Salvage therapy with ilosfamide and mitoxantrone in advanced ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the anti-tumour activity and toxicity of ifosfamide(5 g/m² continuous infusion) and mitoxantrone (10 mg/ m² givenin combination every 3 weeks in patients with ovarian cancerresistant to at least two previous regimens which included platinum. PATIENTS AND METHODS:: Additional eligibility criteria were an ECOG performance status2 and measurable disease. Of 47 patients entered in the study,8 were defined as platinum-resistant and 39 as potentially sensitiveaccording to Markman's criteria. Thirty-five patients had alsoreceived pacitaxel as last treatment before entering this study.Tumour response was evaluated every three cycles. RESULTS:: One complete and 11 partial responses were reported, for anoverall response rate of 25% (95% CI: 14%–40%). Threeof the partial responders were resistant to num. None of the7 partial responders pretreated with had responded to it. Theoverall median urvival was months. Neutropema G4 was reportedin 18 patients(42%) with hospitalisation because of febrileneutropenia in 3 of them. CONCLUSIONS:: In patients with ovarian cancer failing least 2 previous therapiesincluding platinum, the nation of ifosfamide and mitoxantronehas shown antitumour activity comparable to that of paclitaxel,with accept able toxicity. Objective responses were reportedalso patients failing pacitaxel, suggesting a lack of crossresistance. ifosfamide, mitoxantrone, ovarian cancer