Treatment of ovarian germ cell tumors with a 3-day bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin regimen: a prospective multicenter study.
BACKGROUND
Ovarian germ cell tumors (OGCT) are highly curable when treated with cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. We evaluated the safety and activity of a 3-day modified bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatinum (mBEP) regimen in patients with OGCT.


METHODS
Patients with FIGO stages I-IV OGCT were treated with three (stages I-III complete resection) or four cycles (incomplete resection or stage IV) of bleomycin 15 mg iv, etoposide 120 mg/m(2) iv, and cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) iv for 3 days every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Forty-eight patients (14 with dysgerminoma and 34 with non-dysgerminomatous tumors) were included in our study. Most patients had stage I disease (65%) and complete resection of their tumor (67%). Twenty percent of patients developed grade 3 or 4 neutropenia with 4 episodes of neutropenic fever. During follow-up (median: 5 years), two patients developed progressive disease including one patient who died. All patients with stage I or II disease and all patients with dysgerminoma remain free of disease. However, 20% of patients with non-dysgerminomatous tumors stage III or IV experienced progressive disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The modified 3-day BEP regimen was safe and effective in patients with OGCT. Further improvements are needed for patients with advanced, suboptimally debulked non-dysgerminomatous tumors.
Dimopoulos
Meletios A
MA
Departments of Clinical Therapeutics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens School of Medicine, 31 Komninon Street, Haidari 124 62, Athens, Greece.
Papadimitriou
Christos
C
Hamilos
Georgios
G
Efstathiou
Eleni
E
Vlahos
Georgios
G
Rodolakis
Alexandros
A
Aravantinos
Gerassimos
G
Kalofonos
Haralambos
H
Kouroussis
Charalambos
C
Gika
Dimitra
D
Skarlos
Dimosthenis
D
Bamias
Aristotle
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies
D001761:Bleomycin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin