What it’s about
Radiation therapy is an effective treatment for cervical cancer. This study was designed to investigate if giving chemotherapy alongside radiation therapy (chemoradiation) made it more effective. It found that women who received chemotherapy and radiotherapy lived longer than those who received radiation therapy alone. Their cancer was also less likely to come back.
Trial description
This is a review study that brings together the data of 24 high quality trials that compared chemoradiation to radiation alone. This sort of study is called a meta-analysis. These trials included a total of 4921 patients. It assessed for the impact of the addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy in the treatment of cervical cancer.
Outcome
Women who received chemotherapy and radiotherapy lived longer than those who received radiation therapy alone. The risk of death was reduced by just under one third. Of women who received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 7 out of 10 were alive at the end of the study follow-up time. Of women who received radiotherapy alone, 6 out of 10 were alive at the end of the study follow-up time.
More than 6 out of 10 women who received chemotherapy and radiotherapy were disease free at the end of the study, whereas 5 out of 10 women who received radiotherapy alone were disease free.
Short term side-effects were more common in women receiving chemoradiation but there was not enough evidence to comment on long term side-effects.
Conclusion
The addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy in the treatment of cervical cancer improves survival and reduces the likelihood of cancer coming back.
