Efficacy and Toxicity of Gemcitabine and Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in Recurrent Platinum - Resistant/Refractory Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Treatment of patients with platinum resistant/refractory ovarian cancer is a significant problem.In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of the combination of gemcitabine and pegylated liposomaldoxorubicin (PLD) in patients with platinum resistant/refractory ovarian cancer. Patients and <br/><b>Methods</b>: Weretrospectively evaluated the activity and toxicity of gemcitabine and PLD combination in 35 patients withrecurrent platinum resistant/refractory ovarian cancer who had been treated and followed up in 7 centers inTurkey between December 2005 and June 2008. The patients received gemcitabine 1.000 mg/m2 on day 1 and 8,and PLD 25 mg/m2 on day 1 every 28 days. <br/><b>Results</b>: A total of 187 cycles (median, 6 cycles) were delivered. Anobjective response rate of 28,6 % (1 complete, 9 par tial response) was achieved. Additionally, 16 patients (45.7%) had disease stabilization. The median time-to-progression was 6 months (95 % confidence interval, 4-8) andthe median overall survival was 17 months (95 % confidence interval, 12-22). Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicitieswere as follows: leucopenia (14.3%), neutropenia (8.6%), and anemia (2.9%). One febrile neutropenic episode(2.9%) was observed. Non-hematologic toxicity was well tolerated and easily managed and no grade 3-4palmoplantar erytrodysestesia (PPE) was observed. <br/><b>Conclusion</b>: The combination of gemcitabine and PLD isan effective and tolerable treatment option, with 74.3 % disease control rate for patients with platinum resistant/refractory ovarian cancer.