A strategy for improved results in ovarian carcinomas: partially responsive to chemotherapy

Eighty-nine patients with FIGO stages 3 and 4 epithelial ovarian cancer who responded to cis-platinum alone or cis-platinum containing combinations have been studied retrospectively to determine the time taken to achieve maximum tumour response. Clinically determined partial and complete responses were seen within 2-6 (median 3) treatment courses and 2-5 (median 3) treatment courses respectively. Sixty-nine patients were restaged surgically demonstrating partial and complete response within 4-12 (median 5) and 3-16 (median 5) treatment courses respectively. After the initial 6 courses of chemotherapy, 53 patients showing a partial response continued with the same drugs but only 1 patient ultimately achieved a surgically confirmed complete response. Since second line drugs rarely achieve complete response following tumour progression we propose that patients who have only achieved partial response following 6 treatment courses should change chemotherapy in an attempt to achieve complete response.