Clinical trial of daily low-dose oral etoposide for patients with residual or recurrent cancer of the ovary or uterus.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of long-term therapy of oral etoposide in patients with residual or recurrent gynecological malignancies.


METHODS
Twenty-five Japanese patients with resistant or recurrent carcinoma of the uterus or ovary were treated with oral etoposide at a dose of 25 mg/day/body for 21 consecutive days, and cycles were repeated every 4 weeks. The residual or recurrent lesion could be objectively evaluated in all patients by measuring it directly.


RESULTS
The response rate after 6 cycles of therapy was 40% for the group of all patients, and 42.8%, 28.6% and 50% for those with ovarian carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, and endometrial carcinoma, respectively. Side effects of etoposide treatment included gastrointestinal discomfort in 14 patients and leukopenia of grade 3 or higher in 2 patients. However, these side effects were mild, and all patients could continue treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that long-term, low-dose oral etoposide was effective for and well-tolerated by patients with refractory or recurrent carcinoma of the ovary or uterus.
Yasumizu
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gyneoclogy, Yamanashi Medical University Japan.
Kato
J
J
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide