Taxol/ Carboplatin as First Line Therapy in Patients With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

The combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin in a three weeks schedule has emerged as the current standard approach for the adjuvant treatment of ovarian cancer. Based on a phase I study now a multi-center phase II-trial was conducted.

Inclusion Criteria:

• histologically-confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer of FIGO stage IIB - IV
• life expectancy of more than three months
• ECOG performance status less than 3
• laboratory parameters within the normal range, including a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) greater than 60 ml/min, serum creatinine levels below 1.6 mg/dl, liver transaminases less than two times the normal levels, bilirubin concentrations below 1.5 mg/dl, adequate bone marrow function as indicated by a neutrophil count greater than 1,500/µl, and a platelet count greater than 100,000/µl.
• written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• suffering from secondary malignancy or underlying serious, uncontrolled concurrent medical or psychiatric disease
• radiotherapy within 4 weeks for study entry