Ifosfamide seven-day infusion for recurrent and cisplatin refractory ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND
The prognosis of advanced ovarian cancer is very poor, with about 15% of patients surviving at five years. Since most of these patients will relapse and/or progress while on therapy, effective salvage treatments are needed. A phase II trial was designed to evaluate the feasibility, toxicity, and response of a seven-day ambulatory continuous infusion of ifosfamide in patients with recurrent or chemoresistant advanced ovarian cancer.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with progressive ovarian cancer following a cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy were treated with continuous infusion ifosfamide with mesna at 1 g/m2/d and 400 mg/m2/d, respectively, for seven days every 28 days.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 37%. Responses were observed both in patients who relapsed after induction chemotherapy (4/6) and in those who were resistant to cisplatin (3/13). Toxicity was mild and tolerable in these heavily pretreated patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Ifosfamide, when administered as a protracted continuous infusion is an active drug in ovarian cancer and can be safely administered in an out-patient setting. Toxicity is minor even in heavily pretreated patients. Responses are observed in cisplatin refractory ovarian cancer.
Dorval
T
T
Service de Médecine Oncologique, Section Médicale et Hospitalière, Paris, France.
Soussain
C
C
Beuzeboc
P
P
Garcia-Giralt
E
E
Jouve
M
M
Livartowski
A
A
Mosseri
V
V
Palangié
T
T
Scholl
S
S
Sastre
X
X
Pouillart
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D007069:Ifosfamide