Combination chemotherapy and radical radiotherapy in stage III b Carcinoma of uterine cervix

Abstract

Between May 1993 to May 1994 previously untreated eighty patients with carcinoma of uterine cervix stage III B were randomized to group A, treated by chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and group B subjected to radiotherapy alone. Out of 40 patients in group A who received chemotherapy complete response(CR) was seen in 8 patients (20 percent) partial response(PR) in 23(57.5 percent) and 7 patients (17.5 percent) had no resonse, remaining 2 patients did not complete treatment. Following chemotherapy 38 patients completed RT as planned which resulted in CR in 26 patients (68.4 percent). Residual disease was present in 10 cases. While 2 patients had progressive disease at 6 weeks after completion of treatment. In the RT group B patients out of 39 evaluable patients 25(64 percent) achieved CR, 12 had residual disease and 2 progressed. Both the regimes were tolerated reasonably well. Patients receiving anterior chemotherapy had nausea, vomiting , pyrexia and alopecia as the more frequent side effects. Two of them developed VVF while on radiotherapy. In group B radiation related proctitis and cystitis were seen in one patient (2 percent).