Weekly IV Topotecan and Cisplatin With Radiation in Cervical Carcinoma

There will be approximately 14,000 new patients with invasive cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2003 with about 4,000 deaths from this disease. This accounts for approximately 17% of all deaths due to gynecologic cancers. Radiation has been the primary treatment modality for locoregionally advanced cervical cancer. Recent trials of concomitant systemic cisplatin chemotherapy and radiation have shown high response rates (RR) with improvements in durable remissions and overall survival. Though the incidence and mortality in the U.S. dropped steadily from years 1940 to 2000, there has recently been a plateau, arresting the decline. With the routine addition of systemic Cisplatin (CDDP) chemotherapy to local regional radiation, mortality from advanced cervical cancer in the United States is expected to further decrease. However, further advances in this disease are needed.