Postoperative pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy in intermediate- and high-risk cervical cancer

Objective According to national surveys, the use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in gynecologic cancers is on the rise, yet there is still some reluctance to adopt adjuvant IMRT as standard practice. The purpose of this study is to report a single-institution experience using postoperative pelvic IMRT with concurrent chemotherapy in intermediate- and high-risk early stage cervical cancer. Methods From 1/2004 to 12/2009, 34 patients underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (28 median nodes were removed) for early stage cervical cancer. Median dose of postoperative pelvic IMRT was 50.4 Gy (range, 45-50.4). All patients received concurrent cisplatin. Results With a median follow-up of 44 months, 3 patients have recurred; 1 vaginal recurrence, 1 regional and distant, and 1 distant. The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 91.2% (95% CI, 81.4-100%) and overall survival (OS) was 91.1% (95% CI, 81.3-100%). All failures and all deaths were in the high-risk group (n = 3/26). There was 32.3% G3-4 hematologic toxicity, 2.9% acute G3 gastrointestinal toxicity, and no acute G3 or higher genitourinary toxicity. There were no chronic G3 or higher toxicities. Conclusions Oncologic outcomes with postoperative IMRT were very good, with DFS and OS rates of > 90% at median follow-up of 44 months, despite a preponderance (76.5%) of high-risk features. Toxicity was minimal even in the setting of an aggressive trimodality approach. Data from this study and emerging data from the Phase II RTOG study (0418) demonstrate the advantages of postoperative IMRT in early stage cervical cancer.