Indirect comparisons were performed using data from GOG-0179 versus GOG-0169 to permit comparison of topotecan in combination with cisplatin versus cisplatin plus paclitaxel via the common comparator of cisplatin monotherapy. Both GOG-0179 and GOG-0169 were conducted in patients with stage IVB, recurrent or persistent carcinoma of the cervix, but there were some differences between the respective study populations. Patients with prior chemotherapy were eligible for GOG-0179 but ineligible for GOG-0169 (except when chemotherapy was used for radiation sensitisation). Fewer patients had received chemotherapy as a radiosensitiser in GOG-0169 (27%) than in GOG-0179 (~60%) and these patients were unevenly distributed between treatment arms in GOG-0169. In addition, the proportion of patients receiving cisplatin as a radiosensitiser in GOG-0169 is unknown. For these reasons, there are limitations associated with the indirect meta-analysis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• randomised clinical trials, or systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• treatment with topotecan or platinum-based single and combination regimens in female patients of any race with cancer of the cervix recurrent after radiotherapy or stage IVB disease

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

The search was designed to identify all clinical data published since the Cancer Care Ontario systematic review in 2006. The Cancer Care Ontario systematic review searched MEDLINE (1966 to February 2006), EMBASE (1980 to February 2006), the Cochrane Library (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2006 Issue 1), and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (2006 Issue 1)), the Canadian Medical Association Infobase, and the National Guidelines Clearinghouse. The conference proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (1995-2005) and the European Society of Medical Oncology (2002-2005) were also searched. The search was completed on 18 December 2008