title: Survival in women with ovarian cancer before and after the introduction of adjuvant paclitaxel; a 25-year, single institution review.
abstract: Adjuvant chemotherapy regime for ovarian cancer patients remains to be a contentious issue. The aim of this study was to compare the overall and progression-free survival of women with ovarian cancer before and after introduction of paclitaxel in our unit in 1992. A sample of 112 women who received adjuvant therapy following surgery for ovarian cancer was collected, 68 (61%) received platinum+alkylating agent before 1992 and later 44 (39%) received platinum+paclitaxel. Five-year survival was same in both treatment groups when there was no macroscopic disease after surgery (78% versus 70%) and when residual disease was <2 cm (50% versus 40%). Survival was greater in women with residual disease >2 cm in the platinum+paclitaxel group (50% versus 24%), (p = 0.04). However, progression-free survival was similar in both groups irrespective of stage or residual volume of disease. Therefore consideration to selective use of paclitaxel could reduce patient morbidity and costs significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, National Maternity Hospital, Holles St., Dublin 2.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shireen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flannelly
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fennelly
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lenehan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foley
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel