Survival of nonsurgically staged patients with negative lymphangiograms who had Stage IIB carcinoma of the cervix treated by pelvic radiation plus hydroxyurea.
Twenty patients with Stage IIB carcinoma of the cervix who did not undergo pretherapy para-aortic lymphadenectomy, but who had negative preradiation therapy lymphangiograms, were treated with pelvic radiation plus hydroxyurea. Patients received a median of 5020 rads of pelvic radiation plus 4000 rads of radium to point A. During radiation therapy and for a total of 12 weeks, patients received hydroxyurea administered at a dose of 80 mg/kg of body weight every 3 days if the white blood cell count was greater than or equal to 2,500/mm3 and platelets were greater than or equal to 75,000/mm3. The median follow-up time was 28 months (6 to 83 months). The estimated 5-year survival rate was 92%. Seventeen patients are alive with no evidence of disease (median, 28 months); one died of intercurrent disease with no evidence of disease (17 months); one is alive with no evidence of disease after recurrence (18 months); and one died of cervical cancer (22 months). The survival rate of patients with nonsurgically staged negative pretherapy lymphangiograms who had Stage IIB cervical cancer treated by pelvic radiation therapy plus hydroxyurea approximated the improved survival rate reported for patients with negative pretherapy para-aortic lymphadenectomy who were treated with pelvic radiation therapy plus hydroxyurea. Both studies would suggest that pelvic radiation plus hydroxyurea improves the rate of survival in patients with Stage IIB cervical cancer.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008220:Lymphography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D010388:Pelvis; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011883:Radium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011883:Radium; D006918:Hydroxyurea