Chemotherapy in ovarian carcinoma.
Chemotherapy in ovarian carcinoma has changed from single agents through combinations without cisplatin to combinations including cisplatin. First-line treatment should be as potent as possible and thereby prolong the progression-free interval and the overall survival and increase the cure rate. This has been obtained with cisplatin, but new active agents are needed to improve the results. The present non-invasive response evaluation methods such as tumour markers, abdominal computed tomography or ultrasound scans are unsatisfactory with a false-negative rate of about 50-60%. In view of this and the experimental nature of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer, a second-look laparotomy cannot be avoided to assess the efficacy of a treatment. Salvage therapy with well known drugs has only a restricted indication, as the overall results are generally poor. In addition, a common international prognostic index would be of great value for the comparison of the results of the different trials.
Lund
B
B
Department of Oncology ONK, Finsen Institute, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Hansen
H H
HH
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis