Intensified Systemic Therapy Regimens in Combination With Definitive Radiation for Treatment of Cervical Cancer.

Abstract

Definitive standard chemoradiation for locoregionally advanced carcinomas of the uterine cervix includes multimodality therapy consisting of concurrent cisplatin based chemoradiation comprising of external-beam radiotherapy with systemic chemotherapy followed by intracavitary brachytherapy. New developments in radiotherapy, such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy, which aim to improve tumor control rates and reduce associated toxicity have reopened the discussion regarding the benefit of intensification of concomitant or sequential systemic therapy in the treatment of cervical cancer. Intensification of systemic chemotherapy used in standard chemoradiation for cervical cancer is an attractive approach to improve disease control, but given the concerns regarding toxicity deserves further evaluation to ensure their safe use in patients. This is a review of published and ongoing studies investigating intensification of systemic chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.