title: Multicenter phase II study of gemcitabine in previously untreated patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: Gemcitabine has activity in advanced ovarian cancer, with responses in platinum-resistant disease. This study assessed the activity of gemcitabine in previously untreated patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. All patients had histologically verified invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III/IV disease and no prior chemotherapy. Patients received gemcitabine 1250 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Radiological response was assessed after two cycles. Between December 1992 and October 1995, 35 patients were enrolled. Of 33 evaluable patients, there was one complete response and five partial responses, for an overall response rate of 18% (95% confidence interval 7-36%). Forty-two percent of patients had a greater than 50% decrease in their CA-125 levels. Of the 25 patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy following treatment with gemcitabine, 12 achieved an overall response rate of 48%. Toxicity was mild, with two episodes of WHO grade 4 neutropenia (not associated with fever) and two episodes of grade 4 thrombocytopenia (not associated with bleeding). Gemcitabine has single-agent activity for poor-prognosis patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Similar results with subsequent platinum-based therapy indicate a lack of cross-resistance. This, combined with gemcitabine's favorable toxicity profile, warrants testing in comparative trials.
authors.affiliation: Guys Hospital, London, UK. underhills@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Underhill
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Parnis
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Highley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahern
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dombernowsky
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine