Dose intensity of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. An important factor affecting survival.

Forty-three patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma, were treated by cyclophosphamide and cisplatin (CP) following initial laparotomy. The mean dose intensity (DI) and mean relative dose intensity (RDI) respectively were for cyclophosphamide: 166.69 mg/sqm/week and 0.67, and for cisplatin: 16.29 mg/sqm/week and 0.65. The mean average relative dose intensity (ARDI) was 0.66. The three-year survival for all patients was 44.3%. The three-year survival for patients receiving cyclophosphamide with a RDI of more than median value was 63.82%, while for patients receiving cyclophosphamide with a RDI of less than median value three-year survival was 26.3% (p < 0.02). The three-year survival for patients receiving cisplatin with an RDI of more than median value was 62.01%, as compared to 24.17% for patients receiving cisplatin with a RDI of less than median value (p < 0.02). The three-year survival for patients receiving the CP regimen with an ARDI of more than median value was significantly higher than that for patients receiving the CP regimen with an ARDI of less than median value (63.82% versus 26.03%, p < 0.02). Dose intensity of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian carcinoma is an important factor affecting survival.