Long-term outcomes of concomitant cisplatin plus radiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with stage IIIB squamous cervical cancer: A randomized controlled trial

Objective. The present analysis determined the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) at up to 14 years of follow-up in women who participated in our previous phase 3 randomized controlled clinical trial, in which women with stage IIIB squamous cervical cancer received either cisplatin plus RT or RT alone for treatment. The first study showed that the addition of cisplatin to RT offered a significant benefit in DFS, but not in OS. Methods. The present analysis examined DFS and OS in 146 women from the original cohort (72 patients in the CRT arm and 74 patients in the RT-only arm) with follow-up of up to 14 years. Results. Longer term follow-up showed that treatment with CRT offers a significant benefit in DFS and OS compared with treatment with RT only. Patients who received RT alone had significantly worse OS (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.09-3.24) and DFS (HR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.07-3.08) compared with patients who received CRT. The multivariate analyses also showed that the patients with baseline Karnofsky performance status (KPS) <90% showed significantly worse OS (HR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.78-5.43), as did those with hemoglobin <10 mg/dL (HR, 4.32; 95% CI, 2.23-8.36). Patients with baseline KPS < 90% showed significantly worse DFS (HR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.60-5.01), as did those with hemoglobin <10 mg/dL (HR, 4.16; 95% CI, 2.17-7.95). Conclusions. For stage IIIB cervical cancer, treatment with CRT offers a significant benefit in DFS and OS compared with treatment with RT only. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

During up to 14 years of follow-up, cisplatin plus radiation therapy showed significant benefits in disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with radiation therapy alone for stage IIIB squamous cervical cancer. Patients with baseline Karnofsky performance status (KPS) <90% and hemoglobin <10 mg/dL had worse OS and DFS outcomes, indicating potential risk factors for survival outcomes.