Advanced ovarian cancer in the elderly: results of consecutive trials with cisplatin-based chemotherapy

From 1982 through 1996, 547 untreated advanced ovarian cancer patients were entered onto Gruppo Oncologico Nord-Ovest (GONO) consecutive randomized trials including cisplatin-based chemotherapy. End points of analysis included the influence of age on prognosis, toxicity, clinical/surgical response rates, progression-free survival and survival, Of the entire study group, 116 patients were 65 years of age or older at diagnosis. WHO main toxicity (any grade) consisted of: emesis (93% of patients), myelotoxicity (leukopenia in 52%. anemia in 51% and thrombocytopenia in 17%, of patients). nephrotoxicity in 13% of patients and neurotoxicity in 10% of patients. No significant difference in toxicity was evident between patients greater than or equal to or < 65 years. Refusal of CT and early ( <less than or equal to> 2 courses) interruption of CT due to toxicity were more frequent in elderly patients (3.4 vs. 1.4%,. 3.4 vs. 0.7%, respectively). After a median follow-up of 71 months no difference was observed in survival and progression-free survival between younger and older patients. Cox multiple regression analysis of the entire study population demonstrated that age > 65 years per se was not a negative prognostic factor. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.