A phase II trial of carboplatin for recurrent or metastatic squamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a Southwest Oncology Group study.

Forty-one eligible patients with metastatic or recurrent carcinoma of the uterine cervix received 149 courses of carboplatin. The drug was administered at a starting dosage of 400 mg/m2 IV every 28 days. The overall response rate was 15% (two complete responses, four partial responses; 95% confidence interval 6-29%) and response durations were 2.0, 2.0, 2.5 +, 2.5+, 5.25 +, and 6.75 months. The major toxic effects included nausea and vomiting in 48% of courses, anemia in 47%, leukopenia in 38%, and thrombocytopenia in 22%. The activity of carboplatin against advanced cervical cancer is modest and similar to the activity of cisplatin alone. However, the toxicity profile of carboplatin is substantially better than that of cisplatin and warrants exploration of this agent against cervix cancer in more aggressive regimens or in combination with other agents.