title: Treatment results and prognostic factors for cervical cancer patients treated by radiochemotherapy with weekly cisplatin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective trial aims to report the treatment results of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated by concomitant radiochemotherapy with weekly cisplatin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 1999 and December 2003, 81 patients with FIGO Stages IB-IVA were treated at Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology by radiochemotherapy with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2). Intracavitary high-dose rate brachytherapy was applied to 76 patients (93.8%) and five patients (6.2%) were treated with external radiotherapy alone. Early and late side-effects of the treatment were analyzed according to RTOG-EORTC criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 55 years and the most frequent histology was epidermoid carcinoma. Median follow-up time was 42 months. Five-year overall, disease-free and local relapse-free survival rates were 69%, 77%, and 82%, respectively. The presence of low Hgb level (< 12 g/dl), bulky tumor (> 4 cm), poor performance status, pelvic nodal involvement and limited early response to treatment had a significant impact on the local failure rate. Prognostic factors influencing disease-free survival were bulky tumor, performance status, pelvic nodal status, pretreatment Hgb level and limited early response to treatment. A significantly higher 5-year overall survival rate was observed in patients with good performance status, without pelvic nodal involvement, normal pretreatment Hgb level and complete response to treatment. Grade 3-4 side-effects were not observed in any patients. The most frequent acute side-effects were leukopenia, anemia, nausea and vomiting. Long-term side-effects were observed in 54% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This series suggests that radiochemotherapy with weekly cisplatin is an effective and a safe treatment in locally advanced cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Ege University Medical School, Bornova Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozsaran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yalman
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akagunduz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes; D002945:Cisplatin