Progestin therapy for advanced ovarian cancer: a phase II Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial.

Abstract

This is the report of results from a phase 2 trial of high-dose progestin therapy for treatment of ovarian cancer. 19 women received 1000 mg of Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) weekly by intramuscular injection for at least 8 weeks and longer if there was no evidence of tumor progression. None of the women in the study was responding any longer to surgery, radiation therapy, or conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. Response was measured as: 1) regression if there was at least a 50% decrease in the area of measurable lesion; or 2) disease progression as at least a 25% increase over the original measurements or the appearance of new lesions. Based on these criteria, there were no responses in the 19 women. Only 1 patient remained stable (3 months). Median survival time was 2 months with 75% of the patients dying within 4 months. 1 patient suffered severe vomiting and another experienced bleeding; there was no other toxicity. It is concluded that progestin therapy does not have a beneficial effect and its use in ovarian cancer patients should be limited to those with endometrioid histology.