title: High-dose chemotherapy for ovarian carcinoma: long-term results from the Solid Tumour Registry of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to determine the outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer in patients registered with the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed on 254 patients with advanced or recurrent disease, median age 46 years (14-63) from 39 centres treated between 1982 and 1996. Only 25% of patients were known to have no or microscopic disease after initial surgery; in approximately 20% the disease status was unknown, the remainder had macroscopic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred five patients received high-dose chemotherapy in complete or very good partial remission, twenty-seven in second remission and the remainder in the presence of residual disease. Most received melphalan or carboplatin, or a combination (86%) supported by autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. The survival of patients treated in remission was significantly better than in other groups (median 33 vs. 14 months; P = 0.0001). The durability of remission was longer after transplantation in first remission than in second remission (median disease-free survival 18 vs. 9 months; P = 0.005). With a median follow-up of 76 months from diagnosis the median disease-free and overall survival in stage III disease transplanted in remission is 42 and 59 months and for stage IV disease 26 and 40 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-dose chemotherapy has a potential benefit for patients in remission. The results support the conduct of randomised studies to determine whether there is a real value from this treatment.
authors: Department of Oncology, Royal Free & University College Medical School, UCL, London, UK. j.ledermann@ucl.ac.uk
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Ledermann
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Herd
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Maraninchi
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Viens
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Buclon
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Philip
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Cure
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Lotz
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Chauvin
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ferrante
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Rosti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D008558:Melphalan