[Ifosfamide in comparison with cyclophosphamide in advanced ovarian carcinomas (author's transl)]

Ifosfamide or cyclophosphamide was employed in an alternating series in 49 advanced ovarian carcinomas. The two cytostatic drugs were given in single massive doses. In primary inoperable ovarian carcinomas at stage III and IV a partial remission occurred in 8 of 19 cases (42%) after treatment with cyclophosphamide. Ifosfamide produced a partial or complete remission in 9 of 11 cases (82%). However, 3 patients treated by ifosfamide died within 3 weeks after the administration of the first massive dose. Regarding these cases as failures there was a remission in 9 of 14 cases (64%). Cyclophosphamide enabled a secondary radical operation in 7 of 19 (37%), ifosfamide in 6 of 14 cases (43%). The intervals between an exploratory laparotomy and the secondary radical operation were 5 months on the average for the two cytostatic drugs.