A pilot feasibility study for cisplatin plus S-1 for the treatment for advanced or recurrent cervical cancer

To evaluate the feasibility of a cisplatin and S-1 combination regimen for the treatment for metastatic and recurrent cervical cancers, we performed this study prior to a randomized phase III trial to evaluate the clinical benefits of a cisplatin and S-1 combination regimen compared with cisplatin alone.

Cisplatin (50 mg/m², intravenously on day 1) and S-1 (80–120 mg/m², orally twice a day between days 1 and 14) were administered every 21 days for 6 cycles in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine cervical cancer.

A total of 10 patients were enrolled in this trial. A total of 46 treatment cycles (median 6; range 1–6) were administered. All grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities were recorded in the 6 patients: 2 patients experienced anemia, 5 experienced neutropenia, 1 experienced thrombocytopenia, and 2 experienced febrile neutropenia. All grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were recorded in the 6 patients, and no grade 4 non-hematologic toxicities occurred; the most frequent toxicities were hyponatremia in 3 patients, diarrhea in 2 patients, and infection in 2 patients. The patients with grade 3 diarrhea had received prior radiotherapy. All the patients recovered from the toxicities after receiving appropriate supportive care, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. Five patients (50 %) achieved a partial response, and 1 patient (10 %) had a stable disease.

A cisplatin and S-1 combination regimen was feasible for patients with recurrent cervical cancer. Since patients who receive prior radiotherapy may experience severe diarrhea, these patients may require an S-1 dose reduction.