Asian Journal of Oncology (Jul 2018)

Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Concomitant Chemoradiotherapy Using Three Weekly Cisplatin and Biweekly 5-Fluorouracil versus Weekly Paclitaxel in Locally Advanced Carcinoma Cervix

  • Sapna Marcus,
  • Jasmeet Kaur,
  • Hanuman Prasad Yadav

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1676878
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 04, no. 02
pp. 054 – 060

Abstract

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India being the second most populous country in the world accounted for 25% of cervical cancer death according to GLOBOCAN 2012. Although there are many agents available, the need for a model chemotherapy regimen that is effective and at the same time less toxic and has easy affordability is the current unmet need. We devised a study with the most commonly available and affordable drugs such as Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), and Paclitaxel. The main objective was to study the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in treatment of carcinoma cervix, using two different regimens in terms of clinical response evidenced clinically as well as on imaging. Secondary objectives were to assess the progression-free and overall survival. It was clearly evident that the response rate could be appreciated clinically in arm B over A; however, this difference could not be justified by statistical methods. Toxicities observed in both the arms was comparable, and in terms of progression-free and overall survival, the differences were not significant suggesting that the both the options could be considered in the treatment. Although the outcome looks promising prompting exploration of more such combinations that are easily available in the rural hospitals, but because of smaller sample size and smaller follow-up, a multi-institutional study with a larger sample size and a longer follow-up is definitely required to set the ball rolling in favor of combination chemotherapy, including cisplatin and 5FU.

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