Long-term follow-up of the first randomized trial using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage Ib squamous carcinoma of the cervix: the final results

Feasibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for bulky early stage to stage IIIB cervical cancer in Uganda

Introduction

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) became unavailable in Uganda from February 2016 to November 2017. Following resource stratification guidelines, an alternative treatment strategy was developed.

Methods

Bulky early stage to Stage IIIB patients received at least 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Surgery was performed if adequate response was achieved and adjuvant therapy given for high risk factors. Chemotherapy versus supportive care was advised in unresectable disease. NAC protocol completion was defined as receiving at least 3 cycles of NAC followed by either surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation, or best supportive care. The purpose of this study was to determine the completion rate of NAC and assess the adverse events associated with treatment. Data were collected through retrospective chart review.

Results

From February 2016 to November 2018, 53 evaluable patients were identified. 86.8% (46/53) of patients presented in Stage IIB or higher. The completion rate of the NAC protocol was 75.5% (40/53). 94.3% (50/53) received platinum-taxane combination. 7.6% (4/52) grade 3 adverse events occurred related to chemotherapy, all hematologic. 18.8% (10/53) patients underwent surgery with 2 aborted cases due to metastatic or inoperable disease. No adverse events related to surgery were reported. 5 patients underwent adjuvant therapy after surgery due to high risk factors or incomplete pathology findings. 26 patients received adjuvant radiation (3 brachytherapy, 23 EBRT after it became available). Reported side effects related to radiation included vaginal fibrosis and skin reactions.

Conclusion

In this limited-resource setting, majority of patients completed a NAC treatment strategy for cervical cancer with acceptable toxicities.

Recent breakthroughs in the management of locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer

Cervical cancer continues to be a global threat affecting individuals in resource poor communities disproportionately. The treatment paradigm for this disease is ever evolving with recent innovations propelling oncologic outcomes to a new frontier offering survival benefits for patients struggling with locally advanced disease and metastatic/recurrent carcinoma. Immunologic checkpoint inhibitors and anti-body drug conjugates represent two novel drug classes that have demonstrable activity in this disease, particularly in the first-line and second-line treatment paradigm for recurrence. The tolerability of these novel medicines and associated durable responses underscore regulatory approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations and their implementation in clinic.

Urinary, Gastrointestinal, and Sexual Dysfunctions after Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Radical Surgery or Multimodal Treatment in Women with Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Different strategies have been proposed for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC), with different impacts on patient's quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to analyze urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions in a series of LACC patients who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, radical surgery, or a combination of these treatments.

METHODS

Patients with LACC who underwent neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy (NART/CT; n = 35), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT; n = 17), exclusive radio-chemotherapy (ERT/CT; n = 28), or upfront surgery (UPS; n = 10) from November 2010 to September 2019 were identified from five oncological referral centers. A customized questionnaire was used for the valuation of urinary, gastrointestinal, and sexual dysfunctions.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients were included. Increased urinary frequency (>8 times/day) was higher in ERT/CT compared with NACT/RT (57.1% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.02) and NACT (57.1% vs. 17.6%; p = 0.01). The use of sanitary pads for urinary leakage was higher in ERT/CT compared with NACT/RT (42.9% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.01) and NACT (42.9% vs. 11.8%; p = 0.03). The rate of reduced evacuations (<3 times a week) was less in UPS compared with NACT/RT (50% vs. 97.1%; p < 0.01), NACT (50% vs. 88.2, p < 0.01), and ERT/CT (50% vs. 96.4%; p < 0.01). A total of 52 women were not sexually active after therapy, and pain was the principal reason for the avoidance of sexual activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate and severity of urinary, gastrointestinal, and sexual dysfunction were similar in the four groups of treatment. Nevertheless, ERT/CT was associated with worse sexual and urinary outcomes.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy plus Radical Surgery in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Retrospective Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND

Several pretreatment variables have been found to correlate with the clinical outcome of patients treated with NACT plus radical hysterectomy, such as FIGO stage, tumor size, and lymph node status.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective observational study to evaluate the use of NACT in LACC, particularly in the lymph-node-positive subpopulation. The study, conducted at the Maternal and Child Department of "Cannizzaro Hospital" in Catania, included patients treated between 2009 and 2019. Multivariate analysis was performed to analyze responses to NACT according to clinicopathologic parameters. Kaplan-Meyer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) curves were generated according to different lymph node status subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 151 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. Significant independent risk factors for response to NACT were preoperative tumor diameter, parametrium involvement, and lymphoma vascular space invasion (LVSI). T initial diameter at NMR was found to be the independent prognostic predictor for general (p = 0.024) and lymph node (LND) response (p = 0.028). Tumors between 2 and 6 cm have a better response to NACT than tumors > 6 cm, and LVSI absence was an independent prognostic factor for LND response to NACT. Survival DFS and OS curves were significant for positive vs. negative pathologic LND.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery cannot be considered a standard of care in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, particularly in the subgroup with pre-NACT imaging suspected for LND metastases.

A Deep Learning Radiomics Nomogram to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Two-Center Study

Purpose: This study aimed to establish a deep learning radiomics nomogram (DLRN) based on multiparametric MR images for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Methods: Patients with LACC (FIGO stage IB-IIIB) who underwent preoperative NACT were enrolled from center 1 (220 cases) and center 2 (independent external validation dataset, 65 cases). Handcrafted and deep learning-based radiomics features were extracted from T2WI, DWI and contrast-enhanced (CE)-T1WI, and radiomics signatures were built based on the optimal features. Two types of radiomics signatures and clinical features were integrated into the DLRN for prediction. The AUC, calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to illustrate the performance of these models and their clinical utility. In addition, disease-free survival (DFS) was assessed by Kaplan–Meier survival curves based on the DLRN. Results: The DLRN showed favorable predictive values in differentiating responders from nonresponders to NACT with AUCs of 0.963, 0.940 and 0.910 in the three datasets, with good calibration (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, the DLRN performed better than the clinical model and handcrafted radiomics signature in all datasets (all p < 0.05) and slightly higher than the DL-based radiomics signature in the internal validation dataset (p = 0.251). DCA indicated that the DLRN has potential in clinical applications. Furthermore, the DLRN was strongly correlated with the DFS of LACC patients (HR = 0.223; p = 0.004). Conclusion: The DLRN performed well in preoperatively predicting the therapeutic response in LACC and could provide valuable information for individualized treatment.

Perspectives of ERCC1 in early-stage and advanced cervical cancer: From experiments to clinical applications

Cervical cancer is a public health problem of extensive clinical importance. Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) was found to be a promising biomarker of cervical cancer over the years. At present, there is no relevant review article that summarizes such evidence. In this review, nineteen eligible studies were included for evaluation and data extraction. Based on the data from clinical and experimental studies, ERCC1 plays a key role in the progression of carcinoma of the uterine cervix and the therapeutic response of chemoradiotherapy. The majority of the included studies (13/19, 68%) suggested that ERCC1 played a pro-oncogenic role in both early-stage and advanced cervical cancer. High expression of ERCC1 was found to be associated with the poor survival rates of the patients. ERCC1 polymorphism analyses demonstrated that ERCC1 might be a useful tool for predicting the risk of cervical cancer and the treatment-related toxicities. Experimental studies indicated that the biological effects exerted by ERCC1 in cervical cancer might be mediated by its associated genes and affected signaling pathways (i.e., XPF, TUBB3, and. To move towards clinical applications by targeting ERCC1 in cervical cancer, more clinical, in-vitro, and in-vivo investigations are still warranted in the future.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with international federation of gynecology and obstetrics stages IB3 and IIA2 cervical cancer: a multicenter prospective trial

BACKGROUND

Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been widely used in developing countries for the treatment of patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IB3 and IIA2 cervical cancer. However, the effectiveness of NACT and treatment options for NACT-insensitive patients have been concerning. This study will assess prognostic differences between NACT and primary surgery treatment (PST), determine factors associated with prognosis, and explore better adjuvant treatment modalities for NACT-insensitive patients.

