Weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of recurrent ovarian carcinoma

To study the effect of weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of recurrent ovarian and peritoneal carcinoma.

A retrospective analysis of patients treated at Christie Cancer Centre between May 2003 and May 2005 was carried out.

Fortynine patients with recurrent ovarian and peritoneal carcinoma were treated. The mean duration of treatment was 11 weeks, with 27 (54%) patients receiving 12 or more treatments. The most frequent non-haematological toxicities reported were mild nausea, constipation, lethargy and neuropathy. Moderate anaemia was noted in 50% of patients. Radiological assessment by CT scanning showed that complete or partial responses were achieved in 28% of patients. CA125 response was demonstrated in 63% of patients. Median time to recurrence was 149 days and median survival was 359 days.

This study provides evidence for the role of weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of recurrent ovarian and peritoneal carcinoma even in a drug-resistant setting following multiple lines of prior therapy.