Tamoxifen therapy for ovarian cancer in the adjuvant and advanced settings: systematic review of the literature and implications for future research.
BACKGROUND
Ovarian neoplasms frequently express hormonal receptors and are sensitive to hormonal manipulations, as shown by preclinical and clinical studies. However, despite the outstanding relevance of hormonal adjuvant therapy in breast cancer and the importance of receptor status as a predictive factor, few trials have addressed these issues in ovarian cancer.


METHODS
Computerized and manual searches were performed to identify preclinical and clinical studies evaluating single-agent tamoxifen activity in ovarian cancer or any kind of hormonal therapy employed as adjuvant therapy for ovarian cancer.


RESULTS
In advanced tumors, none of the trials was performed exclusively in chemonaive patients, but those including less heavily pretreated patients showed greater response rates. Some studies found a correlation between receptor status and activity (although differences were not significant), whereas other trials did not. Nevertheless, none were specifically designed to answer this question. Few randomized trials comparing hormonal treatment and chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone were identified. Although their results were negative, all were small, and none was designed with the rigor that allowed adjuvant hormonal therapy to become successfully established in breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
The activity of tamoxifen in advanced ovarian cancer has not been adequately evaluated and its role may have been underestimated. Furthermore, the relevance of adjuvant hormonal therapy in ovarian cancer and the predictive value of hormonal receptors have never been studied in well-designed trials. Additional studies to clarify the role of tamoxifen for this indication are warranted.
Perez-Gracia
Jose Luis
JL
Clinical Research Department, Eli Lilly and Company, Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain. jlgracia@lilly.com
Carrasco
Eva María
EM
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013629:Tamoxifen