METHODS

This study analyzed clinical characteristics, pathological characteristics, treatment options, and follow-up information of 774 patients with FIGO stages IB3 and IIA2 cervical cancer from 28 centers from January 2016 to October 2019 who participated in a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

RESULTS

For patients undergoing NACT, the 5-year OS and PFS rate was 85.8 and 80.5% respectively. They were similar in the PST group. There was no significant difference in OS and PFS between clinical response (CR)/partial response (PR) groups and stable disease (SD)/progressive disease (PD) groups. Apart from deep cervical invasion (p = 0.046) affecting OS for patients undergoing NACT, no other clinical and pathological factors were associated with OS. 97.8% of NACT-insensitive patients opted for surgery. If these patients did not have intermediate- or high-risk factors, whether they had undergone postoperative adjuvant therapy was irrelevant to their prognosis, whereas for patients with intermediate- or high-risk factors, adjuvant chemotherapy resulted in better PFS (chemotherapy vs. no therapy, p < 0.001; chemotherapy vs. radiotherapy, p = 0.019) and OS (chemotherapy vs. no therapy, p < 0.001; chemotherapy vs. radiotherapy, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

NACT could be a choice for patients with FIGO stages IB3 and IIA2 cervical cancer. The main risk factor influencing prognosis in the NACT group is deep cervical invasion. After systematic treatment, insensitivity to NACT does not indicate a poorer prognosis. For NACT-insensitive patients, Chinese prefer surgery. Postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with no intermediate- or high-risk factors does not improve prognosis, and chemotherapy in patients with intermediate- and high-risk factors is more effective than radiation therapy and other treatments.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03308591); date of registration: 12/10/2017.

Hysterectomy with radiotherapy or chemotherapy or both for women with locally advanced cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

This is an update of the Cochrane Review published in Issue 4, 2015. Cervical cancer is one of the most frequent cause of death from gynaecological cancers worldwide. Many new cervical cancer cases in low-income countries present at an advanced stage. Standard care in Europe and the US for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) is chemoradiotherapy. In low-income countries, with limited access to radiotherapy, LACC may be treated with chemotherapy and hysterectomy. It is not certain if this improves survival. It is important to assess the value of hysterectomy with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both, as an alternative.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether hysterectomy, in addition to standard treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both, in women with LACC (Stage IB2 to III) is safe and effective compared with standard treatment alone.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase via Ovid, LILACS, trial registries and the grey literature up to 3 February 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared treatments involving hysterectomy versus radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both, in women with LACC International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stages IB2 to III.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. We independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Where possible, we synthesised overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) or disease-free (DFS) survival in a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Adverse events (AEs) were incompletely reported and we described the results of single trials in narrative form. We used the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

From the searches we identified 968 studies. After deduplication, title and abstract screening, and full-text assessment, we included 11 RCTs (2683 women) of varying methodological quality. This update identified four new RCTs and three ongoing RCTs. The included studies compared: hysterectomy (simple or radical) with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) versus radiotherapy alone or chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) alone or CCRT and brachytherapy. There is also one ongoing study comparing three groups: hysterectomy with CCRT versus hysterectomy with NACT versus CCRT. There were two comparison groups for which we were able to do a meta-analysis. Hysterectomy (radical) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy alone Two RCTs with similar design characteristics (620 and 633 participants) found no difference in five-year OS between NACT with hysterectomy versus CCRT. Meta-analysis assessing 1253 participants found no evidence of a difference in risk of death (OS) between women who received NACT plus hysterectomy and those who received CCRT alone (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.16; moderate-certainty evidence). In both studies, the five-year DFS in the NACT plus surgery group was worse (57%) compared with the CCRT group (65.6%), mostly for Stage IIB. Results of single trials reported no apparent difference in long-term severe complications, grade 3 acute toxicity and severe late toxicity between groups (very low-quality evidence). Hysterectomy (simple or radical) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus radiotherapy alone Meta-analysis of three trials of NACT with hysterectomy versus radiotherapy alone, assessing 571 participants, found that women who received NACT plus hysterectomy had less risk of death (OS) than those who received radiotherapy alone (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.93; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence). However, a significant number of participants who received NACT plus hysterectomy also had radiotherapy. There was no difference in the proportion of women with disease progression or recurrence (DFS and PFS) between NACT plus hysterectomy and radiotherapy groups (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.05; I2 = 20%; moderate-quality evidence). The certainty of the evidence was low or very-low for all other comparisons for all outcomes. None of the trials reported quality of life outcomes.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

From the available RCTs, we found insufficient evidence that hysterectomy with radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, improves the survival of women with LACC who are treated with radiotherapy or CCRT alone. The overall certainty of the evidence was variable across the different outcomes and was universally downgraded due to concerns about risk of bias. The certainty of the evidence for NACT and radical hysterectomy versus radiotherapy alone for survival outcomes was moderate. The same occurred for the comparison involving NACT and hysterectomy compared with CCRT alone. Evidence from other comparisons was generally sparse and of low or very low-certainty. This was mainly based on poor reporting and sparseness of data where results were based on single trials. More trials assessing medical management with and without hysterectomy may test the robustness of the findings of this review as further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect.

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Treatments Compared to Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Aim

This study aimed to identify the most effective treatment mode for locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) by adopting a network meta-analysis (NMA).

Methods

Randomized controlled trials about treatments were retrieved from PubMed, Medline and Embase. Odds ratios (OR) of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated by synthesizing direct and indirect evidence to rank the efficacy of nine treatments. Consistency was assessed by node-splitting method. Begg's test was performed to evaluate publication bias. The surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was also used in this NMA.

Results

A total of 24 eligible randomized controlled trials with 6,636 patients were included in our NMA. These trials compared a total of nine different regimens: radiotherapy (RT) alone, surgery, RT plus adjuvant chemotherapy (CT), concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), neoadjuvant CT plus CCRT, CCRT plus adjuvant CT, neoadjuvant CT, RT, CCRT plus surgery. Among those therapeutic modalities, we found that the two interventions with the highest SUCRA for OS and PFS were CCRT and CCRT plus adjuvant CT, respectively. ORs and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the two best strategies were CCRT versus CCRT plus adjuvant CT (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.53-1.31) for OS, CCRT plus adjuvant CT versus CCRT (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38-0.96) for PFS.

Conclusions

This NMA supported that CCRT and CCRT plus adjuvant CT are likely to be the most optimal treatments in terms of both OS and PFS for LACC. Future studies should focus on comparing CCRT and CCRT plus adjuvant CT in the treatment of LACC.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO, CRD42019147920.

Dose-Intense Cisplatin-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Increases Survival in Advanced Cervical Cancer: An Up-to-Date Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

We set out to demonstrate the benefit of using dose-intense cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival.

METHODS

We searched through MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases up to May 2021 to identify randomized clinical trials comparing the benefit of using cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by local treatment with local treatment alone for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. The PRISMA statement was applied.

