title: Short-term weekly neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.
abstract: Twenty patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage Ib-IIa "bulky"/IIb) were treated with three courses of weekly PVB (day 1: cisplatin, 50 mg/m2; vincristin, 1 mg/m2; bleomycin, 30 IU over 24-hr) in a neoadjuvant setting. Toxicity was generally mild (no grade 3-4 toxicity was observed), and the treatment was well tolerated without reduction of programmed dose intensity. Fourteen patients (70%) experienced a clinical response and underwent surgery within 20 days after the third course of chemotherapy. Six patients (30%) with stable disease were treated with salvage radiotherapy. Two of the 14 responders experienced a pathologic complete response (14.2%); microscopic disease was detected in one patient with clinical complete response. Pelvic node metastases were found in 4/14 patients (28.5%) and microscopic parametrium involvement in 3/14 (21.4%). All 14 patients had free margins of resection. A short-term weekly platinum-based chemotherapy is highly effective, has little toxicity, and allows a prompt salvage therapy for nonresponding patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, University of L'Aquila, Italy. porziol@interfree.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Porzio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ficorella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricevuto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery