Neoadjuvant chemotherapy by transcatheter arterial infusion method for uterine cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of transcatheter intraarterial infusion of anticancer drugs on the prognosis of cervical cancer were retrospectively studied.


METHODS
Two or three sessions of transcatheter arterial infusion therapy were performed in 97 patients with primary uterine cervical cancer. The number of patients in stage I, II, III, or IV were 15, 37, 34, and 11, respectively. The drugs infused were cisplatin (60-70 mg/m2), doxorubicin hydrochloride (30-40 mg/m2), mitomycin (15 mg/m2), and 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/body). They were infused via the bilateral internal iliac arteries. Seventy-five patients of the 97 (78%) underwent radical hysterectomy after arterial infusion: stage I (14 of 15), stage II (31 of 37), stage III (25 of 34), and stage IV (5 of 11). Three stage II and nine stage III patients received radical radiation therapy. The other 10 patients (one with stage I, three with stage II, and six with stage IV) did not receive an operation and radiation therapy after arterial infusion because of their distant metastases at the time of operation. Thirty-eight patients of 75 (51%) received postoperative radiation therapy.


RESULTS
The complete histologic response rates (no active cancer cells) after arterial infusion were four of 14, four of 31, six of 25, and one of five for stages I, II, III, and IV. The histologic response rates, which showed no parametrial invasion after arterial infusion, were 12 of 14, 24 of 31, and 15 of 25 for stages I, II, and III. The histologic response rates, which demonstrated no lymph node metastases after arterial infusion, were 12 of 14, 24 of 31, and 19 of 25 for stages I, II, and III. The overall 5-year survival rates of the patients with stages I, II, and III were 93.3%, 58.7%, and 69.7%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of the operated patients with stages I, II, and III were 100%, 60.5%, and 63.6%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of the irradiated patients with stage III was 87.5%. Leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia occurred as an acute complication in 75% and 79% of the patients, respectively. As a late complication, ileus occurred in 7%.


CONCLUSIONS
Arterial infusion may improve the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer without increasing the incidence of late complications.
Nagata
Y
Y
Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. nag@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Araki
N
N
Kimura
H
H
Fujiwara
K
K
Okajima
K
K
Aoki
T
T
Mitsumori
M
M
Sasai
K
K
Hiraoka
M
M
Higuchi
T
T
Fujii
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*