consisting of vinblastin, bleomycin and cisplatinum with average 3.7 courses.
2. Among the 16 cases, RI of the uterine artery before and after chemotherapy were revealed increase in 8(50%), decrease in 7 (44%)and no change 1(6%)(P=0.522).
3. Among the 16 cases, sonographic cervix volume were measured in 14 before and after chemotherapy and revealed increase in 2 (14%) and decrease in 12 (86%) (P=0.006).
4. Among the 16 cases, 6 recurred or expired. In that group, RI of the uterine artery were revealed decrease in 5, increase in 1. Also, cervix volume were revealed decrease in 4 (80%), increase in 1 (20%) and 1 case was not checked. Among the 16
cases,
10 were disease free from 1 month to 47 months. In that group, RI of the uterine artery were revealed increase in 7 (70%), decrease in 2 (20%), no change 1 (10%). Also, cervix volume were revealed decrease in 8(89%), increase in 1 (11%) and 1
case
was
not checked.
According to this result, change of the uterine artery doppler waveforms before and after chemotherapy may be helpful to predict the prognosis of the cervical carcinoma.
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