RESULTS

Twenty-two randomized clinical trials were retrieved between 1991 and 2019, corresponding to 3632 women with FIGO stages IB2-IVA cervical cancer. More than 50% of the randomized clinical trials were assessed as having a low risk of bias. There was no benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on overall survival, but there was significant heterogeneity across studies (I2 = 45%, p = 0.01). In contrast, dose-intense cisplatin at over 72.5 mg/m2/3 weeks was significantly associated with increased overall survival (RR = 0.87, p < 0.05) with no heterogeneity across the pooled studies (I2 = 36%, p = 0.11). The survival benefit was even greater when cisplatin was administered at a dose over 105 mg/m2/3 weeks (RR = 0.79, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Even though radiotherapy combined with weekly cisplatin-based chemotherapy remains standard of care for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer, our meta-analysis makes it possible to consider the use of dose-intense cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy when local treatment is suboptimal and opens perspectives for designing new clinical trials in this setting. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy could be proposed when surgery is local treatment instead of standard chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced stage (IB2-IIA2-IIB) cervical carcinoma: Experience of a tertiary center and comprehensive review of the literature

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for locally advanced stage cervical carcinoma.

Materials and Methods:

Data of 43 patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma who had NACT were reviewed. NACT protocols implemented included cisplatin/5-fluorauracil, cisplatin/UFT, and carboplatin/paclitaxel. After NACT, the patients were re-examined, and patients who had a tumor size ≤40 mm underwent Piver-Rutledge type III radical hysterectomy, while other patients received radiotherapy. Following NACT, clinical responses were assessed according to the criteria of the World Health Organization.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 49.4 years, and the median follow-up duration was 48 (range, 5-228) months. The median tumor sizes were 50 and 30 mm before and after NACT, respectively. Complete clinical response was observed in 4 (9.3%) patients, partial clinical response in 8 (18.6%), and pathologic complete response in 3 (6.9%). Stable disease was noted in 30 (69.9%) patients and progression in 1 (2.3%) patient. After NACT, 31 patients have undergone radical surgical procedures. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 72%, and the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 91%. Age, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 2009 stage, histopathologic type, NACT protocol, rate of decrease in tumor size after NACT, clinical response, number of courses, tumor size before NACT, tumor size after NACT, and lymph node metastasis were not associated with disease-free survival.

Conclusion:

Following NACT, a significant reduction in tumor dimension was observed, and the probability of radical surgery is increased. However, clinical response was not predictive of survival.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery Versus Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy Alone for Oncological Outcomes of Stage IB3 Cervical Cancer-A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with cervical cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NACT) with those who received abdominal radical hysterectomy alone (ARH).

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the oncological outcomes of 1410 patients with stage IB3 cervical cancer who received NACT (n=583) or ARH (n=827). The patients in the NACT group were divided into an NACT-sensitive group and an NACT-insensitive group according to their response to chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The 5-year oncological outcomes were significantly better in the NACT group than in the ARH group (OS: 96.2% vs. 91.2%, respectively, p=0.002; DFS: 92.2% vs. 87.5%, respectively, p=0.016). Cox multivariate analysis suggested that NACT was independently associated with a better 5-year OS (HR=0.496; 95% CI, 0.281-0.875; p=0.015), but it was not an independent factor for 5-year DFS (HR=0.760; 95% CI, 0.505-1.145; p=0.189). After matching, the 5-year oncological outcomes of the NACT group were better than those of the ARH group. Cox multivariate analysis suggested that NACT was still an independent protective factor for 5-year OS (HR=0.503; 95% CI, 0.275-0.918; p=0.025). The proportion of patients in the NACT group who received postoperative radiotherapy was significantly lower than that in the ARH group (p<0.001). Compared to the ARH group, the NACT-sensitive group had similar results as the NACT group. The NACT-insensitive group and the ARH group had similar 5-year oncological outcomes and proportions of patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with stage IB3 cervical cancer, NACT improved 5-year OS and was associated with a reduction in the proportion of patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy. These findings suggest that patients with stage IB3 cervical cancer, especially those who are sensitive to chemotherapy, might consider NACT followed by surgery.

Paclitaxel Plus Platinum Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery Versus Primary Surgery in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer-A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Objective

To compare the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NACTS) and primary surgery (PS) in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).

Methods

LACC (stage IB2/IIA2, FIGO 2009) patients who accepted NACTS or PS in the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2007 to 2017 were enrolled, and a database was established. A 1:1 ratio propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for the NACTS group and PS group according to pretreatment characteristics. After PSM, the clinicopathological features and prognosis between the matched groups were compared.

Results

Of 802 cases in the database, 639 met the inclusion criteria, with 428 received paclitaxel plus platinum NACTS, and 211 received PS. After PSM, the two groups had comparable pretreatment characteristics, with 190 cases in each group. In the NACTS group, the operation parameters were similar to the PS group except for the longer operation time (median 255 min vs. 239 min, P = 0.007); pathological intermediate-risk factors including tumor diameter (P < 0.001) and LVSI(+) (P < 0.001) were significantly decreased; fewer patients were with ≥2 intermediate-risk factors (10.5 vs. 53.2%, P < 0.001) so that the rate of adjuvant radiotherapy was reduced (54.2 vs. 70.0%, P = 0.002). DFS and OS were similar between the NACTS group and PS group (P > 0.05). However, for patients with tumor diameter ≥5 cm or SCC ≥5 ng/ml, DFS of the NACTS group was significantly prolonged (P = 0.016, P = 0.007).

Conclusion

Paclitaxel plus platinum neoadjuvant chemotherapy can reduce adjuvant radiotherapy by decreasing pathological risk factors. Patients with tumor diameter ≥5 cm or SCC ≥5 ng/ml may obtain survival benefits.

The Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Lymph Node Metastasis of FIGO Stage IB1-IIB Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on the rate of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in FIGO stage IB1-IIB cervical cancer patients and compare the LNM between NACT plus surgery and surgery only.

Methods

We identified 34 eligible studies in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE from inception to July 27, 2019. Data analyses were performed by Stata (version 13) and Revman (version 5.3).

Results

In these 34 included studies, the pooled incidence of LNM was estimated as 23% (95% CI, 0.20-0.26; I² = 79.6%, P<0.001). In the subgroup analysis, we identified five factors, including study type, year of publication, continents from which patients came, histological type and the FIGO stage. When taking FIGO stage into consideration, the LNM rate was 13% in stage IB (95% CI: 0.10-0.15; I² = 5.5%, P=0.385), 23% in stage IIA (95% CI: 0.18-0.28; I² = 0%, P=0.622), and 27% in stage IIB (95% CI: 0.20-0.33; I² = 0%, P=0.898), respectively. Through the comparison between NACT plus surgery and surgery only based on the six randomized controlled trials, the incidence of positive lymph nodes was lower in patients receiving NACT plus surgery than surgery only (RR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.39-0.83; I² = 60.5%, P=0.027). The 5-year OS was higher in the NACT + surgery group than surgery-only group (RR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.03-1.23; I² = 0.0%, P=0.842).

Conclusions

Among cervical cancer in stage IB1-IIB, the preoperative NACT plus radical surgery resulted in a 23% probability of LNM, which was lower than those receiving radical surgery only. In stage IIA and IIB, the effect of NACT to reduce LNM was more obvious.

Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery for FIGO stage I-II cervical cancer: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the oncological outcomes of preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery compared with radical surgery alone for treatment of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I-II cervical cancer.

