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. 1992 Jan;119(1):55–57. doi: 10.1007/BF01209489

Phase 2 trial of chronic low-dose oral etoposide as salvage therapy of platinum-refractory ovarian cancer

Maurie Markman 1,2,✉, Thomas Hakes 1,2, Bonnie Reichman 1,2, John Curtin 1,2, Richard Barakat 1,2, Stephen Rubin 1,2, Walter Jones 1,2, John L Lewis Jr 1,2, Lois Almadrones 1,2, William Hoskins 1,2
PMCID: PMC12200767  PMID: 1400568

Abstract

Eighteen previously treated patients with advanced ovarian cancer were entered into a phase 2 trial of chronic low-dose oral etoposide (50 mg/day for 20 days, repeated every 28 days) to determine the activity of this therapeutic strategy in organoplatinum-refractory disease. The treatment program was generally well tolerated, with mild neutropenia the most common side-effect encountered. One patient (6%; 95% confidence interval=0–17%) achieved a partial response, which lasted for 11 months. Three additional patients (17%), who failed to meet the criteria of a partial response, demonstrated objective evidence of antineoplastic activity. Chronic low-dose oral etoposide administration is associated with definite, although modest, activity in platinumrefractory ovarian cancer.

Key words: Etoposide, Ovarian cancer, Cancer chemo, therapy

Footnotes

Supported in part by the Avon Program in Ovarian Cancer, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NCI grant 52477, and a grant from the Bristol-Myers Oncology Division

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