Preoperative chemotherapy with irinotecan and mitomycin for FIGO Stage Illb cervical squamous cell carcinoma: A pilot study

Purpose of investigation: Patients with FIGO Stage IIIb cervical cancer show cancer propagation to pelvic side walls from the uterus, and the tumors cannot be completely removed by radical hysterectomy. Here, we examined the effects of preoperative irinotecan HCl (CPT-11)-combined chemotherapy on patients with unresectable Stage IIIb cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: Eleven patients agreed to participate in the pilot study and received preoperative chemotherapy.

Results: Cervical tumors of all 11 patients showed partial responses in tumor reduction, and radical hysterectomy was successfully performed in ten patients treated with CPT-11 and mitomycin C (MMC). One patient treated with CPT-11 and cisplatin had a 68% reduction of the primary cervical lesion but could not undergo radical surgery because of retroperitoneal cancer progression during chemotherapy.

Conclusion: These results indicate that chemotherapy with CPT-11 and MMC could be a useful preoperative treatment for unresectable Stage IIIb cervical squamous carcinoma.

Irinotecan, CPT-11; Cervical cancer; Squamous cell carcinoma

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