METHOD

We searched for studies comparing the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus surgery versus surgery alone in treatment outcomes of locally advanced cervical cancer. Meta-analysis was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were included in our analysis. Pooled analysis of overall survival rate [odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.83-1.43] and progression-free survival rate (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.77-1.57) showed that preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not have a benefit compared with surgery alone in terms of survival rates. The pooled results for postoperative parameters indicated that preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery was associated with a high rate of vascular space involvement (OR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.17-0.35) and parametrial infiltration (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.45-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicated that surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for FIGO stage I-II cervical cancer and surgery alone had similar oncological outcomes.

Management of Stage IIB Cervical Cancer: an Overview of the Current Evidence

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review and discuss the present evidence of surgery- and radiation-based treatment strategies for stage IIB cervical cancer.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently, two randomized controlled trials compared the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy (NACT + RH) with that of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for stage IB3-IIB cervical cancer. When these studies were combined (N = 1259), NACT + RH was associated with a shorter disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-1.64], but with a similar overall survival (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.90-1.36) when compared with the findings for CCRT. Stage-specific analysis for stage IIB cervical cancer demonstrated that disease-free survival was significantly worse with NACT + RH than with CCRT (HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.25-2.89); however, no significant difference was observed for stage IB3-IIA cervical cancer. Based on the results of recent level I evidence, the standard treatment for stage IIB cervical cancer remains CCRT.

BMI and specimen weight: impact on personalized risk profiling for optimized informed consent in breast reduction surgery?

We aimed to evaluate the interaction between individual risk factors and institutional complication rates after reduction mammaplasties to develop a chart for a personalized written patient informed consent. We retrospectively reviewed charts of 804 patients who underwent bilateral breast reduction between 2005 and 2015. The Clavien-Dindo classification was used to classify postoperative complications. Relevant predictors were found by applying a stepwise variable selection procedure. Multilevel predictors were assessed through chi-square tests on the respective deviance reductions. 486 patients were included. The most common complications were wound healing problems (n = 270/56%), foreign body reactions (n = 58/12%), wound infections (n = 45/9, 3%) and fat tissue necrosis (n = 41/8%). The risk factors for the personalized patient chart for the most common complications influencing the preoperative informed consent were: smoking, operative technique, resection weight for wound healing problems; body mass index and allergies for wound infections; and patients’ age, resection weight for fat tissue necrosis. The resultant chart of institutionally encountered most common complications based on individual risk factors is a graphical template for obtaining patient informed consent in the future. Whether this approach influences patient information retainment, incidence of filed lawsuits or behavioral change needs to be prospectively tested in future studies.

Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery for FIGO stage IB2/IIA2 cervical cancer: A multi-center retrospective clinical study

This study compared the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical surgery (RS) vs primary surgical treatment (PST) in patients diagnosed with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB2/IIA2 cervical cancer.Data of 303 cervical cancer patients who received primary therapy for stage IB2/IIA2 cervical cancer at 7 medical centers in Beijing, China between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2016 and followed through December 31, 2017 were collected retrospectively. The response rates, surgical characteristics, and overall survival (OS) durations of patients who received NACT followed by RS were compared to those of patients who received PST.An improved short-term complete response rate was observed among patients who received intra-arterial chemotherapy compared with patients who had intravenous chemotherapy (18.3% vs 4.1%, Pdifference = .020). Patients who received NACT were more likely to undergo laparoscopic surgery and to have a lower blood loss volume (555.4 ± 520.2 ml vs PST, 682.5 ± 509.8 ml; P = .036) and increased estimated operative time (249.9 ± 101.9 vs PST, 225.1 ± 76.5 min; P = .022). No differences in high-risk factors (HRFs), the effects of supplemental treatment, or 5-year OS were observed between patients who received NACT and PST.Our findings indicate that patients who received NACT for FIGO stage IB2/IIA2 cervical cancer were more likely to undergo laparoscopic surgery. These findings have important implications regarding treatment with curative intent for stage IB2/IIA2 cervical cancer and warrant a further analysis of treatment strategies to ensure adequate treatment and patient-centered care.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with radical surgery vs radical surgery alone for cervical cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim

This systematic review was designed to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with radical surgery vs radical surgery alone for cervical cancer.

Methods

A computerized search was done for trials from PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The trials included neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery vs radical surgery alone. We measured overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), local and distant recurrence, lymph node metastasis, and parametrial infiltration per patient.

Results

In all, 13 studies involving 2,158 subjects were included. In regard to OS, DFS, PFS, local and distant recurrence, and parametrial infiltration, neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery was similar to radical surgery alone. Among them, subgroup analysis of eight studies involving 1,544 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IB2–IIB) showed that neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) plus radical surgery significantly improved OS, and decreased local and distant recurrence rates, lymph node metastasis rate, and the level of parametrial infiltration compared to radical surgery alone.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates that preoperative NACT is now an accepted effective procedure in selected patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IB2–IIB). However, the relationship between NACT and longer DFS and PFS cannot be demonstrated by this meta-analysis. Thus, the decision to use or not to use NACT before radical surgery depends on the surgeon’s experience and clinical judgment. Nevertheless, further research in this field is urgently needed to confirm it.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with Taxane and Platinum Followed by Radical Hysterectomy for Stage IB2-IIB Cervical Cancer: Impact of Histology Type on Survival

The current study examined the histology-specific impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with a taxane/platinum regimen on survival in women with locally-advanced cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy. This nation-wide retrospective cohort study examined women with clinical stage IB2-IIB cervical cancer who received NACT prior to radical hysterectomy from 2004–2008 (n = 684). NACT type (taxane/platinum versus others) was correlated with survival based on histology: 511 squamous versus 173 non-squamous. Taxane/platinum chemotherapy use was more common in non-squamous compared to squamous tumors (53.8% versus 20.7%, P < 0.001). In both histology types, the taxane/platinum regimen was more frequently utilized over time (both, P < 0.01). Among squamous tumors, women who received taxane/platinum chemotherapy had survival comparable to those who received other regimens: 5-year rates for disease-free survival, 69.0% versus 70.1%, P = 0.98; and cause-specific survival, 80.0% versus 81.0%, P = 0.93. Similarly, in non-squamous tumors, disease-free survival (5-year rates: 60.4% versus 59.0%, P = 0.86) and cause-specific survival (74.7% versus 76.3%, P = 0.70) were similar. In conclusion, use of taxane/platinum regimens for NACT significantly increased during the study period. Irrespective of histology type, in women with clinical stage IB2-IIB cervical cancer who underwent NACT prior to radical hysterectomy, taxane/platinum regimens had a similar effect on survival compared to non-taxane/platinum regimens.

Multi-institutional phase II study of neoadjuvant irinotecan and nedaplatin followed by radical hysterectomy and the adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced, bulky uterine cervical cancer: A Kansai Clinical Oncology Group study (KCOG-G1201)

AIM

A multi-institutional phase II trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with irinotecan and nedaplatin followed by radical hysterectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced, bulky stage IB2-IIB cervical cancer.

