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/m2) and carboplatin (AUC 5.0) were administered every 3 weeks for CCR therapy, and three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy using paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) 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) inspite 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.