Favourable prognosis with modified dosing of docetaxel and cisplatin in Japanese patients with ovarian cancer.
BACKGROUND
The long-term efficacy and safety of docetaxel/cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy in Japanese patients was evaluated in order to find an optional regimen for ovarian cancer.


PATIENTS AND METHODS
Women with surgically resected stage Ic-IV epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with docetaxel 70 mg/m2 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 every 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Ninety women were enrolled of whom 89 (median age, 54 years) received a median of 6 cycles (range 1 to 9). With a median 38 months'follow-up, median progression-free survival was 28 months (95% lower confidence interval, 24 months) in 60 patients with stage III-IV disease. The overall response rate for 20 patients was 45%. Neutropenia was the most common (67%) grade 3/4 toxicity. Major grade 3/4 nonhaematological toxicities were gastrointestinal toxicities (< or = 11%) and fatigue (8%). No grade 3/4 neurotoxicity was observed.


CONCLUSION
The combination of docetaxel/cisplatin is a regimen with favourable progression-free survival for ovarian cancer.