To evaluate the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) in the treatment of high-risk, early-stage cervical carcinoma after radical surgery.

Patients with clinical stage of IB and IIA cervical carcinoma, initially treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, and who had positive pelvic nodes and/or positive resection margins and/or parametrial involvement were eligible for this study. All patients received 50.4 Gy external pelvic radiation in 28 fractions. Chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin 60mg/m2 (x1) and 5-FU 1,000mg/m2/d (x5) every 3 weeks, with the first and second cycles given concurrent to with radiation. The toxicities of the treatment were evaluated and graded by WHO criteria.

Between 1999 and 2003, 25 patients were entered onto the study. During the follow-up period ranging from 5 to 49 months (median: 26.0 months), the 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 87.7% and 95.8%, respectively. Leukopenia, neutropenia, and nausea/vomiting were most common and concerned toxicities. The toxicities above grade 3 were observed in 12 cycles (16.9%) in leucopenia, five cases (7.0%) in neutropenia, and 13 cases (18.3%) in nausea/vomiting. But no treatment-related deaths occurred.

CCRT as adjuvant therapy seems to be effective and well-tolerable method of treating patients with high-risk factors after radical surgery in cervical carcinoma.