Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer (RCC) and its effect on patient prognosis. METHODS: A total of 106 RCC patients, treated at Nanfang Hospital and Southern Medical University from January 2015 to January 2019, were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 56 patients who received CCRT served as the research group, while 50 patients treated with radiotherapy alone formed the control group. Outcomes compared between groups included treatment efficacy, tumor-free survival (TFS), 5-year overall survival (OS) rate, incidence of adverse reactions, serum tumor marker levels (carbohydrate antigen 15-3 [CA15-3], squamous cell carcinoma antigen [SCCA], and carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]) and quality of life at 6 months post-treatment. Prognostic factors for poor outcomes were also analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the CCRT group exhibited significantly higher total response rate, prolonged TFS, improved 5-year OS rate, and better quality of life at 6 months post-treatment (all P<0.05). Serum levels of CA15-3, SCCA, and CEA decreased significantly post-treatment in the CCRT group and were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Although the incidence of adverse reactions in the research group was slightly higher, the difference was not significant (P>0.05), and all side effects were alleviated after treatment. Multivariate analysis identified age, pathologic stage, treatment response, and treatment modality as independent prognostic risk factors (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CCRT demonstrated superior efficacy, favorable prognosis, and low complication rate in the treatment of RCC. It effectively suppressed serum tumor markers and improves patient quality of life, supporting its broader clinical application.