TAMOXIFEN IN PLATINUM-REFRACTORY OVARIAN-CANCER - A GYNECOLOGIC-ONCOLOGY-GROUP ANCILLARY REPORT

There is a critical need to find additional effective therapies in the management of ovarian cancer, A previously reported Gynecologic Oncol ogy Group trial demonstrated that tamoxifen is an active drug when use d in the salvage setting in this malignancy, Unfortunately, this origi nal report did not specifically examine the utility of tamoxifen in pa tients with clinically defined platinum-refractory disease, In this re analysis of the results of treatment of 102 evaluable patients entered into this multi-institutional trial, an objective response rate of 13 % (95% confidence interval, 6.4-22.6%) was observed in patients with c isplatin-refractory ovarian cancer, The median response duration in th is patient population was 4.4 months (range 1.2-9.2 months). Although the response rate is modest, this well-tolerated hormonal agent is a r easonable therapeutic option in selected patients with ovarian cancer when salvage therapy is to be considered, A possible role for this hor monal agent in other clinical settings In ovarian cancer will need to be defined through the conduct of carefully designed randomized clinic al trials. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.