Treatment outcome of recurrent cervical cancer

A total of 85 patients with recurrent cervical cancer were reviewed: 17 patients with recurrences were treated by radical surgery, 18 by radiotherapy, 29 by chemotherapy, and 21 cases received no further treatment. Survival was presented according to the site of recurrence and the mode of therapy. All patients were followed for a minimum of 24 months after recurrence. Of the total group, 14% are living without evidence of disease, 29% died of metastatic disease with no involvement in the pelvis, and 45% died of pelvic cancer. Overall, 22% were living more than 2 years, and only 2% lived over 5 years after recurrence. The NED (no evidence of disease) rate for radical surgery group was 47 and 44% for the radiotherapy group. There were no significant differences in median survival between the chemotherapy group and the no-treatment group (6.8 versus 4.8 months). New chemotherapy agents and adjuvant systemic therapy are discussed.