Paclitaxel (TAX), carboplatin (CBDCA) and epidoxorubicin (EPIDX) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC)

In this study we have treated 53 patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) with fixed doses of paclitaxel 175 mg/sqm (3-hour infusion) a nd Carboplatin AUC6 plus escalating dose of epidoxorubicin (EPIDX) starting from 60 mg/sqm (ETC regimen). Cycles were repeated every 4 weeks for 6 cou rses. Grade 4 (WHO) thrombocytopenia was the dose limiting toxicity (DLT) a t EPIDX 90 mg/sqm and therefore in the phase II of the study EPIDX was give n at the dose of 75 mg/sqm. Thirty-nine patients were evaluable for toxicit y and 37 for response. Grade 3-4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were foun d in 49 % and 41 % of cases respectively, whereas no grade 4 non hematologi c toxicity was observed. A complete clinical response was obtained in 25 pa tients (67.6 % )and a partial clinical response in 6 (16.2%), for an overal l response rate of 83.8%. A pathological complete response was detected in 4 of the16 patients submitted to second-look. ETC regimen is feasible with acceptable toxicity and a very high activity in patients with AEOC.