Short-term efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads versus synchronous radiochemotherapy for cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) versus synchronous radiochemotherapy among women with cervical cancer.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of women treated by synchronous radiochemotherapy (n=20) and DEB-TACE (n=20) at a single center in China between November 2015 and September 2017. Inclusion criteria were pathologic diagnosis of cervical cancer, age at least 18 years, and complete clinicopathologic information. Hospital stay, direct medical cost, resection frequency, adverse events, treatment responses, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between treatments.

RESULTS

There was no difference in treatment responses, PFS, or OS between the two groups. Hospital stay was shorter, direct medical costs were lower, and resection rate was higher in the DEB-TACE group than in the radiochemotherapy group (all P<0.05). In univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, no factor was associated with complete response. No predictive factor for PFS or OS was identified by Cox proportional regression analysis. Fewer adverse advents were recorded in the DEB-TACE group than in the synchronous radiochemotherapy group.

CONCLUSION

Among women with cervical cancer, DEB-TACE achieved equal short-term efficacy, better tolerance, less hospital stay and medical costs, and higher resection rates as compared with synchronous radiochemotherapy.