Open AccessHigh‐dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer — initial experience in Uppsala and Turku
Author(s) -
Grenman Seija,
Tholander Bengt,
Remes Kari,
Kauppila Marjut,
Rajamäki Allan,
Pelliniemi Tarjaterttu,
Rantanen Virpi,
Salmi Toivo,
Carlsson Kristina,
Höglund Martin,
ÖBerg Gunnar,
Simonson Bengt,
Salmi Tuula
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0412.1997.tb07994.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chemotherapy , ovarian cancer , stem cell , oncology , gynecology , cancer , surgery , genetics , biology
Background. With current standard‐dose chemotherapy ovarian cancer is a chemosensitive but not chemocurable disease in the majority of cases. The widely used first‐line chemotherapy including a platinum analogue combined with cyclophosphamide results in response rates of 60–80%. However, only 10–20% of patients with advanced disease are alive 5 years after the diagnosis. The efficacy of high‐dose chemotherapy supported by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is currently under intensive investigation. Methods. We report here our initial experiences of the use of high‐dose chemotherapy supported by ASCT for patients with high‐risk ovarian cancer. Two patients were treated at Uppsala University Hospital in 1992 and four patients at Turku University Central Hospital in 1994. Results. The first four patients treated either after heavy previous chemotherapy or recurrent disease relapsed within 5–10 months. Two patients received high‐dose therapy as part of firstline treatment. One of them had a relapse 18 months after therapy, the other one has been disease free for 28 months. No toxic deaths occurred, but the patients had neutropenic febrile episodes and moderate to severe gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions. Coordinated efforts in Nordic countries are indicated to evaluate the usefulness of high‐dose therapy supported by ASCT in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.