METHODS

Patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB2-II, bulky type (>4 cm in diameter) squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were enrolled. Irinotecan (60 mg/m² ) was administered intravenously on days 1 and 8 and nedaplatin (80 mg/m² ) was also administered on day 1 of every 21-day cycle. After two cycles of chemotherapy, a radical hysterectomy was performed. Until 6 weeks after the surgery, three to five cycles of the regimen were added as adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the 2-year relapse-free survival rate. The response rates and toxicities were evaluated as secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients from seven institutions were enrolled in this study. The median age was 48 years (range 25-75 years). The average follow-up period was 37.8 months (15-71 months). Twenty-three patients completed the regimen as planned. The objective response rate (complete response + partial response) for the neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen was 81.2%. The 2-year and 5-year relapse-free-survival rates were 87.5% and 78.8%, respectively. The incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia was 6.3% and 34.4% during neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment, respectively. All other toxicities were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION

Our treatment showed efficacy and tolerability for patients with locally advanced, bulky stage IB2-IIB cervical cancer. This suggests that treatment has the potential to improve the prognosis compared to concurrent chemo-radiotherapy.

Abdominal Radical Trachelectomy for Early-Stage Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy: A Provocative Surgical Approach. Overview of the Literature and a Single-Institute Experience

OBJECTIVE

Treatment of pregnancy complication due to malignancy of the cervix constitutes a great clinical challenge between optimal maternal therapy and fetal viability. Radical trachelectomy in early-stage cervical cancer during pregnancy instead of radical hysterectomy presents an alternative approach that can offer a satisfactory outcome for the mother and fetus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS-RESULTS

A literature search of articles in English has been performed. Until now, 28 women with cervical cancer, including 2 who were managed and treated in our institute, who underwent a radical trachelectomy during pregnancy have been reported. We overviewed a total of 13 abdominal trachelectomies, 13 vaginal trachelectomies, and 2 laparoscopic trachelectomies.

CONCLUSIONS

Radical trachelectomy can widen the therapeutic approach of early-stage cervical cancer in pregnant women who wish to preserve their pregnancy, providing a possibility of receiving the proper treatment with no delay.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in woman with early or locally advanced cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a major global health problem for women. Despite the screening and vaccines available today, it continues to be the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide with 85% of cases occurring in developing countries. Standard treatments for early or locally advanced cervical cancer are surgery (S) or concomitant chemo-radiotherapy (CT-RT). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) prior to surgery or radiotherapy has been proposed and tested in clinical trials and has been included in clinical practice in some countries.In order to determine the true role of NACT either prior to S or RT in terms of achieving benefits in OS or DFS, randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses published from its beginnings to the present have been searched and analyzed in this study.The analysis of published clinical trials shows that NACT followed by S and NACT followed by RT have failed to demonstrate benefits in OS or DFS. Clinical trials comparing NACT followed by S versus exclusive RT have also been analyzed, where NACT followed by S could not show benefits for RT either.

CONCLUSION

Adding neoadjuvant chemotherapy to S or RT cannot be recommended outside the context of clinical trials.

Early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy can help predict long-term survival in patients with cervical cancer

It is still controversial whether cervical cancer patients with clinical responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) have a better long-term survival or not. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the clinical response on the disease-free survival (DFS) of cervical cancer patients undergoing NACT. A total of 853 patients from a retrospective study were used to evaluate whether the clinical response was an indicator for the long-term response, and 493 patients from a prospective cohort study were used for further evaluation. The survival difference was detected by log-rank test, univariate and multivariate Cox regression and a pooled analysis. The log-rank test revealed that compared with non-responders, the DFS of responders was significantly higher in the retrospective data (P = 0.007). Univariate Cox regression showed that the clinical response was an indicator of long-term survival in the retrospective study (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85, P = 0.007). In a multivariate Cox model, the clinical response was still retained as an independent significant prognostic factor in the retrospective study (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.50, P = 0.046). The result was also validated in the prospective data with similar results. These findings implied that the clinical response can be regarded as an independent predictor of DFS.

Eradication of cervical cancer in vivo by an AAV vector that encodes shRNA targeting human papillomavirus type 16 E6/E7

The major causative agent of cervical cancer is human papilloma virus (HPV); the viral proteins E6 and E7 induce carcinogenesis through the inactivation of the host tumor-suppressor gene. Therefore, the stable expression of specific inhibitors of E6 and E7 in cancer cells is expected to provide effective treatment for cervical cancer without affecting normal tissue. In this study, we propose a novel therapeutic approach using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against the onco-proteins E6 and E7 (shE6E7) of HPV type 16 (HPV-16), termed AAV-shE6E7. Three different HPV-16-positive cervical cancer cell lines (BOKU, SiHa and SKG-IIIa cells) were tested for gene transfer efficiency using serotypes of AAV vectors. For in vitro analysis, the cells were transduced AAV-shE6E7; alternatively, in vivo studies were performed via the administration of a direct injection of AAV-shE6E7 into cervical cancer cell-derived tumors in mice. The high gene transfer efficiency was observed using AAV2 in all three cervical cancer cell lines. Following transduction, we observed apoptosis, G₁ phase arrest and cell growth inhibition. Additionally, in the transduced cells, the E6, E7 and p16 expression levels decreased, whereas the expression levels of p53, p21 and pRb levels were enhanced. The growth of subcutaneously transplanted tumors was markedly inhibited by the single administration of AAV2-shE6E7, and the tumors were almost completely eradicated without any adverse effects. These results provided evidence of the utility of AAV2-shE6E7 as a novel treatment approach for cervical cancer.

Systemic therapy for cervical carcinoma - current status

Two major treatment modalities in cervical cancer are radiation therapy (RT) and surgery. Chemotherapy continues to be the main form of systemic therapy adjunctive to definitive local therapies, and is used for palliation. Platinum-based regimens, administered concurrently with both definitive and postoperative RT, were demonstrated to provide significant survival benefits, whereas the beneficial effect of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in later-stage disease was smaller. The role of chemotherapy in addition to RT in IB1/IIA1 cervical cancer patients not undergoing surgery remains undefined. Likewise, the role of chemotherapy in combination with postoperative RT for patients with intermediate-risk factors for recurrence has not yet been verified. The recent standard for chemoradiotherapy is cisplatin alone administered weekly. Other cisplatin-based or non-cisplatin-based regimens have not been subjected to large clinical studies. The benefits of consolidation chemotherapy after chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer are still undetermined. Neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by surgery has shown survival benefits, however its role in the era of chemoradiotherapy remains unclear. The combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel is considered a standard regimen in the palliative setting. There is no standard of care for second-line systemic therapy in advanced cervical cancer. Bevacizumab combined with palliative chemotherapy (cisplatin/paclitaxel or topotecan/paclitaxel) in the first-line treatment for recurrent/metastatic cervical cancer significantly improves overall survival when compared to chemotherapy alone. The role of immunotherapy in cervical cancer remains to be established. The optimal combined modality treatment including systemic therapy for cervical tumors of non-squamous histology remains a matter of debate. Ongoing accumulation of data on genomic and proteomic characteristics provides insight into the molecular heterogeneity of cervical cancer and paves the way for developing molecularly targeted therapies.

Meta-analysis showing that early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy predicts better survival among cervical cancer patients

This study was designed to identify the prognostic value of early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for long-term survival of cervical cancer patients. We searched Pubmed and EMBASE for studies published through July 2016 on outcomes of cervical patients that received NACT. Eight studies involving 825 cervical cancer patients were ultimately included in our meta-analysis. We pooled the hazard ratios (HR) according to random-effects models and used funnel plots with Egger's and Begg's tests to explore potential publication bias. The HR between early response and 1-year overall survival (OS) was 3.60 (95% CI 1.93–6.72; I² = 0). Similar results were found in the analysis of 3-year OS (HR 3.34; 95% CI 2.28–4.90; I² = 0) and 5-year OS (HR 3.44; 95% CI 2.40–4.94; I² = 0). Sensitivity analysis showed that all of the pooled results were robust, and all logHRs had confidence limits > 0. Our findings indicate that early response is associated with long-term survival, and responders achieved a higher survival rate than non-responders.

