The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with etoposide and ifosfamide (ETI) in the management of heavily pretreated recurrent or persistent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Patients with recurrent or persistent EOC who had measurable disease and at least two prior chemotherapy participating in this phase II trial were to receive etoposide at a dose of 100 mg/m(2)/day intravenously (IV) on days 1 to 3 in combination with ifosfamide 1 g/m(2)/day IV on days 1 to 5, every 21 days. Thirty-seven patients were treated; about 78% had previously received more than two separate regimens. The response rate (RR) was 18.9% and median duration of response was 7 months (range, 1-15). Treatment free interval prior to ETI (TFI) has significant correlation with RR rate (P=0.034). Patients (n=6) with TFI > or =6 months had 50% of RR, while patients (n=31) with TFI <6 months had 12.9%. Median survival was 9 months at a median follow-up of 9.2 months. Grade 3 or 4 toxicities included neutropenia in 20.1% of the 139 cycles of ETI, anemia in 7.2% and thrombocytopenia in 8.6%. The ETI produces relatively low toxicity and modest activity in heavily pretreated recurrent or persistent EOC. This is significant in patients with TFI > or =6 months.
Keywords: Etoposide; Ifosfamide; Ovarian Neoplasms; Salvage Therapy.