Etoposide (VP‐16) plus cisplatin (DDP): A new active chemotherapeutic combination in patients with stage iii‐iv ovarian adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Ten patients with Stage III‐IV ovarian adenocarcinoma were treated with the drug combination etoposide (VP‐16) plus cisplatin (DDP). All patients were in relapse following prior vigorous, uninterrupted treatment with three or more lines of chemotherapy that included (1) courses of weekly 1‐mg/kg single‐agent DDP, (2) DDP 50 mg/m² in various combinations with or without cytoxan, adriamycin and hexamethylmelamine q 4 weeks and (3) highdose methotrexate‐leucovorin plus cyclophosphamide (MECY) q 4 weeks. The median duration of treatment prior to starting VP‐16‐DDP was 27.5 months (range 6 to 53 months). VP‐16‐DDP was given as a 2‐day regimen repeated every 4 weeks. VP‐16, 100‐150 mg/m², was given on days 1 and 2, and 50 mg/m² of DDP on day 1 only. The finding of 50 % partial response and 38 % stabilization of measurable tumor was remarkable in patients so extensively pretreated. The responses were not due to increased DDP dosage, but rather to an apparent synergism between VP‐16 and DDP.