Oral Etoposide for Ovarian Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): M.T. Seymour, J.L. Mansi, C.J. Gallagher, M.E. Gore, P.G. Harper, T.R.J. Evans, P.M. Edmonds, M.L. Slevin
Primary Institution: St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London
Hypothesis
Oral etoposide may be effective in treating patients with relapsed or platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
Conclusion
Oral etoposide shows activity in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer but has significant toxicity that can be managed with careful patient selection.
Supporting Evidence
- Among 41 assessable patients, there were two complete and eight partial objective responses, resulting in a 24% response rate.
- Median survival for all patients was 41 weeks, with a range of 2 to 96+ weeks.
- Severe myelotoxicity occurred in some patients, leading to treatment-related deaths.
Takeaway
This study tested a medicine called etoposide to see if it helps people with a type of cancer that doesn't respond to other treatments. It worked for some, but it can also make people very sick.
Methodology
Patients received oral etoposide for 14 days on a 21-day cycle, with modifications due to toxicity.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the non-randomized nature of the study and the inclusion of patients with poor performance status.
Limitations
The study included patients with varying performance statuses and prior treatments, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
Patients had advanced ovarian cancer, with 60% having liver involvement and varying performance statuses.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% confidence interval 12-41%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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