Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiation in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer

The role of chemotherapy in the management of advanced cervical cancer has been long debated. Whereas some phase II trials have shown promising results with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by irradiation, most phase III trials failed to demonstrate any benefit with this sequential treatment in terms of loco-regional control and survival, mainly because chemotherapy could cause accelerated tumor clonogen resistant cell repopulation The data on cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery appear to be more promising. This treatment modality can increase the operability rate and reduce the incidence of positive nodes and other pathological risk factors. However, very few randomized trials comparing cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy versus conventional irradiation treatment are currently available, whilst data about long-term survival of chemo-surgical-treated patients are scanty. Recently five prospective randomized trials compared concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy and irradiation versus hydroxyurea plus irradiation or irradiation alone. All showed a significant improvement in the outcome of patients treated with concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation. Based on these data, the National Cancer Institute released a Clinical Announcement stating that concurrent cisplatin-based chemoradiation should be the new standard of therapy for high-risk early stage and locally advanced cervical cancer. The introduction of taxanes in both neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy and concurrent chemoradiation could further improve the results of these two treatment modalities. A multicenter randomized trial comparing chemo-surgical treatment with concurrent chemoradiation is warranted to better define the optimum therapeutic strategy for patients with advanced cervical cancer.