Challenges to cervical cancer treatment in Bangladesh: The development of a women's cancer ward at Dhaka Medical College Hospital

Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of female cancer mortality worldwide. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy represents the standard of care for patients with stages IB2 to IVa cervical cancer. Unfortunately radiation therapy capacity is severely limited to non-existent in many Low and Middle-Income Countries. One solution has been to use chemotherapy to reduce tumor size to allow for radical surgery or in the case of inoperable cancers, as a placeholder until radiation is available. In Bangladesh, there has been the progressive development of resources for the treatment of women with gynecologic cancers. However, radiation therapy resources are limited with a six-month waiting period to receive radiation. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) remains the main primary treatment intervention for women with advanced cervical cancer in Bangladesh. This implementation study summarizes of the experience and challenges to caring for women in a new gynae-oncology ward at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, a 2600 bed government hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

•

The literature on cervical cancer treatment in Bangladesh is nonexistent.

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The majority of women are diagnosed with stages III and IV cervical cancers.

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Radiation therapy is an extremely limited resource in Bangladesh with only one machine per over 10 million people.

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The strategy has been to treat woman with chemotherapy in the hopes of making their cancers surgically resectable.

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Systematic reviews of neoadjuvant chemotherapy show pathologic responses but no improvement in long term survival.

Robotic Surgery in Patients With Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Survival Outcomes

AIM

To evaluate the survival outcomes of consecutive patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) who underwent comprehensive robotic surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Since 2009, patients with LACC (FIGO [International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics] stages IB2-IIB) were submitted to robotic surgical staging after 3 cycles of NACT. Clinical objective tumor response was assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, whereas pathologic responses were defined according to the criteria of the European study SNAP01. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess potential clinicopathologic prognostic factors affecting progression-free survival and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

During the study period, 32 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were managed. The median (range) age and body mass index were 47.3 (8.6-75.5) years and 22.7 (17.5-37.1) kg/m(2), respectively. Overall, 28.0 (range, 12-58) lymph nodes were retrieved. According to the final pathologic examination, 6 (18.8%) women had positive pelvic lymph nodes, whereas 16 (50.0%) patients achieved an optimal pathological response. After a median follow-up of 36.3 (range, 5.2-71.1) months, 6 (18.8%) patients had a recurrence and subsequently died of disease.Positive nodal status was the only independent predictor of both progression-free survival (12.5 [2.3-69.1]; P < 0.0001) and OS (12.0 [2.0-60.4]; P < 0.0001) at multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Nodal status represents the strongest predictor of survival in women with LACC. Similarly, NACT including 3 agents (TIP [paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) + ifosfamide 5 g/m(2) + cisplatin 75 mg/m(2)] and TEP [paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) + epirubicin 80 mg/m(2) + cisplatin 75 mg/m(2)] regimens) warranted better OS than those achieved by other schedules.

The detection of sentinel lymph nodes in laparoscopic surgery for uterine cervical cancer using 99m-technetium-tin colloid, indocyanine green, and blue dye

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to determine the feasibility and detection rates and clarify the most effective combination of injected tracer types for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in uterine cervical cancer in patients who have undergone laparoscopic surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

A total of 119 patients with cervical cancer underwent SLN biopsy at radical hysterectomy using three types of tracers. The various factors related to side-specific detection rate, sensitivity, and false negative (FN) rate were analyzed.

RESULTS

The SLN detection rates using 99m-technetium ((99m)Tc)-tin colloid, indigo carmine, and indocyanine green (ICG) were 85.8%, 20.2%, and 61.6%, respectively. The patients with ≥2-cm-diameter tumors and those who received NAC had lower detection rates than those with <2-cm-diameter tumors (75.7% vs. 91.5%, p<0.01) and those who did not receive NAC (67.9% vs. 86.3%, p<0.01), respectively. Laparoscopic procedures had a higher detection rate than laparotomy (100.0% vs. 77.1%, p<0.01). No factors significantly affected the sensitivity; however, the patients with ≥2-cm-diameter tumors (86.0% vs. 1.4%, p<0.01), NAC (19.4% vs. 2.2%, p<0.01), and those who underwent laparotomy (7.4% vs. 0%, p<0.01) had an unfavorable FN rate.

CONCLUSION

Among the examined tracers, (99m)Tc had the highest detection of SLN mapping in patients with uterine cervical cancer. Patients with local advanced cervical cancer with/without NAC treatment might be unsuited for SLN mapping. SLN mapping is feasible and results in an excellent detection rate in patients with <2-cm-diameter cervical cancer. Laparoscopic surgery is the best procedure for SLN detection in patients with early-stage disease.

Pros and Cons of Adding of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy to Standard Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Cervical Cancer: A Regional Cancer Center Experience

BACKGROUND

The present study summarizes the results of treatment in the form of disease-free survival and overall survival in bulky stage IB2 and locally advanced (stages II-IVA) squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The treatment has been given in the form of NACT followed by CCRT in one arm and CCRT in the other arm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed 713 cervical cancer patients who were treated at our center during 2007 and 2008; out of 713 patients, data of 612 patients have been compared. The patients' data were analyzed retrospectively. Patients had undergone PF 28.6 %, TPF 21.5 %, and only CCRT 49.9 %. Majority of patients were in the age group 41-50 years, while stage wise, mainly stage IIIb and IIb. Disease-free survival was observed on the basis of stage and NACT. The survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. All statistical calculations were done with SPSS Statistics version 20.0.

RESULTS

For cancer cervix NACT versus CCRT, the DFS rate was at 5 years (58.3 vs. 41.8 % p = 0.001). NACT followed by CCRT demonstrated significantly superior DFS as compared to definitive CCRT, respectively, TPF (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.248, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.123-0.500; p < 0.001), PF (HR = 0.445, 95 % CI 0.266-0.722; p = 0.002). The results of univariate stage, age, and multivariate study show that stage hemoglobin level, interval between external-intracavitary radiation, and type of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were the factors affected survival cervical patients treated with radiation. The grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities were more in the NACT group than CCRT (p < 0.001) while the non-hematological toxicity was not significant; the TPF group experienced more toxicity than PF (p = 0.029). This treatment regimen is feasible as evidenced by the acceptable toxicity of NACT and by the high compliance to radiotherapy. The grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities were more in NACT groups than CCRT (p < 0.001); the TPF group experienced more toxicity than PF (p = 0.029).

CONCLUSION

TPF/PF as NACT is feasible and produces impressive responses in cancer cervix.

