Toxic dense-dose therapy for ovarian cancer not justified












Weekly dose-dense chemotherapy in first-line epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma treatment (ICON8): primary progression free survival analysis results from a GCIG phase 3 randomised controlled trial
https://tinyurl.com/uc9w7vt

The current chemotherapy treatment regime for ovarian cancer is single dose every three weeks. In 2013 a Japanese clinical trial* showed increased survival with a dose-dense regime where a double dose of the same chemotherapy is administered weekly.

There is a significant increase in side effects and toxicity with this dose-dense regime. A repeat randomised clinical trial has been completed comparing dose-dense therapy with conventional less toxic treatment regimes.

The findings of this large study with 1566 participants shows no improvement of progression free survival with the dose-dense therapy. Most side effects from treatment were greater with the dose-dense regime. The incidence of nerve injury and decreased white blood cell count was similar for all groups.
*      https://tinyurl.com/qpko65c


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