Chemotherapy of cervical cancer

Chemotherapy of cervical cancer is a difficult problem. The cancer is chemosensitive but the ability to express that chemosensitivity may be modified by previous radiotherapy and inadequate renal function. Regimens are available which will produce remissions with increase in survival in patients with advanced disease. The use of cisplatin-containing regimens is limited to a select group of patients in whom renal function is adequate. Details of recommended regimens have been given within this chapter. When all else has failed, bromocriptine 2.5 mg twice daily may produce long remissions but unfortunately only in a small percentage of patients. In the future chemotherapy will be used more frequently in the initial management of the patient prior to potentially curative surgery or radiotherapy in the hope of improving overall survival.