title: Complete remission of recurrent and refractory ovarian cancers using weekly administration of bevacizumab and gemcitabine/oxaliplatin: report of two cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A combination therapy with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) yielded a moderate activity in platinum-resistant ovarian cancers; however, frequent severe toxicities, such as thrombocytopenia and neurotoxicity, were observed. A certain modification of schedule might therefore facilitate the clinical application of the regimen. The authors report two cases that achieved complete response to a weekly administration of bevacizumab and GEMOX.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancers received a weekly regimen of GEMOX with bevacizumab: 2 mg/kg of bevacizumab, 300 mg/m2 of gemcitabine, and 30 mg/m2 of oxaliplatin, three weeks on and one week off, Q4 weeks. Complete remission was observed after three to four courses of therapy. Hematologic and non-hematologic toxicities more than grade 2 were not observed during chemotherapy. The patients are now without tumor progression more than 12 months after initiation of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weekly administration of bevacizumab and GEMOX had potential activity in recurrent and refractory ovarian carcinomas. These findings warrant necessity of further trial in such clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan. mastkn@ndmc.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kudoh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000093542:Gemcitabine