[Adjuvant radio- and chemotherapy in cervix carcinoma]

The screening for cervical cancer has been reduced both the incidence of and mortality from invasive cervical cancer in the western world. Radical pelvic surgery is an effective treatment for early invasive cervical cancer (FIGO-stage IB and IIA), but for woman with more advanced disease radiotherapy is the standard treatment. However, the survival of the cervical cancer patients has not been improved over the last decade. Previous studies have suggested that chemotherapy and radiotherapy are synergistic. The results of five large studies have shown that cisplatin-based chemotherapy when given at the same time a radiation therapy, prolongs survival in woman with cervical cancer. This was also observed in primary treatment schedule as in adjuvant situation. The side effects were temporary and manageable. The results suggest that chemoradiation is the favorable therapy for cervical cancer in advanced stage and in high-risk-situation.