Melphalan chemotherapy in advanced ovarian carcinoma

One hundred and eleven consecutive women with FIGO Stages III and IV ovarian adenocarcinoma were treated with melphalan as their initial chemotherapy. The response rate was 19.8% with 10.8% having a complete response. There was a statistically significant improvement in response in those women with no prior radiation therapy. Moreover, there was a statistically significant improvement in median survival in those patients achieving a complete response to melphalan as compared to those with a partial response, with no change or progression of their malignancy. A review of the results of maximal surgery and combination chemotherapy is presented as a plan of therapy to improve upon the results of melphalan chemotherapy in women with advanced ovarian carcinoma.