A phase II study of ifosfamide in advanced and relapsed carcinoma of the cervix

Forty-one patients with advanced progressing carcinoma of the cervix were treated with ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2 daily in a 30-min infusion for 5 days every 3 weeks. The overall response rate (complete + partial) was 12/39 (31%), or 12/30 (40%) in those who had not received previous chemotherapy. Six patients achieved a complete remission of disease and four of these remain disease-free 24-39 months later. Durable response were seen in patients with disease progressing after radical radiotherapy. Bone marrow suppression was the dose-limiting toxicity and led to dosage modification in 24 patients. Nausea and vomiting was experienced by all patients at some time during therapy and all patients developed alopecia. Mild neurological toxicity occurred in seven patients but severe life-threatening neurotoxicity was not seen with this schedule of administration. Further studies are needed to identify the optimum dose and schedule of ifosfamide and to ascertain its place in combination therapy.