Abstract

PURPOSE
We evaluated the prognostic factors, survivals and patterns of failure of the patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received radical radiotherapy alone and induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy respectively.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Between May 1985 to December 1992, one hundred and sixty three patients with locally advaneed cervical cancer received curative radiotherapy. Patients were divided into two groups: control group included 69 patients who received curative radiotherapy and combined group included 94 patients who received induction chemotherapy followed by curative radiotherapy. The curative radiotherapy consisted of external pelvic radiotherapy and intracavitary brachytherapy. Induction chemotherapy was delivered in VBP (vincristine, bleomycin, cisplatin) and FP (5-FU, cisplatin). Follow up period ranged from 2 months to 99 months with median of 50 months.
RESULTS
The overall response rate was 94.2% in the control group and 89.4% in the combined group. The response rate by control group was 66.7% for CR (complete response), 27.5% for PR (partial response), 5.8% for NR (no response). The response rate by combined group of CR, PR, NR were 64.9%, 24.5%, 10.6%, respectively. There was no difference in response for control group and combined group (p> 0.05). The 5-year overall survival had no significant difference in between control group and combined group (54.6% vs. 57.3%). The 5-year disease free survival also had no significant difference (52.9% vs. 55.0%). In the control group, 23 patients (33.3%) had treatment failure: twelve (17.4%) at a local recurrence, 9 (13.0%) as distant metastasis, and 2 (2.9%) with both local recurrence and distant metastasis. In the combined group, Thirty patients (31.9%) failed therapy, with local recurrence in 21 patients (22.3%), distant metastasis in 7 patients (7.5%), and both in 2 patients (2.1%). The difference between the two groups was not significant in view of patterns of failure. The major toxicities were nausea/ vomiting, leukopenia, anemia, and diarrhea. The prognostic factors affecting were hemoglobin level, KPS (karnofsky performance status), and treatment response in both group by multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSION
This study did not prove the efficacy of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer.

• Keywords: Locally advanced cervical cancer;Induction chemotherapy;Radiotherapy