A PHASE-II STUDY OF IFOSFAMIDE AND BLEOMYCIN IN ADVANCED OR RECURRENTCERVICAL-CARCINOMA

Thirty-seven patients with advanced or recurrent cervical squamous cel l carcinoma were treated with ifosfamide 1.5 g m(-2) on days 1-5 (with mesna as a uroprotector), and bleomycin 30 mg on day 1, every 3 weeks . A partial response rate of 21% (95% CI: 6-36%) was obtained in patie nts who had not received prior chemotherapy, with a median duration of response of 5 months. No complete responses were seen. The median sur vival of all patients was 6 months. Nausea and vomiting, white cell su ppression and encephalopathy were the main toxic effects. The results suggest that the addition of bleomycin to ifosfamide is not advantageo us and increases toxicity, and that the interaction between these two agents is not contributory to the activity of the bleomycin, ifosfamid e and cisplatin combination regimen (BIP). The potentially more severe toxicity of combination regimens must be considered when treating thi s group of patients.