Phase II Study of Consolidation Chemotherapy after Adjuvant or Primary Concurrent Chemoradiation Using Paclitaxel and Carboplatin to Treat High-Risk Early-Stage or Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE This study investigated the efficacy and toxicity associated with consolidation chemotherapy using paclitaxel and carboplatin after concurrent chemoradiation (CCR) in cervical cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS From a total of 37 patients, 19 with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB1-IIA cervical cancer (group 1) underwent surgery followed by consolidation chemotherapy after CCR, and 18 with stage IIB-IVA disease (group 2) received consolidation chemotherapy after primary CCR. Three cycles of chemotherapy using paclitaxel (135 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (AUC 5.0) were administered every 3 weeks for CCR therapy, and three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy using paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (AUC 5.0) were used every 3 weeks after CCR. RESULTS The complete and partial response rates were 77.8% and 22.2% in group 2. Moreover, the 3-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 62.7% and 90.9% in group 1, and 51.9% and 60% in group 2, respectively. The most common grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities observed were leukopenia (group 1, 10.5%; group 2, 13.0%) and neutropenia (group 1, 7.0%; group 2, 14.8%), and grade 3 or 4 diarrhea (group 1, 1.8%) and febrile illness (group 2, 1.9%) were the most frequently observed non-hematologic toxicities. When we compared these results with previous reports, consolidation chemotherapy after CCR using paclitaxel and carboplatin revealed a relatively lower complete response rate (77.8% vs. 87-100%, respectively) and shorter progression-free survival (51.9-62.7% vs. 81-86%, respectively) and overall survival (60-90.9% vs. 81-95%, respectively) in spite of similar toxicity findings. CONCLUSION Due to low efficacy results, consolidation chemotherapy using paclitaxel and carboplatin after CCR is not a feasible treatment regimen for high-risk early-stage or locally advanced cervical cancer.