Recurrent cervical cancer – therapeutic options

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a malignancy associated with high morbidity and mortality in Poland. In a high number of cases the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage, namely FIGO IB2-IVA. The standard method for radical treatment in these patients is external beam irradiation, together with concurrent chemotherapy, based on cisplatin in the first stage, and brachytherapy in the next step. Despite such radical treatment, nearly half of women have relapses within the genital tract and regional lymph nodes. The procedure in these patients is a difficult therapeutic problem in gynecologic oncology. There is a small percentage of relapses, which are located exclusively in the genital tract. In these cases appropriate treatment offers a chance for permanent cure, but also a high risk of lower quality of life, which is the consequence of surgery or radiotherapy. Therapeutic options available in this strictly selected group of patients are the subject of the present analysis.