High dose chemotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of epithelial ovarian carcinoma

High dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue has been used in an attempt to overcome chemotherapy resistance and increase survival in patients with po or prognosis epithelial ovarian cancer. Untreated patients with advanced st age disease and those with chemosensitive recurrent disease do better in te rms of response rates as well as duration of response and overall survival. Newer strategies using multiple cycles of dose intense therapy may improve results although it will be difficult to document changes in the natural h istory of advanced ovarian cancer without the completion of randomized phas e ill trials. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 11:17-21. (C) 1999 Lippincott Willia ms & Wilkins.