Preoperative brachytherapy for early-stage cervical cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis

To assess the rate of pathological response rate, and the oncological outcomes of preoperative brachytherapy (PBT) in early-stage cervical cancer.

A systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus databases were searched from inception until April 2022. Only English and French articles were included. Studies containing data about pathology response or oncological outcomes among patients who received PBT as compared to those who underwent up-front surgery in early-stage cervical cancer were included. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022319036).

Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, 3 randomized controlled trials (RCT), and 10 non-randomized studies (NRS). The 5-year survival was significantly higher in the PBT group compared with the up-front surgery group (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.11-2.84, I² = 0%) in the NRS. Recurrence rate was significantly lower in the PBT group compared with in up-front surgery group in the analysis of the RCT but not in NRS, (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13-0.91, I² not applicable) and (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.26-1.95, I² = 51%) respectively. PBT was associated with a statistically significant lower rate of positive margins (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.09-0.89; I² = 42%) in the RCT and with a significantly higher rate of complete pathology response (CPR) in the RCT analysis (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.11-5.85, I² = 0%) and in the NRS (OR 9.64, 95% CI 1.88-49.48, I² = 76%) compared with the up-front surgery group.

Preoperative brachytherapy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer could improve pathologic and oncologic outcomes, but it should be assessed in high-quality randomized controlled trials before its implementation in clinical practice.