Abstract: Objective To explore the dosimetry and efficacy of Rapid Arc plan and 5-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy(5F-IMRT) plan in postoperative radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma in elderly patients. 
Methods A total of 102 elderly patients with cervical cancer were selected. All patients underwent radical resection of cervical cancer, and they were divided into observation group(n=51) and control group(n=51) according to the random number table method. Patients in the control group were given Rapid Arc plan, while patients in the observation group were given 5F-IMRT plan. The indexes of dosimetry, 3-year survival rate and adverse reactions were compared between two groups. 
Results The average target dose, maximum target dose and minimum target dose in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05), but there was no significant difference in uniformity index and conformal index between two groups(P＞0.05). The values of percentage of volume receiving more than 20 Gy(V20) and V30 of the left and right femoral head in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, while the V30, V40 and V50 values of rectum, small intestine and bladder in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05). The number of machine jumps and duration of treatment in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05). During the treatment, adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, leukopenia, radiation enteritis and radiation cystitis occurred in both groups, but there was no significant difference between two groups(P＞0.05). All patients were followed up, and the 3-year survival rate was 86.27%(44/51) in the observation group and 82.35%(42/51) in the control group(P＞0.05). 
Conclusion The application of Rapid Arc technology in postoperative radiotherapy for cervical cancer can optimize the linear accelerator and shorten the duration of treatment on the basis of obtaining the same dose distribution and reducing the organ-at-risk dose, which is worthy of further clinical promotion and research.

Key words: terine cervical neoplasms, radiotherapy, radiotherapy dosage