Chemotherapy for malignant mixed mullerian tumors of the ovary

Objective. The aim of this study was to review the chemotherapy experience at Magee-Womens Hospital for malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) of the ovary. Patients were treated with either paclitaxel/carboplatin (PC) outpat ient chemotherapy or platinum/ifosfamide (PI) inpatient chemotherapy as fir st- or second-line therapy. Methods. Thirteen patients diagnosed with MMMT of the ovary after complete surgical staging from 1990 to 1999 were studied retrospectively. Six patien ts received PC combination chemotherapy, of which 3 patients received PC as first-line treatment. The other 3 patients received PC as second-line ther apy. Eight patients were treated with PI. Demographic data, pathology, cyto reductive surgery, treatment, and survival rates were reviewed. Complete cl inical response (CR) was defined as the disappearance of all measurable dis ease or normalization of elevated CA 125 level after chemotherapy, Kaplan-M eier analysis was used for survival analysis. Results. The median survival time of patients receiving PC was 19 months. O ne patient, after receiving PC as first-line treatment, demonstrated a CR a nd is free of disease beyond 33 months. The median survival time of patient s managed with PI was 23 months. Three patients with suboptimal disease dem onstrated CR after receiving PI. Conclusions. Optimal chemotherapy regimen for MMMT of ovary remains to be d etermined. Platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with ifosfamide or pa clitaxel may be active against this rare malignancy. (C) 2000 Academic Pres s.