Weekly Carboplatin and Paclitaxel: A Retrospective Comparison with the Three‐Weekly Schedule in First‐Line Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

• Published in: The oncologist (Dayton, Ohio) Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 30 - 39
• Main Authors: Safra, Tamar, Waissengrin, Barliz, Levy, Talya, Leidner, Ellie, Merose, Rotem, Matceyevsky, Diana, Grisaru, Dan, Laskov, Ido, Mishaan, Nadav, Shayzaf, Rotem, Wolf, Ido
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2021; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adjuvant treatment; Cancer; Carboplatin; Carcinoma; Chemotherapy, Combination; Comparative analysis; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Gynecologic Oncology; Health aspects; Medical records; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian epithelial; Paclitaxel; Weekly; Israel; Carboplatin; Carcinoma; Ovarian epithelial; Weekly; Paclitaxel
• ISSN: 1083-7159; 1549-490X
• DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2020-0196

Background Conventional first‐line combination therapy for ovarian cancer comprises 6 cycles of adjuvant or neoadjuvant carboplatin (AUC5‐6) with paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) every 3 weeks (PC‐3W). Weekly scheduling of paclitaxel may maximize its antiangiogenic effect and reduce adverse effects. We compared the efficacy and safety of PC‐3W with a modified protocol of weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 and weekly carboplatin AUC2 administered on days 1, 8, and 15 in a 28‐day cycle (i.e., with 1 week off‐treatment [PC‐W]). Materials and Methods Medical records of consecutive patients treated between 2000 and 2018 were reviewed; 707 patients were analyzed for demographic and clinical characteristics, effectiveness and toxicity. Results PC‐3W was administered to 402 patients (median age, 60.5 years) and PC‐W to 305 patients (median age, 62.5 years). Most patients (91.4%) were diagnosed at stage III–IV. Notwithstanding a higher proportion of residual disease and older patients in the PC‐W group, median progression‐free survival was 21.4 months and 13.2 months for PC‐W and PC‐3W, respectively; median overall survival was 75.2 and 54.0 months for PC‐W and PC‐3W, respectively. Cox proportional hazards model indicated improved survival for patients treated with PC‐W (hazard ratio, 0.54). Similar results were observed for older patients diagnosed at ≥75 years. PC‐W demonstrated a better safety profile, with lower incidence of neuropathy, neutropenia, and alopecia. Conclusion PC‐W is as active and better tolerated than the standard PC‐3W regimen. PC‐W may serve as an alternative option for elderly or frail patients. Implications for Practice Weekly scheduling of paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC2, administered on days 1, 8, and 15 in a 28‐day cycle (PC‐W) for first‐line therapy for advanced ovarian cancer, is as active and better tolerated than the standard regimen of carboplatin and paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) every 3 weeks (PC‐3W). It is possible that the weekly holiday on day 21 in the PC‐W regimen may ensure better completion rates (which may result in treatment delays for toxicity in PC‐3W). The results of this retrospective analysis highlight the weekly regimen as a valid treatment option, especially for elderly patients and those with significant comorbidities. Conventional first‐line combination therapy for ovarian cancer is 6 cycles of adjuvant or neoadjuvant carboplatin with paclitaxel every three weeks. Weekly scheduling of paclitaxel may maximize its antiangiogenic effect and reduce adverse effects. This study compared the efficacy and safety of a weekly versus the three‐weekly protocol in a large cohort of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.