Current state-of-the-art of concomitant chemoradiation in cervical carcinomas

Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2003;24(6):475-9.

Abstract

Despite screening programs, cervical carcinoma remains a major health problem throughout the world. Until recently pelvic radiation has been the standard therapy for advanced disease with overall five-year survival rates of 50%. Recently, five randomized trials demonstrated a significant survival advantage for the concomitant administration of radiotherapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Although the trials vary somewhat in terms of stage of disease, dose of radiation, and schedule of radiation and cisplatin, they all demonstrated a significant survival benefit for the combined approach. Congruent to these findings are results from a meta-analysis based on the data from 19 trials with 4,580 randomized patients. The absolute increase in progression-free and overall survival was 16% and 12%, respectively. Contrary to these findings is the result of the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCCI) trial. Despite that result cisplatin-based concomitant chemoradiotherapy has become the standard treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Survival Analysis
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / mortality
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / radiotherapy*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Cisplatin