Multinational phase 3 trial of standard chemoradiotherapy with or without induction chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer

The standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer (LA CC) is chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Many patients still relapse and die from metastatic disease. The multinational phase 3 GCIG INTERLACE trial evaluated short-course induction chemotherapy (CT) before standard CRT. LACC patients were randomized to induction CT followed by CRT (n=250) or to CRT alone (n=250). Both progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly improved by induction CT. Grade 3 or greated adverse events were reported in 59% of patients in the induction CT plus CRT group versus 48% of patients in the CRT alone group. The authors conclude that addition of short-course induction CT to standard CRT signficantly improved survival outcomes of LA CC patients.