title: Survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with intermittent chemotherapy following cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to report the duration of the progression-free interval (PFI) in advanced ovarian cancer patients who were treated with intermittent maintenance chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1991 and 1998, 25 patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer were enrolled in a trial of intermittent maintenance chemotherapy. All patients underwent cytoreduction surgery, and received adjuvant chemotherapy, after which they were treated with intermittent maintenance chemotherapy every 3 to 4 months for 2 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median PFI in the 25 women in the intermittent chemotherapy group was 25 months, while in the 32 patients in the control group it was 18 months (P = 0.0124). The median survival of women treated with the intermittent chemotherapy was 34 months, and for the control group patients, it was 35 months (P = 0.0672). Multivariate analysis in the intermittent chemotherapy group revealed that the only factor that correlated significantly with PFI was the status after adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.0137). In patients with no evidence of disease after the adjuvant chemotherapy, the median survival was 39 months in the intermittent chemotherapy group, and 35 months in the control group (P = 0.0156). The median PFI was 28 months in the intermittent chemotherapy group, and 18 months in the control group (P = 0.0012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It would be warranted to perform intermittent maintenance chemotherapy for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, if a clinically disease-free status could be achieved after completion of the standard treatment procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Niigata 951-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amikura
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality; D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000401:mortality; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000401:mortality; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000401:mortality; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010166:Palliative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents