JOURNAL DESCRIPTION
The Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety journal ISSN 1024-6177 was founded in January 1956 (before December 30, 1993 it was entitled Medical Radiology, ISSN 0025-8334). In 2018, the journal received Online ISSN: 2618-9615 and was registered as an electronic online publication in Roskomnadzor on March 29, 2018. It publishes original research articles which cover questions of radiobiology, radiation medicine, radiation safety, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine and scientific reviews. In general the journal has more than 30 headings and it is of interest for specialists working in thefields of medicine¸ radiation biology, epidemiology, medical physics and technology. Since July 01, 2008 the journal has been published by State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency. The founder from 1956 to the present time is the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and from 2008 to the present time is the Federal Medical Biological Agency.
Members of the editorial board are scientists specializing in the field of radiation biology and medicine, radiation protection, radiation epidemiology, radiation oncology, radiation diagnostics and therapy, nuclear medicine and medical physics. The editorial board consists of academicians (members of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS)), the full member of Academy of Medical Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, corresponding members of the RAS, Doctors of Medicine, professor, candidates and doctors of biological, physical mathematics and engineering sciences. The editorial board is constantly replenished by experts who work in the CIS and foreign countries.
Six issues of the journal are published per year, the volume is 13.5 conventional printed sheets, 88 printer’s sheets, 1.000 copies. The journal has an identical full-text electronic version, which, simultaneously with the printed version and color drawings, is posted on the sites of the Scientific Electronic Library (SEL) and the journal's website. The journal is distributed through the Rospechat Agency under the contract № 7407 of June 16, 2006, through individual buyers and commercial structures. The publication of articles is free.
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The two-year impact factor of RISC, according to data for 2017, was 0.439, taking into account citation from all sources - 0.570, and the five-year impact factor of RISC - 0.352.
Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026. Vol. 71. № 2
DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-2-129-134
I.V. Sycheva1, S.A. Ivanov1, 2, A.D. Kaprin2, 3, 4
Treatment of Total Necrosis of the Vagina with Vulvar Necrosis (Grade Iv) after Chemoradiotherapy of Cervical Cancer
1 A.F. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Centre, Obninsk, Russia
2 P. Lumumba Рeoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
3 National Medical Research Radiological Centre, Obninsk, Russia
4 P.A. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Moscow, Russia
Contact person: I.V. Sycheva, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abstract
Relevance: Radiation therapy (RT) is widely used for the treatment of cervical cancer, however, a number of patients develop radiation complications of nearby organs with the development of late radiation cystitis, urethritis, proctitis and late radiation epithelitis of the vagina and vulva, which worsen the quality of life. There are very few scientific publications in Russia and abroad on late radiation ulcerative necrotic epithelitis of the vagina and vulva, with a small number of clinical cases. There are still no uniform standards for the treatment of this disease worldwide. Often, patients after RT have a combination of late radiation injuries (RI) to the pelvic organs (vagina and vulva, rectum, bladder).
Purpose: To demonstrate the successful comprehensive conservative treatment of late radiation ulcerative necrotic epithelitis of the vagina and vulva (total ulceration and necrosis of the vagina with vulvar necrosis, grade IV toxicity according to the RTOG/EORTC classification). Remission was obtained after 11 months and persists to the present (6 years). There were no complications in the treatment of necrosis. This disease developed after complex treatment with type IIA1 breast cancer (pT2a1N0M0). CRT + Wertheim’s operation in 2012. EBRT TFD 30 Gy. Metastasis to the lower third of the vagina in 2017. CRT. TFD: BT 30 Gy and EBRT 18 Gy. Conservative therapy during the treatment of necrosis was performed every 3 months, then for late radiation proctitis, grade II cystitis ‒ every six months. In January 2023, metastasis to the left inguinal lymph node was detected, and surgery was performed: left-sided inguinal lymphadenectomy, crossectomy for thrombosis of the large saphenous vein on the left. 9 lymph nodes were removed, 1 of which has metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma. Next, the patient received 6 cycles of polychemotherapy (carboplatin + paclitaxel) on the background of anticoagulants. The patient is currently in remission of RI in our department.
Conclusion: Total necrosis of the vagina is a rare disease, the description of which is extremely rare in the literature. It is necessary to raise awareness about late-stage RI, further study of this pathology and new approaches in the treatment of this category of patients. In this clinical case, he was successfully treated and received remission for 6 years without complications. Pronounced late local RI are not a guarantee of the absence of recurrence or progression of the underlying cancer in the future.
Keywords: cervical cancer, radiation therapy, radiation complications, radiation ulcerative-necrotic epithelitis of the vagina and vulva, radiation proctitis, radiation cystitis
For citation: Sycheva IV, Ivanov SA, Kaprin AD. Treatment of Total Necrosis of the Vagina with Vulvar Necrosis (Grade Iv) after Chemoradiotherapy of Cervical Cancer. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2026;71(2):129–134. DOI:10.33266/1024-6177-2026-71-2-129-134
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PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)
Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Financing. The study had no sponsorship.
Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.
Article received: 20.01.2026. Accepted for publication: 25.02.2026.