Onkológia 6/2009

Topotecan in the treatment of recurrent ovarian carcinoma – the retrospective analysis

Topotecan, a topoizomerase i inhibitor, is currently indicated for the treatment of relapsed metastatic ovarian cancer after failure of initial or subsequent chemotherapy. Several phase II trials have investigated the activity of topotecan as second-line therapy in relapsed ovarian cancer. The aim of the study is to evaluate if the survival benefit of Topotecan is achieved also in heavily pretreated patients after third, fourth line of chemotherapy (CT). This retrospective study analyzed (included) 113 patients treated with topotecan, for recurrent ovarian cancer, from 1997 to 2008. Topotecan achieved complete remission(CR) and partial remission (PR) in 18(16,7 %) patients, stable disease in 64(56,6 %). Median progression free survival (PFS) was 4,5 months in all patients and median overall survival (OS) 20,1 months. Median PFS was 4,4 months in second line, 4,4 months in third line and 5,0 month in other lines, without statistically significant difference. Results of this study confirm effectivity of Topotecan in the treatment of recurrent ovarian carcinoma, also in heavily pretreated patients in fourth and other lines of chemotherapy.

Keywords: topotecan, recurrent ovarian cancer, progression free survival