30% of cases of cervical cancer show recurrence despite the constant advancements in cancer treatment modalities.
Around 3.5 lakh women died out of the total 6 lakh cases of cervical cancer worldwide in the year 2022.
Addressing this issue, a recent study published in The Lancet revealed a new treatment protocol which reduced the risk of death from cervical cancer by 40% in the tested patients.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age in India. Risk factors include HPV infection, multiparity, early age of first intercourse/pregnancy, smoking, and low socio-economic status. The World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested various prevention strategies against the disease, including the HPV vaccination as the primary prevention method. Secondary prevention strategies include early diagnosis through screening in 21 to 65 year old females and prompt treatment once detected. Screening methods directed by WHO are tests like pap smear and HPV DNA detection.
The recent treatment plan introduced through The Lancet study involved administering a short course of induction chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by standard chemoradiotherapy that includes cisplatin and brachytherapy. The median gap between induction chemo and chemoradiotherapy was 7 days.
A cohort analysis of the overall survival rate after five years of treatment revealed that it was 80% in the induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy group, while it was 72% in the chemoradiotherapy alone group. The study further demonstrated not only a 40% relative reduction in the risk of death from cervical cancer but also a 35% decrease in the likelihood of the cancer returning within five years.
Researchers from University College London advocate for the new chemotherapy-first approach to become a standard part of cervical cancer care.
They emphasize the importance of integrating this regimen into future clinical trials to explore additional treatment agents for locally advanced cervical cancer. This development could pave the way for enhanced survival and quality of life for countless patients battling this aggressive cancer.
Reference:
1. Induction chemotherapy followed by standard chemoradiotherapy versus standard chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (GCIG INTERLACE): an international, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial. McCormack, MaryReed, Nicholas et al. The Lancet, Volume 404, Issue 10462, 1525 - 1535
(Input from various sources)
Rehash/Dr. Chhavi Garg/MSM
