The current practice of treating cervical cancer with surgery or radiation alone has been challenged by the recent information from the National Cancer Institute regarding concurrent chemoradiation for cervical cancer. Although the trials varied in terms of stage of disease, dose of radiation, and schedule of cisplatin and radiation, they all demonstrated significant survival benefit for this combined approach. Based on these results, strong consideration should be given to the incorporation of concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy with radiation therapy in women who require radiation therapy for treatment of cervical cancer. Adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy is widely used to treat women with locally and regionally advanced cervical cancer. Long-term toxicity data are incomplete on some of these trials, but to date all these regimens appear tolerable.
Acute toxicities vary among the regimens, as do the doses and schedules of drugs and radiation.
Whitney CW, Sause W. Bundy BN, et al. A Gynecologic Oncology Group and Southwest Oncology Group study. J Clin Oncol . Morris M, Eifel PJ, Lu J, et al. N Engl J Med .