Hexamethylmelamine and melphalan as salvage therapy in advanced ovarian carcinoma

Ten patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma were treated with hexamethylmelamine and melphalan after failing first-line combination chemotherapy. In eight patients residual disease was evident only at second-look laparotomy. Surgical debulking was accomplished in four patients but only two patients had residual disease of less than 2 cm. Two of these four patients are alive without evidence of disease to 20 and 24 months. The remaining patients have expired (median survival 6 months). The combination of hexamethylmelamine and melphalan after surgical debulking at second-look operation may improve the salvage of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma.