The efficacy of tamoxifen in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 39 - 43
• Main Authors: Karagol, Hakan, Saip, Pinar, Uygun, Kazim, Caloglu, Murat, Eralp, Yesim, Tas, Faruk, Aydiner, Adnan, Topuz, Erkan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell - secondary; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - secondary; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Endometrioid - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Endometrioid - secondary; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous - drug therapy; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous - secondary; Disease-Free Survival; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Female; Humans; Maximum Tolerated Dose; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial - drug therapy; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial - secondary; Oncology; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian Neoplasms - drug therapy; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Retrospective Studies; Salvage Therapy; Survival Rate; Tamoxifen - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02685901

Activity of tamoxifen as a salvage therapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was evaluated by a number of studies. In this study, we evaluated efficacy of tamoxifen in our patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma. A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients who received tamoxifen at a dose 20 mg twice daily for the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Twenty-nine eligible patients were included to the study. There were 1 (3%) complete response, 2 (7%) partial response, 6 (21%) stable disease, and 20 (69%) progressive disease. All patients were progressed after initiation of tamoxifen. Median progression-free survival was 4 mo (95% CI: 2.98-5.02). Disease progression of 19 (65%) patients were shown within the first 6 mo after initiation of tamoxifen. Progression-free survival was between 6 and 12 mo for 7 (24%) patients and > or =12 mo for 3 (10%) patients. The median survival after initiation of tamoxifen was 15 mo (95% CI: 7.2-22.8). No toxicity attributable to tamoxifen was seen in any of the patients. The only independent prognostic factor that had a significant predictive value for progression- free survival was the response to tamoxifen treatment (p = 0.043, hazard ratio: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.01-0.94). Considering minimal side effects and ability to cause objective responses, there is a place for tamoxifen in treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. A phase III trial is required to con- firm the value of the drug in patients presenting these clinical settings.