High-dose 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin as second-line chemotherapy in patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer

Abstract

A total of 14 patients with platinum-resistant advanced epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with a continuous infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 1200 mg/m2 per day) for 2 consecutive days weekly for 4 weeks and, thereafter, every 2 weeks in combination with a push injection of folinic acid (20 mg/m2) given just before 5-FU and after 24 h. No objective response was documented, and only five patients showed stable disease. The median survival was 6.5 months. There was minimal toxicity. This schedule of 5-FU in combination with folinic acid is not effective as second-line chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer.