Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Cervical Cancer:A Review Article

Aims:

 Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancer in the female since 1990. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) uses before surgery, especially in countries with limited radiotherapy facilities. The aim of the present review was to study the effect of NACT before radical surgery in comparison with other treatments and various clinical outcomes.

Information and Methods:

 This study is a systematic review and includes previous publishes about cervical cancer and effect of NACT before radical surgery. Over 40 previous studies were reviewed, none of them was case report, at least 5 studies were randomized clinical trials and 6 of them were meta-analysis or systematic review.

Findings :

NACT before surgery demonstrates advantages to reduce the rate of lymph node metastasis and parametrial infiltration, so improves progression-free survival in patients with pelvic lymph node invasion (Approximately 35% of stage IB2–IIB bulky). NACT also decreases tumor volume and minimizes the need for adjuvant radiotherapy, thus NACT under consideration of quality of life and cost-effectiveness should be recommended. NACT is really effective in decreasing incidence of pathological risk factors.

Conclusion:

 NACT response associated with the stage of diagnosis, tumor size and pathology of the specimen (Squamous tumor has a better response than a non-squamous tumor). NACT seems to be feasible in the management of stage IB bulky cervical cancer, NACT followed by surgery represent an alternative to primary chemoradiotherapy in young and sexually active patients.