Dose-dense and dose-intense chemotherapy for small cell ovarian cancer: 2 cases and review of literature.
Small cell carcinomas of the ovary (SCCO) are rare and aggressive malignant neoplasms carrying a poor prognosis. Although multi-modality treatment including chemotherapy leads to a high initial response rate, the majority of these patients relapse quickly and die within 2 years of diagnosis. Because these tumours are rare, there is no consensus to support any particular approach to management. We present 2 cases and review the relevant literature to make a number of recommendations. The treatment of these unusual cases should to be individually discussed in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-modality treatment including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be considered for patients with limited disease. Conservative, fertility-preserving surgery may be considered in younger women with early-stage disease. Induction chemotherapy with weekly dose-dense and dose-intense carboplatin and taxane is useful. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) may be considered in patients in remission after primary treatment with chemotherapy or surgery.
Shrimali
Raj Kumar
RK
Department of Clinical Oncology, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0YN, Scotland, UK. dr_shrimali@hotmail.com
Correa
Peter Denzil
PD
Reed
Nick S
NS
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel