title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer: a case-control study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with those treated conventionally with primary debulking surgery. From 1994 to 2003, all consecutive cases of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma treated with NACT at the University of Bari were identified. A well-balanced group of women who underwent primary debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy was selected as controls. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to determine the predictors for survival. Thirty women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with NACT and compared to 30 patients who underwent primary debulking surgery. Patients in the NACT were significantly older and had a poorer performance status compared to the controls. However, no statistical difference was observed in overall disease-specific survival (P= 0.66) and disease-free survival (P= 0.25) between the two groups. Although patients in the NACT group are significantly older and have a poorer performance status, this treatment modality does not compromise survival. Prospective randomized trials comparing NACT to conventional treatment to determine the quality of life and cost/benefit outcomes are now appropriate for women presenting advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Ginecologia e Ostetricia A, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche Generali e Specialistiche, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. vloizzi@tiscali.it
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Loizzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cormio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Di Gilio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuccovillo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selvaggi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin