Treatment of advanced and recurrent ovarian carcinoma with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin

Abstract

Forty‐seven patients with primary advanced (N = 37) or recurrent ovarian carcinoma (N = 10) completed a 12‐month course of CAP chemotherapy or developed progressive disease while on therapy and were evaluated. All patients were treated between August 1, 1977 and August 1, 1982 Cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m², Adriamycin (doxorubicin) 40 mg/m², and cisplatin 60 mg/m², were administered every 4 weeks intravenously. After 8 courses the cisplatin was stopped. The patients then received 500 mg/m² of cyclophosphamide and 50 mg/m² of Adriamycin. At the cumulative dose of 450 mg/m², the Adriamycin was stopped and cyclophosphamide was given at 1 g/m² alone until the patient had received a total of 12–13 courses from the initiation of the chemotherapy protocol. The cardiac, renal, and hematopoetic toxicity of the regimen was mild to moderate. The median survival of the entire study population was 32 months. The median survival of the patients with primary disease was 36 months. The median survival of patients with recurrent disease was 20 months. There was a significant difference in median survival based on size of the largest lesion prior to initiation of chemotherapy. There was no difference in median survival based on tumor grade or comparing Stage III to Stage IV tumors. The most important aspects of the study appeared to be the length of the median survival of the patients, the fact that all patients who were complete responders and who were considered to have no evidence of disease, have been documented by second look, and the success of secondary treatment after second‐look procedures revealed persistent tumor. The authors additionally report the use of weight change as an indicator of tumor response, and the importance of the pelvic examination complimented by fine‐needle aspiration in following the course of these patients.