Ovarian Cancer

This is the seventh in a well-known series of conference summaries, organized and edited by Dr. Salmon. A perusal of the contents of these volumes over the past two decades reveals the evolution of concepts related to combined-modality therapy

Swedish researchers have, for the first time, used a combination of methods to accurately diagnose high-risk patents with early-stage ovarian cancer, thereby identifying those who would benefit from more aggressive treatment.

SAN FRANCISCO--Approximately 6% of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have had a previous diagnosis of breast cancer, Jeffrey G. Schneider, MD, said at the annual conference of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

LOS ANGELES--Using paclitaxel (Taxol) rather than cyclophosphamide in combination with cisplatin (Platinol) significantly increases both progression-free and overall survival in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, William P. McGuire, MD, said in his presentation at the plenary session of ASCO.

SAN FRANCISCO--Retinoic acid appeared to enhance the efficacy of cisplatin (Platinol) and paclitaxel (Taxol) in two of three ovarian cancer cell lines tested, James R. Bosscher, MD, said in his poster presentation at the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists meeting.

MALVERN, Penn--Centocor Diagnostics has introduced Centocor CA 125 II, a second-generation radioimmunoassay for the management of ovarian cancer. The new assay, a more sensitive version of Centocor CA 125, uses the same tracer antibody, OC125, but a new capture antibody, M11, to measure serum CA 125 levels.

NEW YORK--The earth's oceans are yielding a multitude of new sources of anticancer and anti-HIV agents, possibly with unique mechanisms of action (see illustration on page 1). In only 8 years of operation, Pharma Mar, s.a. (Madrid, Spain) has developed a library of more than 20,000 marine samples and has isolated some 350 novel marine-based compounds, including 40 that have been patented.

LISBON, Portugal--Encouraging news for women with platinum-resistant advanced ovarian cancer has emerged from a large phase II trial of docetaxel (Taxotere) conducted by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Early Clinical Trials Group.

Unlike some animal, ecologic, case-control, and prospective studies that have associated higher selenium levels with reduced cancer risk, a large cohort study recently reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that selenium intake

During the past decade, there has been an increase of over 300% in the incidence of prostate cancer and a 150% increase in the death rate from this dreaded cancer. It is estimated that more than 244,000 men will be diagnosed with this neoplasm during 1995, and at least 42,000 will die as a direct result of the disease [1]. Challenged by this dramatically rising incidence and mortality, three strategies can be implemented: (1) attempt to prevent the disease; (2) find the disease early, treat it, and cure it; and (3) discover a cure for the disease once it has escaped the bounds of the prostate.

Cancer epidemiology is the study of the distribution, determinants, and frequency of malignant disease in specific populations [1]. The objective is to define causative factors to formulate preventive strategies for control of the disease.

PARIS--Physicians should strive to maintain intensive platinum therapy in women with low-volume ovarian cancer, urged William McGuire III, MD, of Emory University. "However, I don't think there's yet data to show that we need to crank

MENLO PARK, Calif--Ansan, Inc., an operating company of Titan Pharmaceuticals, has received FDA approval to start a phase I trial of its butyric acid derivative AN-9 in patients with solid tumors. In preclinical studies, AN-9 demonstrated broad anticancer activity and may have less toxicity than standard chemotherapeutic agents, the company said.

ROCKVILLE, Md--The FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee has declined to recommend Ethyol (amifostine injection, U.S. Bioscience, Inc.) for approval at this time. The drug is being considered as a cytoprotective agent against both the acute and cumulative hematologic and renal toxicities associated with alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neo-sar) and platinum agents such as cisplatin (Platinol) in patients with ovarian cancer.

Approximately one third of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer present with localized or early-stage disease. Prognostic features identify certain subsets of patients with good risk characteristics who do not require adjuvant

The paper by Schilder et al is an outstanding review of the current status of the management of women with early-stage ovarian cancer. As the paper makes clear, despite the efforts of numerous cancer research groups around the world, an optimal treatment strategy for early-stage ovarian cancer has yet to be defined.

Schilder and colleagues have provided a detailed and excellent review of the management of early ovarian carcinoma. Several areas of the review deserve comment and will be considered in the following order: staging and prognostic factors, conservative surgery, and adjuvant therapy.

The use of safe and cost-effective endoscopic techniques for the placement of tubes in the gastrointestinal tract has led to increased utilization of long-term enteral feeding in patients with impaired GI function, including many

ROCKVILLE, Md--To the surprise of many, the FDA Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee recommended that Taxotere (docetaxel, Rhône-Poulenc Rorer) not be approved for marketing at this time. The company was seeking approval of the drug for use in locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer when previous therapy with an anthracycline has failed, and in locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy.

LISBON, Portugal--Glutathione shields against cisplatin (Platinol) toxicity in women with ovarian cancer, with no loss of antineoplastic efficacy, according to the findings of a study conducted at nine British oncology centers.