OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin or cisplatin for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

METHODSA total of 70 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin or cisplatin in our department from July 2007 to May 2010. The stage distribution among the patients included 45 stage IB2, 21 stage IIa, and 4 stage IIb. Of the 70 patients, 6 were G1, 26 were G2, 32 were G3, and the rest 6 patients were not histologically classified. Sixty-five patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 3 had adenocarcinoma, and 2 patients had adenosquamous cell carcinoma. The clinicopathological parameters were analyzed, and their impact on tumor response were investigated.

RESULTSOf the 70 patients, 14 (20.0%) showed a complete response, 37 (52.9%) had a partial response to chemotherapy, making an overall response rate of 72.9%. Sixty-eight (95.7%) patients underwent surgery, and among them 12 (17.1%) pathological CR were identified. Eleven (16.2%) patients were found to have lymph node metastasis after surgery. Response rates of stage Ib2 and IIa patients were 73.7% and 52.3%, respectively, P<0.05. Patients with SCC exhibited a better response rate than patients with adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous cell carcinoma (73.8% vs. 60.0%). Initial tumor volume, histological classification and cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were not significantly correlated with the response rate.

CONCLUSIONPaclitaxel and carboplatin or cisplatin regimen is a promising therapy with definite short-term efficacy, can improve the resection rate with tolerable side effects, and is an applicable option of treatment for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer in the neoadjuvant setting.