Gemcitabine–oxaliplatin (GEMOX) for epithelial ovarian cancer patients resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy

BackgroundPatients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) experience poor outcome. Currently, no clearly superior management strategy exists for platinum-resistant EOC patients.PurposeAnalyze the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine–oxaliplatin (GEMOX) in platinum resistant EOC patients.Patients and methodsThirty-two patients with platinum-based resistant EOC were included. Studied patients had received GEM at the dose of 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and OX 100 mg/m2 on day 1, administered over 2 h 30 min after GEM infusion of 3 week treatment cycle.ResultsIn the evaluation of tumor response, none of patients had achieved CR while PR, SD, were observed in 7 (21.9%), 9 (28.1%) respectively, clinical benefit (CR + PR + SD) was recorded in 50% of patients while PD was observed in 16 (50%) patients. In regard to survival, the median value of OS was 10.5 months (range, 2.2–17.5 months). The median value of PFS was 6.37 months (range, 1–17.5 months). The one-year OS rate was 34.4% and the one-year PFS rate was 12.5%. Concerning hematological toxicity grade 3 neutropenia was recorded in 4 (12.5%) patients while grade 4 febrile neutropenia was recorded in 2 (6.3%) patients and grade 4 anemia was represented by 3.1%. Grade 1–2 fatigue was the most common non-hematological toxicity and represented by 65.6% of patients. Grade 3 non hematological toxicity was recorded with nausea/vomiting and hepatic toxicity represented by 3.1% for both.ConclusionThe GEMOX combination is a regimen with a moderate therapeutic efficacy and tolerable toxic side effects in patients with platinum-resistant EOC.