Simultaneous radiation and chemotherapy for advanced carcinoma of the cervix

Six patients with poor prognosis carcinoma of the cervix were treated with external radiation therapy simultaneously with cisplatin, bleomycin, and vincristine. Toxicity was very mild with nausea and vomiting and mild myelosuppression being the major toxicities. At a median of 36 months follow-up, four of six patients are alive, three with no evidence of disease. The median survival after diagnosis is 25+ months. The data suggest that radiation therapy and cytotoxic therapy administered together in patients with advanced cervix carcinoma is well tolerated. Further study to determine therapeutic efficacy is warranted.