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Groundbreaking clinical trial results reveal major breakthrough in cervical cancer treatment. This new approach provides chemotherapy with the use of current treatments to reduce the risk of death by 40%.
The study, conducted on more than 500 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer, demonstrated that the addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, administered before radiotherapy, can reduce the risk of death by 35 to 40%. These results are so significant that they could quickly change the standards of care for thousands of women around the world.
A reduction in the risk of death by 40%!
Led by Professor Mary McCormack of University College London Hospitals (UCLH), the INTERLACE study is a crucial step forward in the fight against a cancer that kills around 300,000 women each year worldwide. The results were published in The Lancetemphasizing the importance of this new therapeutic strategy. Patients who received the combined treatment saw their chances of survival significantly increased compared to those who received the standard treatment of radiotherapy and conventional chemotherapy.
After five years, 80% of patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy therapy were alive and 73% had not seen their cancer return or spread. In the standard treatment group, 72% were alive and 64% had not seen their cancer return or spread. This equates to a 40% reduction in the risk of death and a 35% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence. Five patients participating in the trial have been disease-free for more than 10 years.
Professor Mary McCormack, said: “This approach is a simple way to make a positive difference, using existing, inexpensive, and already approved medicines for patients. It has already been adopted by some cancer centers and there is no reason why it should not be offered to all patients undergoing chemoradiation for this cancer“.
A revolutionary approach to treating cervical cancer
Traditional treatment for advanced cervical cancer involves a combination of radiation therapy and simultaneous chemotherapy. However, the INTERLACE trial added carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy given before this standard treatment, for a period of six weeks. The particularity of this approach is based on the concept of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, that is to say administered before the main treatment. More aggressive against tumors, this strategy improves results and minimizes the chances of recurrence.
Towards a change in care standards
With such results, we can think that the recommendations for the management of this cancer should quickly include this treatment. Indeed, this new approach could benefit thousands of patients each year, particularly in regions where screening and access to care are more limited.
Unlike most cancers, cervical cancer is a disease that affects relatively young women. The peak incidence of cervical cancer is among women in their thirties, with around 3,150 new cases each year in France. The five-year survival rate for cervical cancer is around 70%.
Professor Jonathan Ledermann, lead author of the study from the UCL Cancer Institute, said: “Cervical cancer is a disease that often strikes women in their 30s or younger. People with locally advanced disease have a relatively high risk of relapse and the disease can have serious consequences for patients and their families. The incremental cost of using the drugs in the INTERLACE trial is low, making it a new treatment that can be easily implemented across health economies, to significantly improve overall survival.”.
Next steps for treatment
Although the results of the INTERLACE study are extremely promising, it is essential to continue following patients beyond the first five years of treatment to assess long-term survival rates. Professor McCormack indicated that further trials and studies are underway to consolidate these results and further refine the therapeutic strategy.
Cervical cancer, despite being one of the most preventable cancers thanks to early detection and vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), continues to be a global scourge. This new therapy could offer a glimmer of hope for women battling this disease in its advanced forms.