Consolidation therapy revisited: intravenous chemotherapy.
The administration of 'consolidation' therapy is designed to maximize the benefits achieved from primary chemotherapy, to both improve progression-free and overall survival. Paclitaxel is an excellent agent to consider for a consolidation strategy in ovarian cancer, based on its activity in the disease, its cycle-specificity, and the lack of serious cumulative toxicity (except for neuropathy). A recently reported randomized trial conducted by the South-west Oncology Group and the Gynecologic Oncology Group revealed that 12-monthly cycles of single-agent paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 over 3 h) improves progression-free survival (PFS), compared to 3-monthly cycles of the agent (median PFS: 28 months versus 21 months, P = 0.0023, and hazard ratio 2.31). Further exploration of consolidation/maintenance therapy in the management of ovarian cancer is indicated, focusing on agents that are easy to administer (eg, oral) and that result in limited cumulative toxicity.
Markman
M
M
The Department of Hematology/Medical Oncology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. markmam@ccf.org
D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis
D017239:Paclitaxel