A review of the evolution of radiotherapy for cervical cancer in honor of the centennial of Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Cervical cancer is a common gynecologic malignant tumor. Radiotherapy, as the main method of modern treatment for cervical cancer, can combat cancer comprehensively with the reasonable combination and coordination of internal and external radiation. External radiation can deliver beam over a large area, which can solve the problem of abdominal and pelvic lymph node metastasis. Internal beam (brachytherapy) can eliminate locally invasive tumors by point-to-point high-dose radiation, which has a good therapeutic effect on cervical cancer. Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) has used radiation to treat cancers since its establishment 100 years ago. The radiotherapy department has conducted in-depth clinical research in the field of radiotherapy for cervical cancer and has established the PUMCH model of precise radiotherapy for cervical cancer. Taking the development of cervical cancer radiotherapy technology in PUMCH as an indication, this paper reviews the development process, technological innovation, and future prospects of cervical cancer radiotherapy technology.