title: A phase II randomized trial comparing radiotherapy with concurrent weekly cisplatin or weekly paclitaxel in patients with advanced cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a prospective comparison of weekly cisplatin to weekly paclitaxel as concurrent chemotherapy with standard radiotherapy for locally advanced cervical carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2000 and May 2004, 31 women with FIGO stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer or with postsurgical pelvic recurrence were enrolled into this phase II study and randomized to receive on a weekly basis either 40 mg/m² Cisplatin (group I; 16 patients) or 50 mg/m² paclitaxel (group II; 15 patients) concurrently with radiotherapy. Median total dose to point A was 74 Gy (range: 66-92 Gy) for group I and 66 Gy (range: 40-98 Gy) for group II. Median follow-up time was 46 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient and tumor characteristics were similar in both groups. The mean number of chemotherapy cycles was also comparable with 87% and 80% of patients receiving at least 4 doses in groups I and II, respectively. Seven patients (44%) of group I and 8 patients (53%) of group II developed tumor recurrence. The Median Survival time was not reached for Group I and 53 months for group II. The proportion of patients surviving at 2 and 5 years was 78% and 54% for group I and 73% and 43% for group II respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This small prospective study shows that weekly paclitaxel does not provide any clinical advantage over weekly cisplatin for concurrent chemoradiation for advanced carcinoma of the cervix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The American University of Beirut Medical Center, Bliss Street, Beirut, Lebanon. fg00@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: Fady B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Geara
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamseddine
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Mirna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abboud
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charafeddine
authors.forename: Muhieddine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seoud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011878:Radiotherapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin