In making radiosensitivity tests of uterine cervical cancer, we administered a small dose of radiation, given by external irradiation of telecobalt. We forme rly used 1, 000R in 500R daily exposures. As already reported, histological changes before and after test irradiation have the most satisfactory correlations with radiation effect and prognosis.
In this paper, we discuss the possibility of cytological judgment of radiosensitivity. Vaginal smears were investigated in selected 32 cases of carcinoma colli at 7days after test irradiation. Cytologically, we have attempted to judge the radiosensitivity comparing preto posttestirradiation smears and at the same time, the radiosensitivity was judged histologically. Agreement between histological and cytological judgement of radiosensitivity were about 81%.
Cytological findings of good sensitivity by vaginal smears are as follows:
1) Many clusters of malignant cells with leucocytes aggregation in cytoplasm.
2) Granular accumulation and diminution of chromatins in nuclei of malignant cells.
3) Irregularity of nuclear membrane with nuclear wrinkling. Those of poor sensitivity are existence of many unchanged viable cells and less disturbances of chromatins.