Prognostic risk model development and prospective validation among patients with cervical cancer stage IB2 to IIB submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

This study was designed to develop a risk model for disease recurrence among cervical cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical surgery. Data for 853 patients were obtained from a retrospective study and used to train the model, and then data for 447 patients from a prospective cohort study were employed to validate the model. The Cox regression model was used for calculating the coefficients of the risk factors. According to risk scores, patients were classified into high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups. There were 49 (49/144, 34%) recurrences observed in the high-risk group (with a risk score ≥ 2.65), compared with 3 (3/142, 2%) recurrences in the low-risk group (with a risk score < 0.90). Disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly different (log-rank p < 0.001) among the three risk groups; the risk model also revealed a significant increase in the accuracy of predicting 5-year DFS with the area under the ROC curve (AUC = 0.754 for risk model vs 0.679 for FIGO stage system); the risk model was also validated with data from the prospective study (log-rank p < 0.001, AUC = 0.766). Both high-risk and intermediate-risk patients can be more effectively identified by this risk model.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NCS) has not been fully evaluated clinically. Currently, the main regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) used in NCS includes cisplatin. The antitumor effects of NAC reduce lymph node metastasis and the tumor diameter in patients prior to surgery, and this can reduce the number of high risk patients who require postoperative radiation therapy. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined the long-term prognosis of NCS compared to primary surgery, but the utility of NCS remains uncertain. The advent of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has markedly improved the outcome of radiotherapy (RT), and CCRT is now used as a standard method in many cases of advanced bulky cervical cancer. NCS gives a better treatment outcome than radiation therapy alone, but it is important to verify that NCS gives a similar or better outcome compared to CCRT.

Robotic surgery for early stage cervical cancer: Evolution and current trends

The management of early stage cervical cancer often includes surgery in the form of radical hysterectomy, radical trachelectomy, or radical parametrectomy. Surgical techniques have evolved to include minimal invasive approaches, and more recently, to include robotic assisted techniques. This review highlights the evolution of surgical management of early cervical cancer and specifically explores robotic assisted radical hysterectomy, radical trachelectomy, radical parametrectomy, and the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Impact of the care provided by gynecologic oncologists on outcomes of cervical cancer patients treated with radical hysterectomy

For many malignant diseases, specialized care has been reported to be associated with better outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of gynecologic oncologists on treatment outcomes for cervical cancer patients treated by radical hysterectomy. Records of patients who received radical hysterectomy between January 2005 and June 2010 were reviewed. Perioperative morbidity, recurrence-free survival, and cancer-specific survival were assessed. Cox regression model was used to evaluate gynecologic oncologists as an independent predictor of survival. A total of 839 patients were included. Of these patients, 553 were treated by gynecologic oncologists, while 286 were treated by other subspecialties. With regard to operative outcomes, significant differences in favor of operation by gynecologic oncologists were found in number of patients receiving para-aortic node sampling and dissection (P=0.038), compliance with surgical guidelines (P=0.003), operative time (P<0.0001), estimated blood loss (P<0.0001), transfusion rate (P=0.046), number of removed nodes (P=0.033), and incidences of ureteric injury (P=0.027), cystotomy (P=0.038), and fistula formation (P=0.002). Patients who were operated on by gynecologic oncologists had longer recurrence-free survival (P=0.001; hazard ratio [HR] =0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.48, 0.84]) and cancer-specific survival (P=0.005; HR=0.64; 95% CI [0.47, 0.87]), and this association remained significant in patients with locally advanced disease. Care by gynecologic oncologists was an independent predictor for improved recurrence-free survival (P<0.0001; HR=0.57; 95% CI [0.42, 0.76]) and cancer-specific survival (P=0.001; HR=0.58; 95% CI [0.42, 0.81]), which was still significant among patients with locally advanced cancer. Given the results, we believe for cervical cancer patients receiving radical hysterectomy, operation by gynecologic oncologists results in significantly improved surgical and survival outcomes. The importance of the subspecialty of a gynecologist for cervical cancer patients should be addressed in clinical practice, especially for those in developing countries.

A randomized controlled trial comparing four versus six courses of adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer patients previously treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery

OBJECTIVES. The aim of this study was to compare 4 versus 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), recurrence rate and toxicity profile. METHODS. We randomly assigned 200 patients with IB2-IIB cervical cancer to receive 4 (Group A) or 6 (Group B) courses of cisplatin 100 mg/mq and paclitaxel 175 mg/mq every 21 days. RESULTS. At 4-years follow-up, the comparison of recurrence rate (p = 1; RR = 1.005; 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.161), OS (p = 0.906) and DFS (p = 0.825) did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups. Data analysis showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in term of episodes of leukopenia (p = 0.0072; RR = 1.513; 95% CI = 1.127-2.03), anemia (p = 0.048; RR = 1.188; CI = 1.012-1.395) and febrile neutropenia (p = 0.042; RR = 1.119; 95% CI = 1.014-1.235), in favor of Group A. As regards non-hematological toxicities, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of gastrointestinal symptoms (p = 0.49; RR = 1.046; CI = 0.948-1.153. On the contrary, there was a statistically significant difference regarding neurological symptoms (p=0.014; RR=1.208; CI=1.046-1.395), that were less frequent in Group A (13%) than in Group B (28%). CONCLUSIONS. Adjuvant treatment with 4 or 6 courses of platinum-based chemotherapy showed similar results in terms of OS and DSF, with a favorable toxicity profile in favor of the first regimen.

Could the extent of lymphadenectomy be modified by neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cervical cancer? A large-scale retrospective study

Background

The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on topographical distribution patterns of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer was unknown.

Methods

Patients with FIGO stage IB1-IIB who underwent radical surgery with or without NACT were enrolled (3527 patients). A matched-case comparison design was used to compare the effects of NACT on lymph node metastasis.

Results

We analyzed groups of 167 and 140 patients who were diagnosed with lymph node metastasis in the matched primary surgery group and NACT group, respectively, and no significant difference was observed (p = 0.081). The incidence of lymph node metastasis was significantly decreased in the NACT-responsive group compared to the non-responsive group (18.4% vs. 38.6%, P<0.001). The metastatic rates for every lymph node group also declined in the NACT-responsive group except for the deep inguinal and the para-aortic lymph node groups. Clinical response, deep stromal, parametrial and lymph vascular invasions were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in the NACT group. Furthermore, deep stromal invasion and lymph vascular invasion, but not the response to NACT, were independently associated with upper LNM. The number of lymph nodes involved, response to NACT, tumor histology and a positive vaginal margin were independent prognostic factors affecting DFS or OS rates in node-positive patients treated with NACT plus radical surgery.

Conclusion

The frequency and topographic distribution of LNM are not modified by NACT, and clinical non-responders showed more involved LNs. A systemic and extensive lymphadenectomy should be performed in patients treated with NACT plus surgery regardless of the response to NACT.

Hysterectomy with radiotherapy or chemotherapy or both for women with locally advanced cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the second commonest cancer among women up to 65 years of age and is the most frequent cause of death from gynaecological cancers worldwide. Sources suggest that a very high proportion of new cervical cancer cases in developing countries are at an advanced stage (IB2 or more) and more than a half of these may be stage III or IV. Cervical cancer staging is based on findings from clinical examination (FIGO) staging). Standard care in Europe and US for stage IB2 to III is non-surgical treatment (chemoradiation). However in developing countries, where there is limited access to radiotherapy, locally advanced cervical cancer may be treated with a combination of chemotherapy and hysterectomy (surgery to remove the womb and the neck of the womb, with or without the surrounding tissues). It is not certain if this improves survival. Therefore, it is important to systematically assess the value of hysterectomy in addition to radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both, as an alternative intervention in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer (stage IB2 to III).

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether hysterectomy, in addition to standard treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, or both, in women with locally advanced cervical cancer (stage IB2 to III) is safe and effective compared with standard treatment alone.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and LILACS up to February 2014. We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings and reference lists of included studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared treatment protocols involving hysterectomy versus radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or both, in women with advanced stage (IB2 to III) cervical cancer presenting for the first time.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We assessed study eligibility independently, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Where possible, overall and progression or disease-free survival outcomes were synthesised in a meta-analysis using the random-effects model. Adverse events were incompletely reported so results of single trials were described in narrative form.

