Carboplatin and paclitaxel for advanced and recurrent cervical carcinoma: the British Columbia Cancer Agency...

One of the most active chemotherapy combinations in advanced or recurrent cervical cancer is cisplatin-paclitaxel. However, this palliative regimen is associated with significant toxicity. Carboplatin-paclitaxel is thus an attractive option.

Patients with advanced or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix treated with carboplatin-paclitaxel from April 2000 were included in the study. Starting doses of carboplatin-paclitaxel were: AUC 5-6 and 155-175 mg/m(2), respectively, repeated every 28 days.

Twenty-five women treated with this combination were identified. Twenty-three women (92%) had prior treatment with pelvic radiotherapy and 14 (56%) had had concurrent radio-sensitizing cisplatin. There was a 20% PR and a 20% CR rate (10/25). The median progression-free survival for the entire group was 3 months. Responders had a median PFS of 16 months. Fourteen patients (56%) had died of disease progression. The median overall survival (OS) was 21 months. Common toxicities included: grade 1 or 2 anemia, 68%; grade 3 or 4 anemia, 32%; grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, 32%; and grade 1 or 2 peripheral neuropathy, 24%. ECOG PS did not change significantly while on treatment. Eighty-four percent of treatments were delivered on time, and 96% at full dose.

Carboplatin-paclitaxel is an active combination in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer. In this predominantly pre-irradiated group, the combination was deliverable, well tolerated, and the most commonly observed toxicity was anemia.