Patterns of failure and treatment-related toxicity in advanced cervical cancer patients treated using extended field...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patterns of failure and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates in cervical cancer patients who had metastatic disease in common iliac or para-aortic lymph nodes and were treated with curative intent, using extended field radiotherapy (EFRT).

This was a retrospective study involving 39 patients treated from January 1996 to June 2007, using EFRT with concurrent chemotherapy and intracavitary brachytherapy. EFRT consisted of 45 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions. Radiation to involved nodes was boosted to a total dose of 50.4 to 54 Gy. Primary tumor radiation was boosted to a dose of 80 Gy using brachytherapy.

Overall, 30 patients (77%) have relapsed. The 5-year OS rate was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-44). The 5-year DFS rate was 19.4% (95% CI, 8-35). Only 3 patients (7.5%) experienced treatment failure exclusively within the treatment field, and 2 patients underwent salvage treatment. Grade 3 to 4 acute bone marrow and gastrointestinal toxicities were observed in 10 (26%) and 7 (18%) patients, respectively.

Concurrent chemotherapy and EFRT treatment was well tolerated. Most patients showed failure at multiple sites and outside the treatment field. Only 3/39 patients had failures exclusively within the treatment field, and 2 underwent salvage treatment.