Paclitaxel and carboplatin as outpatient therapy for stage III and IV epithelial ovarian cancer

Background. To determine the toxicity and the response rate of a three-hour paclitaxel infusion and carboplatin administered as outpatient treatment f or stage III and IV epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods. Forty-three patients with stage III/IV epithelial ovarian cancer u nderwent cytoreductive surgery and then received paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) ove r 3-hr infusion and carboplatin AUC5 every 21 days for six cycles. Elegible patients had adequate bone marrow, renal and hepatic function; G-CSF was r ecommended if white cell count fell under 3,000/mm(3). Results. No patients had hypersensivity reactions; 15 out of 43 patients (3 5%) required colony-stimulating factors, 39 patients (91%) had general alop ecia, three patients (7%) had severe emesis, 20 patients (46%) had mild eme sis, four patients (9%) had severe myalgias, eight patients (18%) had moder ate myalgias, one patient (2%) had grade 3 neurotoxicity. Three patients ex perienced grade 3 thrombocytopenia (7%). At a median follow-up of 29 months , 32 of 43 patients are alive (74%). Median progression-free survival is 14 months. Median overall survival has not been reached. Conclusions. Three-hour infusion paclitaxel and carboplatin is an effective and safe outpatient therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer.