title: Sequentially administered ethinyl estradiol and medroxyprogesterone acetate in the treatment of refractory epithelial ovarian carcinoma in patients with positive estrogen receptors.
abstract: The activity of sequentially administered hormonal therapy was investigated over 25 days in 25 patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma who had estrogen receptor (ERc)-positive tumors. Patients received ethinyl estradiol (EE) (50 micrograms/d) on days 1 to 7 and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) (400 mg/d) on days 8 to 25. Twenty-three patients completed one or more courses of treatment. There were no complete responses (CR). Four partial responses (PR) with durations of 9, 4, 3, and 1 months were seen. Two incomplete responses with durations of 6 and 4 months were also seen. Six patients had stable disease (SD), and 11 patients had progression. The overall response rate was 17% and may represent a modest improvement in response over those in previously published studies conducted with MPA alone. No significant toxic effects were noticed, and some patients reported an improved sense of well-being. However, two patients experienced depression with this treatment. The mean ERc values in responders, patients with SD, and nonresponders were 70.0, 36.7, and 47.9 fmol/mg cytosolic protein, respectively. Future studies of hormonal therapy in patients with ovarian carcinoma should attempt to identify more reliable indices for determining sensitivity to these agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Fromm
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone