Consolidation therapy revisited: intravenous chemotherapy

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. 204-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Markman

The administration of ‘consolidation’ therapy is designed to maximize the benefits achieved from primary chemotherapy, to both improve progression-free and overall survival. Paclitaxel is an excellent agent to consider for a consolidation strategy in ovarian cancer, based on its activity in the disease, its cycle-specificity, and the lack of serious cumulative toxicity (except for neuropathy). A recently reported randomized trial conducted by the South-west Oncology Group and the Gynecologic Oncology Group revealed that 12-monthly cycles of single-agent paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 over 3 h) improves progression-free survival (PFS), compared to 3-monthly cycles of the agent (median PFS: 28 months versus 21 months, P = 0.0023, and hazard ratio 2.31). Further exploration of consolidation/maintenance therapy in the management of ovarian cancer is indicated, focusing on agents that are easy to administer (eg, oral) and that result in limited cumulative toxicity.

2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 364-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tate Thigpen ◽  
Mark F. Brady ◽  
Howard D. Homesley ◽  
John T. Soper ◽  
Jeffrey Bell

PURPOSE: In two large Gynecologic Oncology Group studies of patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma and no previous systemic therapy, progestins have demonstrated activity against advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma with response rates between 15% and 25%. Tamoxifen has been reported as variously active or inactive with or without previous systemic therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tamoxifen exhibits enough activity in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, who have not received systemic therapy, to warrant a phase III trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight eligible patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma received oral tamoxifen 20 mg bid until toxicity was unacceptable or disease progressed. RESULTS: Three complete (4%) and four partial (6%) responses were observed for an overall response rate of 10% (90% confidence interval [CI], 5.7% to 17.9%). Patients with tumors that were more anaplastic tended to respond less frequently. The median progression-free survival for all 68 eligible patients was 1.9 months (90% CI, 1.7 to 3.2 months). The median survival was 8.8 months (90% CI, 7.0 to 10.1 months). CONCLUSION: Tamoxifen demonstrated modest activity at best against endometrial carcinoma and does not warrant further investigation as a single agent for this disease. Ongoing trials will assess the sequential use of tamoxifen and progestational agents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 225-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn E Haunschild ◽  
Krishnansu S Tewari

On 13 June 2018, Genentech, Inc. issued a press release announcing that the US FDA had approved the antiangiogenesis drug, bevacizumab, in combination with chemotherapy for frontline and maintenance therapy for women with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. Regulatory approval was based on the National Cancer Institute-sponsored Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) protocol 0218, the Phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-center and multi-national clinical trial that met its primary end point, progression-free survival. Bevacizumab is now approved in the frontline, platinum-sensitive recurrent and platinum-resistant recurrent settings for epithelial ovarian cancer. This review will address the broad range of clinical trials addressing the efficacy of bevacizumab use in ovarian cancer.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (16) ◽  
pp. 2686-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
David S. Miller ◽  
John A. Blessing ◽  
Carolyn N. Krasner ◽  
Robert S. Mannel ◽  
Parviz Hanjani ◽  
...  

Purpose To estimate the antitumor activity of pemetrexed in patients with persistent or recurrent platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer and to determine the nature and degree of toxicities. Patients and Methods A phase II trial was conducted by the Gynecologic Oncology Group. Patients must have had cancer that had progressed on platinum-based primary chemotherapy or recurred within 6 months. Pemetrexed at a dose of 900 mg/m2 was to be administered as an intravenous infusion over 10 minutes every 21 days. Dose delay and adjustment was permitted for toxicity. Treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable adverse effects. Results From July 6, 2004, to August 23, 2006, 51 patients were entered. A total of 259 cycles (median, four; range one to 19 cycles) of pemetrexed were administered, with 40% of patients receiving six or more cycles. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated. More serious toxicities (grade 3 and 4) included neutropenia in 42%, leukopenia in 25%, anemia in 15%, and constitutional in 15% of patients. No treatment-related deaths were reported. One patient (2%) had a complete and nine patients (19%) had partial responses, with a median duration response of 8.4 months. Seventeen patients (35%) had stable disease for a median of 4.1 months. Eighteen patients (38%) had increasing disease. Three patients (6%) were not assessable. Median progression-free survival was 2.9 months, and overall survival was 11.4 months. Conclusion Pemetrexed has sufficient activity in the treatment of recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer at the dose and schedule tested to warrant further investigation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Ozols

Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy in ovarian cancer has been studied since 1978. Numerous phase II trials have been performed, which have shown that higher levels can be obtained in the peritoneal cavity compared with systemic circulation after administration of cytoxic agents in a large volume via a semi-permanent catheter. Three randomized trials have been performed in patients with ovarian cancer comparing different IP regimens to standard therapy with intravenous agents. The last two trials from the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) compared two different IP regimens versus standard therapy with intravenous cisplatin plus paclitaxel. Although an improvement in progression-free survival was reported for the IP regimens, they have been associated with unacceptable toxicity, and no IP regimen can be considered standard therapy. Maintenance therapy with IP cisplatin also failed to improve survival in patients who obtained complete remission after intravenous chemotherapy. The GOG is considering another phase III trial of IP therapy that will compare a carboplatin-based regimen versus standard therapy with intravenous paclitaxel plus carboplatin. Unless such a trial shows an improvement in clinical outcome, intravenous carboplatin plus paclitaxel remains the standard of care and IP chemotherapy should not be used outside of a clinical trial.


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