Chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as an adjunct to surgery in stage Ic-II epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Gynecologic Oncology Group of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Limburg.

Twenty-five patients with stage Ic-II ovarian cancer (8 stage Ic and 17 stage IIb-c) were treated with total removal followed by 6 cycles of chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and cisplatin intravenously on day 1, every 4 weeks (CAP-1). Of 18 patients in whom a second look was performed, 16 (89%) achieved a pathologically documented complete response and two patients had positive peritoneal washings at second look. Seven patients did not undergo second look laparotony, all of whom had clinically no evidence of disease. One patient with stage Ic relapsed and died after 40 months. Nine patients with stage II relapsed and died after a median of 29 months (range, 18-90 months). The overall relapse rate in all patients was therefore 40% (95% confidence interval: 21-61%). Median follow-up of all patients is 5 years (range, 40-90 months). The 5-year survival of patients with early stage ovarian cancer treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy appears to be at least as good as that reported with the use of postoperative irradiation or intraperitoneal radioactive phosphate. Optimal treatment of these patients remains to be further defined.