Preliminary results of consolidation chemotherapy following concurrent chemoradiation after radical surgery in high-risk early-stage carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of consolidation chemotherapy after concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin in the treatment of high-risk, early stage cervical carcinoma after radical surgery. Materials and methods: Women with clinical stage IB and IIA cervical carcinoma, initially treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, and who had positive pelvic lymph nodes, positive margins, parametrial involvement, or all three, were divided into either a CCRT alone group or a consolidation chemotherapy after CCRT group. Three cycles of chemotherapy were given to the CCRT alone group, and six cycles to the consolidation chemotherapy group. Women in each group received 50.4 Gy external radiation in 28 fractions to a standard pelvic field. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) (X I) and 5-FU 1000 mg/m(2)/d (X 5) every 3 weeks, with the first and second cycles given concurrent with radiation. Survival and toxicity were compared between the two groups. Results: Forty women were evaluable (25 in the CCRT alone group and 15 in the consolidation chemotherapy group). The estimated 2-year progression-free survival was 87.7% in the CCRT alone group and 67.0% in the consolidation chemotherapy group. The estimated 2-year overall survival was 95.8% in the CCRT alone group and 100% in the consolidation chemotherapy group. However, no significant differences were found in progression-free and overall survival in the two groups (P = 0.17 and P = 0.29, respectively). Grade 2 or higher leukopenia and neutropenia were significantly more frequent in the consolidation chemotherapy group than in the CCRT alone group (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: Although the sample size was small, and this study was not randomised, these results suggest that consolidation chemotherapy may not improve survival. Rather, it may increase haematologic toxicities for women with high-risk, early stage cervical carcinoma who undergo radical surgery followed by CCRT.