title: Epigenetic therapy and cisplatin chemoradiation in FIGO stage IIIB cervical cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This trial aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of epigenetic therapy associated with cisplatin chemoradiation in FIGO Stage IIIB patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hydralazine containing either 182 mg for rapid-, or 83 mg for slow acetylators and magnesium valproate were administered at 30 mg/kg tid. Both drugs were taken until intracavitary therapy was finished. Pelvic external beam radiation and low-dose rate brachytherapy were administered at a total cumulative dose to point A of at least 85 Gy. Weekly cisplatin at 40 mg/m2 was delivered for six cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two patients were included and 18 (82%) patients completed treatment. Mean dose to point A was 84.6 + 2.2. Median number of cisplatin cycles was 5.5 (range, 1-6). Brachytherapy was delayed for technical reasons; the mean overall treatment time was 11.8 weeks. Grade 3 anemia, leucopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were observed in 9%, 45%, 45%, and 9% of patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hydralazine and valproate are well-tolerated and safe when administered with cisplatin chemoradiation. Unfortunately, the suboptimal administration of brachytherapy for technical reasons in this study, precluded assessing the efficacy of epigenetic therapy. However, the tolerability of this regimen administered concurrent to radiation needs to be further tested.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IIB), Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Mexico (UNAM), Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Candelaria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cetina
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Cárdenas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Cruz-Hernández
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Fierro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trejo-Becerril
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taja-Chayeb
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chanona
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dueñas-González
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006830:Hydralazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006830:Hydralazine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D002945:Cisplatin