OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of irinotecan plus cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for cervical cancer.

METHODS

A total of 120 cases with cervical cancer were divided into 2 groups and retrospectively reviewed: Sixty FIGO IB2-IIB patients in NACT group were treated with 2 cycles of irinotecan 60 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 plus cisplatin 60 mg/m(2) on day 1 followed by surgery. Sixty FIGO IB2-IIB patients in control group were treated directly with surgery.

RESULTS

The 60 patients in NACT group received a total of 120 cycles. Grades III and IV neutropenia and diarrhea were seen in 15.8% and 11.7%, respectively, of all chemotherapy cycles. Six (10.0%) patients achieved complete remission, 33 (55.0%) achieved partial remission, 21 (35.0%) remained stable, and none had disease progression. Postoperatively the deep cervical stromal invasion and positivity of surgical margins were significantly fewer in the NACT group. The pelvic lymph node metastasis rate of responders to NACT was significantly lower than that of non-responders (12.8% vs 38.1%). With a median follow-up of 29 and 30 months, the intra-pelvic recurrence rate of the NACT group was significantly lower than that of the control group (3/60 vs 11/60, p=0.023), the 2-year recurrence-free survival and the 2-year overall survival was 82.3% and 86.1% in the NACT group, and 86.3%, 87.9% in the control group with no significant difference. Multivariate analysis showed that response to NACT was the only factor associated with survival (p=0.036).

CONCLUSION

Irinotecan plus cisplatin NACT for cervical cancer has high efficacy and tolerable toxicity, and can significantly reduce the rates of deep cervical stromal invasion and positive surgical margins. Pelvic lymph node metastasis decreases significantly in responders compared with non-responders. The response to NACT can be considered as an independent prognostic factor.