A new therapeutic program in advanced ovarian cancer. Good results with decentralized cytostatic therapy

A trial of decentralised cytostatic (carboplatin + cyclophosphamide) treatment of advanced ovarian cancer under centralised supervision, carried out in the southern health care region, yielded good results. As carboplatin and cyclophosphamide cause myelosuppression which is commonly most manifest two weeks after treatment, increasing dosage intervals and reducing dosages is often necessary. However, compliance with the protocol for increasing dosage intervals and reducing dosages was found to be equally good at Lund and at the various local clinics. Although no significant difference in survival was found between patients treated with carboplatin and cyclophosphamide according to this model and patients treated with cisplatin combined with doxorubicin or epirubicin (P = 0.42), the former protocol is more appropriate for use in the out-patient clinic.