Prognostic Benefit of ≥6 Cycles of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Advanced Ovarian, Tubal, and Peritoneal Cancers

Anticancer Res. 2021 Aug;41(8):4157-4161. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15219.

Abstract

Background/aim: A higher number of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) cycles translate to a lower risk of morbidity and mortality, but few studies have analyzed the prognostic impact of >4 cycles of NACT.

Patients and methods: Overall, 52 patients [31 patients, NACT plus interval debulking surgery (IDS); 21 patients, NACT alone owing to progressive disease] who underwent NACT between January 2008 and December 2014 were evaluated.

Results: In total, 6, 7-10, and 11-18 cycles of NACT were performed in 52.3%, 27.3%, and 20.5% of the patients, respectively. The median overall survival was 76.0 months (range=36.0-94.0 months), and the median progression-free survival was 26.0 months (range=18.0-54.0 months) in the NACT plus IDS group.

Conclusion: At least six cycles of NACT plus IDS are associated with a lower rate of multi-organ resection and a high rate of complete resection or optimal (<1 cm) following IDS.

Keywords: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; ovarian cancer; peritoneal cancer; prognosis; tubal cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use*
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / mortality
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / mortality
  • Paclitaxel / therapeutic use*
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel