Cisplatin combined chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer

ABSTRACT

For the past decade the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer has generally comprised maximal debulking surgery followed by combination -chemotherapy. Cisplatin has been the most active single agent. At a dose of 100 mg/m2 cisplatin every 3 or 4 weeks, the clinical complete and partial response rates exceed 50% and the pathological complete remission rate is around 30% in patients who have received no prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Many clinicians judge the most effective treatment for the majority of patients to be a combination chemotherapy regimen using cisplatin at the maximally tolerated dose, usually 100 mg/m2 [Ozols, 1985]. a large randomized Italian study has shown a higher response rate for combination chemotherapy with cisplatin. Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide compared with cisplatin alone, although no survival differences were observed, perhaps because of cross-over between the treatment arms [GICOG, 1987]