The use of Fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin in women with heavily pretreated advanced ovarian carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Women suffering from recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian carcinoma go through several lines of chemotherapy, but eventually fail all conventional chemotherapy options. After failing multiple other regimens, we offer patients fluorouracil (5-FU) in a weekly regimen with leucovorin. For those women who failed to react to multiple lines of treatment, 5-FU has been shown to be a reasonable option with reported response rates of 10% to 33%. We report our experience with 5-FU+leucovorin in this patient population.


METHODS
This is a retrospective chart review of women treated for recurrent ovarian carcinoma between January 2003 and December 2009. Women with recurrent ovarian carcinoma who had been treated with at least 3 previous chemotherapy regimens and had received 5-FU were eligible for the study. 5-FU and leuocovorin are given at 600 mg/m weekly for 6 weeks of an 8-week cycle. Patient charts were reviewed for demographics and disease history relevant to the administration of 5-FU. Response was assessed clinically and by CA125 levels.


RESULTS
Fifty-three patients matching inclusion criteria received 5-FU during the study period. Twenty-five percent of patients achieved a partial response and 17% stable disease for an overall response rate of 42%. A median of 4 weekly doses was administered (range, 1 to 26). The median survival of the whole cohort was 10 weeks after the last dose of 5-FU was administered.


CONCLUSIONS
In this population of heavily pretreated patients, a significant response to 5-FU can be achieved. Unfortunately, the response is short lived and mostly partial.
Rabin Medical Center, Gynecologic Oncology Division, The Helen Schnieder Hospital for Women, Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Yoav
Y
Peled
Hanoch
H
Levavi
Haim
H
Krissi
Yehudah
Y
Weill
Gad
G
Sabah
Ram
R
Eitan
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil