Treatment of small-cell carcinoma of the cervix with weekly combination chemotherapy

Three patients with small-cell carcinoma of the cervix entered a pilot study of combination chemotherapy with agents that are not cross-resistant. Two patients had local disease and the third had extensive metastatic disease of the liver. The regimen consisted of weekly chemotherapy for 16 weeks with cisplatin, vincristine, methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide followed by radiotherapy and/or surgery. The two patients with local disease achieved a pathological complete response, with no evidence of disease at 24 months and 15 months from diagnosis. The third patient achieved a partial response and is alive at 13 months with progressive disease. Side-effects were tolerable.