Treatment outcome analysis of chemotherapy combined with modulated electro-hyperthermia compared with chemotherapy alone for recurrent cervical cancer, following irradiation

The survival of patients with recurrent cervical cancer following irradiation remains poor. Chemotherapy combined with hyperthermia has been demonstrated to improve the response rate. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of modulated electro-hyperthermia combined with conventional chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone on recurrent cervical cancer previously treated with irradiation. A total of 20 patients were treated with chemotherapy alone, and 18 were treated with chemotherapy combined with modulated electro-hyperthermia. A single patient was treated with chemo-radiotherapy as primary treatment and then relapsed; the tumor was inoperable and radio-refractory upon recurrence. Local metastases, including metastasis of the para-aortic lymph nodes and adjacent pelvic lymph nodes were included, but distant metastases were excluded. Modulated electro-hyperthermia was performed three times per week beginning at chemotherapy initiation, and patients underwent a total of 36 sessions. The overall response (complete remission + partial remission + stable disease/progressive disease) to treatment was significantly greater in the group of patients who underwent chemotherapy combined with modulated electro-hyperthermia (P=0.0461), and at the evaluation conducted at the last follow-up visit, the response rate was significantly higher (P=0.0218). Additionally, severe complications were not reported. In the present study, of patients with recurrent cervical cancer previously treated with irradiation, the overall response rate for patients treated with chemotherapy combined with modulated electro-hyperthermia was significantly greater than that for those treated with chemotherapy alone.