A phase II study of carboplatin and hexamethylmelamine as induction chemotherapy in advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Abstract

27 patients with ovarian cancer FIGO stages IIc-IV were treated with carboplatin 7 x (glomerular filtration rate + 25) mg given intravenously on day 1 and hexamethylmelamine (HMM) 150 mg/m2 orally on days 2-15, every 28 days. 3 patients were not evaluable for response. Clinical response was seen in 17 patients (71%), with six (25%) complete and 11 (46%) partial responses. The median progression-free survival was 15.6 months and the median cancer-related survival was 21.3 months. 4 patients (15%) experienced grade 3 mental depression; none had peripheral neuropathy above grade 1. The haematological toxicity was moderate, none had grade 4 leucopenia, but 4 (15%) had grade 4 thrombocytopenia. Carboplatin plus HMM had few side-effects and a high response rate with a survival comparable to other platinum-based combinations.