Background Utero-vaginal brachytherapy (BT) is an irreplaceable care component for the curative treatment of locally advanced cervix cancer (LACC). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-image guided adaptive BT (IGABT) using the GYN-GEC-ESTRO EMBRACE guidelines is the international care standard. Usually following chemo–radiation therapy (CRT), IGABT has high proven utility in LACC but requires significant health system resources. Timely access was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic which challenged us to re-design our established IGABT care pathway. Methods From April 2020 consecutive patients with LACC were enrolled after CRT in a single arm exploratory non-inferiority study of a modified IGABT (mIGABT) protocol. This delivered an iso-effective IGABT dose (39.3 Gy: EQD2: α/β10Gy concept) over a 24-h period during a single overnight hospitalisation. Results Fourteen LACC patients received mIGABT from April 2020 to March 2022. Median age was 62.5 years (37–82 years). LACC histology was primary squamous (9/14) or adeno-carcinoma (5/14). International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 stages ranged from IB1/2 (N = 3), IIA1/IIB (5), IIIB (2), IIIC1/2 (4) with mean ± standard deviation (SD) gross tumour volume-at-diagnosis (GTV_D) of 37.7 cc ± 71.6 cc. All patients achieved complete metabolic, clinical, and cytologic cancer response with CRT and IGABT. High-risk HPV was cleared by 6-months. Complete MRI-defined cancer response before mIGABT (GTV_Fx1) was seen in 77% of cases (10/13). Only two women developed metastatic disease and one died at 12-months; 13 patients were alive without cancer at mean 20.3 ± 7.2 months follow-up. Actuarial 2-year overall survival was 93%. Compared with our pre-COVID IGABT program, overall mIGABT cost-saving in this cohort was USD 22,866. Prescribed dose covered at least 90% (D90) of the entire cervix and any residual cancer at time of BT (HRCTV_D90: high-risk clinical target volume) with 3-fractions of 8.5 Gy delivered over 24-h (22.8 ± 1.7 h). Total treatment time including CRT was 38 days. The mIGABT schedule was well tolerated and the entire cohort met EMBRACE recommended (EQD2: α/β10Gy) combined HRCTV_D90 coverage of 87.5 ± 3.7 Gy. Similarly, organ-at-risk (OAR) median: interquartile range D2cc constraints (EQD2: α/β3Gy) were EMBRACE compliant: bladder (65.9 Gy: 58.4–72.5 Gy), rectum (59.1 Gy: 55.7–61.8 Gy), and sigmoid colon (54.6 Gy: 50.3–58.9 Gy). ICRU recto-vaginal point dose was significantly higher (75.7 Gy) in our only case of severe (G4) pelvic toxicity. Conclusions This study demonstrated the utility of mIGABT and VMAT CRT in a small cohort with LACC. Loco-regional control was achieved in all cases with minimal emergent toxicity. Single insertion mIGABT was logistically efficient, cost-saving, and patient-centric during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Utero-vaginal brachytherapy (BT) is an irreplaceable care component in treating locally advanced cervix cancer (LACC). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-image guided adaptive BT (IGABT) using the GYN-GEC-ESTRO EMBRACE regimen is the international care standard. Usually following chemo-radiation therapy (CRT), IGABT has high proven utility in LACC but requires significant health system resources. Timely access was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, challenging us to re-design our established IGABT care pathway. Methods: From April 2020 consecutive patients with LACC were enrolled after CRT in a single arm exploratory non-inferiority study of a modified IGABT (mIGABT) protocol. Comparable to EMBRACE, our 3-fraction mIGABT delivered an iso-effective BT dose (39.3Gy: EQD2: α/β10Gy concept) over a 24-hour period during a single overnight hospitalisation. Results : Fourteen LACC patients received mIGABT from April 2020 to March 2022. Median age was 62.5 years (37-82 yrs.). LACC histology was primary squamous (9/14) or adeno-carcinoma (5/14). International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2018 stages ranged from IB1/2 (N=3), IIA1/IIB (5), IIIB (2), IIIC1/2 (4) with mean ± standard deviation (SD) gross tumour volume (GTV) of 37.7cc ± 71.6cc. All patients achieved complete cancer response with CRT and IGABT. Two women developed systemic metastatic disease and one died at 12-months; 13 patients were alive without cancer at 15.5 ± 7.2 months follow-up. Actuarial 2-year overall survival was 93%.Prescribed dose covered at least 90% (D90) of the entire cervix and any residual cancer at time of BT (HRCTV_D90: high-risk clinical target volume) with 3-fractions of 8.5Gy delivered over 24-hours (22.8 ± 1.7 hrs). Overall treatment time including CRT was 38 days. The mIGABT schedule was well tolerated and met recommended (EQD2: α/β10Gy) target dose coverage 87.5 ± 3.7Gy, and organ-at-risk median: interquartile range D2cc constraints (EQD2: α/β3Gy) for bladder (65.9Gy: 58.4-72.5Gy), rectum (59.1Gy: 55.7-61.8Gy), and sigmoid colon (54.6Gy: 50.3-58.9Gy). ICRU recto-vaginal point dose was significantly higher (75.7Gy) in our only case of severe (G4) toxicity.Conclusions: This study demonstrated the utility of mIGABT and VMAT CRT in a small cohort with LACC. Loco-regional control was achieved in all cases. Single insertion IGABT was logistically efficient, cost-saving, and patient-centric during the COVID-19 pandemic.