Between August 1990 and January 1992, 184 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, FIGO stage IIB-IVA, were randomized to receive either two cycles of bleomycin, ifosfamide-mesna, and cis-platinum (BIP) chemotherapy (CT) followed by radiotherapy (RT) ("CT-RT group," n = 94) or RT alone (RT group, n = 90). In the CT-RT group, of 89 evaluable patients, 64 responded: complete response (CR) 4 (4.5%) and partial response 60 (67.5%). Of the remaining 25 patients, 23 had stable disease and 2 progressed. Eighty of 89 patients completed RT as planned. Following RT 56 (70%) achieved CR, 19 (23.7%) had residual disease, and 5 (6.3%) had progressed. CT responders had a better response to RT: 83% (49/59) vs 33.3% (7/21), P < 0.01). The stage of disease, histologic grade, duration of symptoms, and history of smoking had no influence on the response to CT. Patients aged > 45 years and those with Hb > 10 g/dl had significantly better response. Nausea/vomiting, alopecia, grade I-II myelosuppression, diarrhea, and mucositis were the major side effects of CT. Two patients died of CT toxicity. In the RT group, 88 patients were evaluable: 61 (69.3%) patients achieved CR, 25 had residual disease, and 2 progressed. The side effects of RT were cystitis, proctitis, and local skin reaction. These were equally distributed between the two groups. There was no significant difference in overall and disease-free survival in the two groups.