MAIN RESULTS

We included seven RCTs (1217 women) of varying methodological quality in the review; most trials were at moderate or high risk of bias.Three were multi-centre trials, two were single-centre trials, and in two trials it was unclear if they were single or multi-centre. These trials compared the following interventions for women with locally advanced cervical cancer (stages IB2 to III):hysterectomy (simple or radical) with radiotherapy (N = 194) versus radiotherapy alone (N = 180); hysterectomy (simple or radical) with chemoradiotherapy (N = 31) versus chemoradiotherapy alone (N = 30); hysterectomy (radical) with chemoradiotherapy (N = 111) versus internal radiotherapy with chemoradiotherapy (N = 100); hysterectomy (simple or radical) with upfront (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy (N = 298) versus radiotherapy alone (N = 273).One trial (N = 256) found no difference in the risk of death or disease progression between women who received attenuated radiotherapy followed by hysterectomy and those who received radiotherapy (external and internal) alone (hazard ratio (HR) 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61 to 1.29). This trial also reported no difference between the two groups in terms of adverse effects (18/129 grade 3 or 4 adverse effects in the hysterectomy and radiation group and 19 cases in 18/121 women in the radiotherapy alone group). There was no difference in 5-year tumour-free actuarial survival (representation of the probable years of survivorship of a defined population of participants) or severe complications (grade 3) in another trial (N = 118) which reported the same comparison (6/62 versus 6/56 in the radiation with surgery group versus the radiotherapy alone group, respectively). The quality of the evidence was low for all these outcomes.One trial (N = 61) reported no difference (P value > 0.10) in overall and recurrence-free survival at 3 years between chemoradiotherapy and hysterectomy versus chemoradiotherapy alone (low quality evidence). Adverse events and morbidity data were not reported.Similarly, another trial (N = 211) found no difference in the risk of death (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.21, P value = 0.19, low quality evidence), disease progression (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.34, P value = 0.24, low quality evidence) or severe late complications (P value = 0.53, low quality evidence) between women who received internal radiotherapy versus hysterectomy after both groups had received external-beam chemoradiotherapy.Meta analysis of three trials of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and hysterectomy versus radiotherapy alone, assessing 571 participants, found that women who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus hysterectomy had less risk of death than those who received radiotherapy alone (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.93, I(2) = 0%, moderate quality evidence). However, a significant number of the participants that received neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus hysterectomy had radiotherapy as well. There was no difference in the proportion of women with disease progression or recurrence between the two groups (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.05, I(2) = 20%, moderate quality evidence).Results of single trials reported no apparent (P value > 0.05) difference in long-term severe complications, grade 3 acute toxicity and severe late toxicity between the two groups (low quality evidence).Quality of life outcomes were not reported in any of the trials.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

From the available RCTs, we found insufficient evidence that hysterectomy with radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, improves the survival of women with locally advanced cervical cancer who are treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy alone. The overall quality of the evidence was variable across the different outcomes and was universally downgraded due to concerns about risk of bias. The quality of the evidence for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical hysterectomy versus radiotherapy alone for survival outcomes was moderate, with evidence from other comparisons of low quality. This was mainly based on poor reporting and sparseness of data where results were based on single trials. More trials that assess medical management with and without hysterectomy may test the robustness of the findings of this review as further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect.

Tumor size and lymph node status determined by imaging are reliable factors for predicting advanced cervical cancer prognosis

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic role of a number of clinical factors in advanced cervical cancer patients. Patients (n=157) with stage IIA-IIB cervical cancer treated at four Hallym Medical Centers in South Korea (Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital; Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital; Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital; and Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital) between 2006 and 2010 were retrospectively enrolled. Univariate analysis identified significant predictive values in the following eight factors: i) Cancer stage (P<0.0001); ii) tumor size (≤4 vs. 4-6 cm, P=0.0147; and ≤4 vs. >6 cm, P<0.0001); iii) serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen level (≤2 vs. >15 ng/ml; P=0.0291); iv) lower third vaginal involvement (P<0.0001); v) hydronephrosis (P=0.0003); vi) bladder/rectum involvement (P=0.0015); vii) pelvic (P=0.0017) or para-aortic (P=0.0019) lymph node (LN) metastasis detected by imaging vs. no metastasis; and viii) pelvic LN metastasis identified by pathological analysis (P=0.0289). Furthermore, multivariate analysis determined that tumor size (≤4 vs. 4-6 cm, P=0.0371; and ≤4 vs. >6 cm, P=0.0024) and pelvic LN metastasis determined by imaging vs. no metastasis (P=0.0499) were independent predictive variables. Therefore, tumor size and pelvic LN metastasis measured by imaging were independent predictive factors for the prognosis of advanced cervical cancer. These factors may provide more clinically significant prognostic information compared with the currently used International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system.

Staging for cervix cancer: Role of radiology, surgery and clinical assessment

Staging is necessary in determining the extent of disease, its prognosis and in the formulation of optimal treatment protocols for patients with cancer. Clinical examination of patients and subsequent histopathological assessment when available has traditionally been used to determine the application of different primary and adjuvant treatment modalities. Over the years, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy all have been used either singly or in combinations, and the resulting survival and patterns of failure studies have contributed much in the development of less toxic and more effective protocols. All three modalities of treatments work through separate mechanisms, and they are effective in different stages of cervix cancer. Even within the same stage, the extent of the disease, tumour volume, tissue infiltration and lymph-node metastases requires the use of differing protocols for the disease control. More recently, advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography/computerised tomography (PET/CT) have made it possible to examine many of the prognostic factors non-invasively. In addition to clinical assessment, surgical and radiological staging has enabled us to triage patients far more accurately for surgery or for primary radiotherapy, such as unnecessary multimodality treatments are avoided. Only patients with poor prognosis are subjected to a combined modality treatment. Those with poorer prognosis still can be selected for clinical studies exploring new treatment.

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of locally advanced cervix cancer: a systematic review

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced cervix cancer has comparable benefits to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), but with fewer side effects. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the management of locally advanced cervix cancer from stage IB2 (tumor >4.0 cm) to IIIB (tumor extending to the pelvic wall and/or hydronephrosis). Our primary objective was to assess benefits in terms of survival. The data source included the USA national library of medicine, Medline search, and the National Cancer Institute PDQ Clinical Protocols. Inclusion criteria for consideration in the current systematic review included studies published between January 1997 and December 2012. In terms of histology, they had to be focused on squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and/or adenocarcinoma. Patients should be either chemotherapy naïve or cervix cancer chemotherapy naïve, and have a performance status ≤2. The search in the above-mentioned scientific websites led to identify 49 publications, 19 of which were excluded, as they did not meet the inclusion criteria of this systematic review. Therefore only 30 studies were deemed eligible. Data was collected from 1760 patients enrolled in the current systematic review study. The mean age was 45.2 years. The mean tumor size was 4.7 cm. The most commonly used chemotherapies were cisplatin doublets. Paclitaxel was the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in the doublets. The mean chemotherapy cycles were 2.7. After chemotherapy, patients underwent surgery after a mean time of 2.5 weeks. The standard operation was radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Chemotherapy achieved an objective response rate of 84%. The 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 61.9% and 72.8% respectively. The treatment protocol was associated with a mild early toxicity profile. Leucopenia and neutropenia were the most common side effects. Late toxicity was also generally mild and mainly associated with bladder dysfunction and vaginal dehiscence. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy achieved comparable survival results to CCRT, and was associated with less toxicity.