Abstract
Background: Activity of tamoxifen as a salvage therapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was evaluated by a number of studies. In this study, we evaluated efficacy of tamoxifen in our patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients who received tamoxifen at a dose 20 mg twice daily for the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.
Results: Twenty-nine eligible patients were included to the study. There were 1 (3%) complete response, 2 (7%) partial response, 6 (21%) stable disease, and 20 (69%) progressive disease. All patients were progressed after initiation of tamoxifen. Median progression-free survival was 4 mo (95% CI: 2.98–5.02). Disease progression of 19 (65%) patients were shown within the first 6 mo after initiation of tamoxifen. Progression-free survival was between 6 and 12 mo for 7 (24%) patients and ≥ 12 mo for 3 (10%) patients. The median survival after initiation of tamoxifen was 15 mo (95% CI: 7.2–22.8). No toxicity attributable to tamoxifen was seen in any of the patients. The only independent prognostic factor that had a significant predictive value for progression-free survival was the response to tamoxifen treatment (p=0.043, hazard ratio: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.01–0.94).
Conclusion: Considering minimal side effects and ability to cause objective responses, there is a place for tamoxifen in treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. A phase III trial is required to confirm the value of the drug in patients presenting these clinical settings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Vasey PA. Ovarian and fallopian tube cancers. In: Williams C (ed). Evidence-Based Oncology, 1st ed. BMJ Books: London, 2003, pp 377–393.
Markman M, Bookman MA. Second-line treatment of ovarian cancer. Oncologist 2000;5:26–35.
Kristensen GB, Trope C. Epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Lancet 1997;349:113–117.
Hatch KD, Beecham JB, Blessing JA, Creasman WT. Responsiveness of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma to tamoxifen. A Gynecologic Oncology Group study of second line therapy in 105 patients. Cancer 1991;68:269–271.
Ahlgren JD, et al. Hormonal palliation of chemoresistant ovarian cancer: three consecutive phase II trials of the Mid-Atlantic Oncology Program. J Clin Oncol 1993;11:1957–1968.
Van Der Velden J, Gitsch G, Wain GV, Friedlander ML, Hacker NF. Tamoxifen in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Int J Gynecol Oncol 1995;5:301–305.
Jager W, et al. A randomized comparison of triptorelin and tamoxifen as treatment of progressive ovarian cancer. Anticancer Res 1995;15:2639–2642.
Trope C, Marth C, Kaern J. Tamoxifen in the treatment of recurrent ovarian carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 2000;36:S59–67.
Mabuchi S, et al. Tamoxifen inhibits cell proliferation via mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades in human ovarian cancer cell lines in a manner not dependent on the expression of estrogen receptor or sensitivity to cisplatin. Endocrinology 2004;145:1302–1313.
Zhoua R, Treeck O, Horn F, Ortmann O. Effects of prolonged tamoxifen treatment on receptor expression and apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. Gynecol Oncol 2005;96:678–683.
Mcclay EF, Albright KD, Jones JA, Christen RD, Howell SB. Tamoxifen delays the development of resistance to cisplatin in human melanoma and ovarian cancer cell lines. Br J Cancer 1994;70:449–452.
Peraz-Gracia JL, Carrasco EM. Tamoxifen therapy for ovarian cancer in the adjuvant and advanced settings: systemic review of the literature and implications for future research. Gynecol Oncol 2001;84:201–209.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Karagol, H., Saip, P., Uygun, K. et al. The efficacy of tamoxifen in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Med Oncol 24, 39–43 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685901
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685901