Combining Chemo With Radiation Rather Than Surgery Increases Survival Rate in Advanced Cervical Cancer Says Tata Memorial Study
The study shatters previously held notions on the best treatment combination for cervical cancer.
In what is considered a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, Tata Memorial Hospital released findings of an 11-year trial that reveals that a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy increases the survival chances of women in advanced stage of cervical cancer as compared to surgery alone. The findings of the research was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Dr Sudeep Gupta, head of medical oncology at the Tata Hospital revealed to The Indian Express that several institutes in Asia, Europe and South America have changed their treatment methods to chemo plus radiation instead of chemo plus surgery after the study was published.
The 11-year study, which was conducted between September 2003 and February 2015, featured 635 women who were randomly assigned. A total of 316 patients were in the chemotherapy plus surgery group and 317 in chemotherapy plus radiation group. The results of the study indicated that the chances of survival increased in the second group where chemo was combined with radiation.
Dr Gupta who helmed the study and was the first author of the paper revealed to The Times of India that the study answered one of the biggest questions of treating cervical cancer in the advanced stages of the disease. He said if a tumour is more than 4 cm, surgery is not an option. Usually, doctors tries to shrink the tumour first and then attempt surgery. With the findings of the study, there will be a complete shift in the way cervical cancers are treated.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2018 10:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).